I'm trying to find some free software to convert my DVD's to ipod format. Everything I've found has either been really expensive or just to complicated to use. I know someone around here much put their DVD's on their video ipod's. What do ya'll use?

10/11/2007 7:19:38 PM

Handbrake
Free, and the most recent releases are very simple to use. There are iPod presets that will select the best format for the iPod
http://handbrake.m0k.org/


[Edited on October 11, 2007 at 7:30 PM. Reason : .]

10/11/2007 7:30:26 PM

yea i tried handbrake but it wont open all it does is say.... ".NET runtime library is not installed"

10/11/2007 9:00:16 PM

winavi mp4 converter. works great

10/12/2007 12:14:30 AM

^^you need to download .net Framework 2.0

10/12/2007 2:08:25 AM

^^^ What ^ said, go to http://www.windowsupdate.com and download the .net framework, which should be under the "optional" updates section on the left side of the page.

10/12/2007 5:27:27 AM

I downloaded handbrake.

It doesn't want to let me backup my copy-protected DVD.

Ideas?

10/17/2007 2:07:58 AM

you have to rip the DVD first.
on windows, DVD Shrink or DVD Decrypter or something. On Mac, use MacTheRipper.
then you'll have a VIDEO_TS folder, then handbrake can encode the VIDEO_TS folder

10/17/2007 8:15:56 AM

Does it get the audio from there too?

10/17/2007 11:08:16 AM

yea try DVDFab HD Decrypter, theres a free version if you google it

10/17/2007 11:10:35 AM

What about DVD Shrink?

(I already have that)

10/17/2007 11:33:47 AM

I dont think that can handle newer encryption schemes. Dvdfab is always updated.

10/17/2007 11:36:41 AM

When you say newer encryption schemes are you talking Blu-Ray and HD?

10/17/2007 11:46:30 AM

It does do those but also they changed it up on some of the newer dvd's Casino Royale comes to mind. I use DVD shrink but not to rip movies. Last time I tried it could not do any of the newer ones unless it got a big update recently.

10/17/2007 11:54:27 AM

Would it be possible/practical to compress these video files for storage purposes using winzip or 7zip or something?

How much of a reduction in size can you achieve with a 5GB file, for example?

10/17/2007 12:32:42 PM

No using winzip wouldnt help at all really. You can you dvd shrink to compress it and lose some quality. Not bad is you want to take a dual layer dvd and burn it to play in a dvd player. Or if you want it smaller you can use handbreak which uses h264, which is good quality and a smaller file size.

10/17/2007 12:48:08 PM

I ripped it with DVDfab, I'm using Handbrake to encode it.

Will post results.

10/17/2007 12:51:51 PM

i think we know the results already.
Depending on your Handbrake settings, you'll end up with a compressed movie from 700MB-1.5GB. Then you can throw your DVD-rip folder away and just store the video file.

10/17/2007 1:22:10 PM

To get it on the ipod can you just use the simple drag and drop to itunes?

10/17/2007 2:00:34 PM

assuming you encoded it with the correct settings (if you used the iPod presets, you're fine), then yes.

10/17/2007 3:07:51 PM

The first task of encoding completed in >3 hours... now the second part is taking 3-5 hours more.

10/17/2007 4:28:15 PM

yeah.
you can turn off double-pass encoding, but will get a larger file. or lower the bitrate and get smaller files, faster encoding, but lower quality.

your options are to
1) let it take as long as it needs
2) lower the quality and/or increase the file size to speed it up
3) get a faster computer
4) get a Mac and buy the Turbo.H264 which will encode in H264 5-10x faster than handbrake

10/17/2007 4:45:01 PM

Nah, I've been through a lot with this old comp and I hope to have it for a long time.

I can wait.

10/17/2007 10:05:02 PM

OK, now I've successfully converted it to 1.36 GB .m4v file. When I drag it to itunes nothing happens. Halp!

10/18/2007 1:39:56 AM

Im not very familar with ipods, but can you not access it like a removeable drive under my computer?

10/18/2007 1:51:27 AM

^^ did you use an iPod preset in handbrake?

iTunes/iPod can only recognize certain video file types. Try opening the video file in QuickTime and see if it will open. If QT can open it, iTunes should be able to open it.

10/18/2007 9:53:02 AM

Quote :

"Would it be possible/practical to compress these video files for storage purposes using winzip or 7zip or something? How much of a reduction in size can you achieve with a 5GB file, for example?"

..around 50-100 MB (i.e. a couple %)

10/18/2007 11:18:50 AM