Ripping your DVDs for iPod, Apple TV or that other Video player

In this Instructable I will be demonstrating how to backup your personally owned DVDs to a format playable on your computer. These file can also be burned to DVD, copied to your iPod (or that other video capable player) and even streamed through the soon to be available Apple TV!

It's perfectly legal (in the US anyway) to backup your own DVDs to protect the original from little sticky fingers, accidents and use with your other Video Players.

There's been talk that the new Apple TV will only work with movies purchased through iTunes. Not true! Any movie that will stream with iTunes will work with Apple TV. Also, you'll be able to stream from up to 4 computers (Macs or PCs) on your network.

All this is possible with a recent merger of two great open-source utilities, Handbreak and MediaFork! The new merged utility, adopting the name MediaFork, is currently available for Macintosh (GUI), Windows (command-line or GUI) and Linux (command-line). I will be covering the use of the Graphic User Interface (GUI) version. There's also a special version for Mac called "Instant Handbreak" that removed all the confusing settings and just does the job for you.

A note about this specific DVD: I've taken the liberty to semi-hide the title to avoid inciting any publisher's anger. Please don't mention the name of the DVD when posting. I chose this particular DVD because it happens to be resistant to any other copying process. As it is, with this software, the first (very important) 7 minutes of the movie are lost.

Very few movies will have problems making a full copy.

Step 1 Getting the Software

Note. There are many techniques that will accomplish this. Most will require 2 to more packages. This one only requires the one program that will run on any computer under 5 years old.

MediaFork (currently 0.8.0 beta 1) is available for download at http://handbrake.m0k.org/?page_id=8 for all three platforms. Just choose the version for your computer and download it!

On the Mac, drag the application, MediaFork from the downloaded disk image or folder to your Utilities folder (located in the Applications folder). Then drag the newly copied MediaFork application, from your Utilities folder, to your Dock for easy access.

For Windows & Linux follow the included instructions for installation.

EDIT: The new link to Handbrake is http://handbrake.fr/. This now has presets for everything!

Comments

[turtlerck]

For those who want to rip all episodes or titles into one video files, I think the dvd free ripper should have the "merge" feature, so you won't be interrupted when watch the movie.

[Wareagle]

i want to add episode 3 season 3 of LOST to my iPod. i have the episode 1-4 disc. i was confused on which one to choose in the video TS file. these are the ones to choose from that i believe are from episode 3... VTS_03_O.BUP - 52KB VTS_03_01.IFO - 52KB VTS_03_0.VOB - 124.5 MB VTS_03_1.VOB - 1023.9 MB VTS_03_2.VOB - 613.4 MB thank you!

[LasVegas]

 IFO files are the Information document for the video portion. The BUP is a Backup of the information file in case the DVD player has a read error with the IFO file. The VTS files are the actual Video information. None of them will work on the iPod. That is why you need to rip the video into an M4V (MPEG 4 Video) file.

[Mathias Re'eh]

most likely it is VTS_03_1.VOB - 1023.9 MB because it is the most amount of memory i hope it helps :)

[Wareagle]

BTW i am using a macintosh.

[lussary]

(removed by author or community request)

[LasVegas]

 You can pay for and use that software, but Handbreak is free and does as good or better job than DVD Ripper.

[adam2013]

its only illegal if you aren't using it for personal use like selling the copies

[chibiwind]

i thought it was illegal to bypass the DVD encryption?

[finleym50]

This DVD Ripperis the most powerful one that I have used before. It has great power to rip DVD to video of all formats.

[lilycicy]

(removed by author or community request)

[LasVegas]

That's nice as a Windows only solution and if you want to spend money on a commercial package that isn't near as powerful as Handbreak for rripping for the iPod/video player. If you want to rip DVDs to make a backup copy on the Mac, there's no better solution that RipIt, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper!

[abadfart]

sweet I'm going to be streaming through my house

[kburesh]

If you have windows just use dvd shrink to rip your dvd, and videora to convert. If the dvd is new you have to use ripit4me and dvd decrycter. you can find Tutorials all over the web

[collard41]

after all of my complementing here is a quabble, when i try and load the dvd, it says that i cant find a title file, or that it is copy protected, but it had no copy protection. how do i get it to recognise the files?

[danlab]

I ran into this problem, but if you read their how to guide, it tells you to select the “VIDEO_TS” folder not the actual dvd. When I did this, it worked fine.

the how to guide is http://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/WindowsGuiGuide

[collard41]

thats what i did. and if that did work, surely you would use the audio files

[LasVegas]

While Handbrake handles the RPC encoding without problem through the OS, a newer protection mechanism called RCE (Regional Coding Enhancement) that isn't necessarily as easy to get around. Other protection techniques are also being used such as empty or missing VOB files.

There are other techniques that help get around these issues such asMacTheRipper for the Mac. Some discs are just too difficult to waste much time on...

[collard41]

i have found a new piece of software. Imtoo ripper pack platinum. it is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo easy. three steps 1> select dvd 2>select profile (you can make your own, or chose from the 30 or so presets) 3> press rip. i also have the media version that converts files. here is a screenshot of selecting a profile, see how easy it is

[collard41]

as a message to LasVegas, do you think you could change the link in the intro to handbrake.fr as this works perfectly and still works ps it isn't in french

[LasVegas]

Sounds like an idea! No problem.

[collard41]

i use the standard Handbrake and it is easier than this, as there are presets and less ways to go wrong, but you can also go as complicated as you want.

[LasVegas]

Yes. The new presets make everything easier! This was written before them.

[gamerguy13]

Handbrake can't read the DVD, even when I directed it to VIDEO_TS. I get a message saying "No Title(s) found. Please make sure you have selected a valid, non-copy protected source. Please refer to the FAQ (see Help Menu).

[collard41]

you want to select the option Folder under the Browse button instead of File

[HardCoreHacker]

Please put the installation program on the instructasble!! My computer wont let to the web site.

[collard41]

try this link:
handbrake

[weebl]

or just a thougt you could download limewire and get what you want when you want.wow i know five year olds that could write better instructables than this

[bengerszewski]

i've tried getting videos from limewire, and it doesnt work to well for me... any tips?

[LasVegas]

I'm sorry... I refuse to instruct or condone any process to illegally acquire copyrighted material. This Instructable assumes the user is transferring a movie they own for the purpose of watching it on their video capable player. BTW: I wouldn't give too much merit to weebl's comments. Just look at the quality, or lack thereof, of his Instuctables (all two of them!).

[bengerszewski]

i don't like limewire much either, good to know someone shares my opinion. Anyways... great instructable.

[spottedape_05]

Or just a thought, you could reply constructively, Nice Instructable... this works much better than cucusoft and theres no annoying water mark.. Thanks

[fionaleigh]

yeah, what a great idea! think of all the awesome viruses i could put on my machine! i'm so excited, i can hardly wait to get started! i've had limewire twice, and both times it TRASHED my computer. not only that, but limewire cuts down on hard-earned profits that musicians like myself deserve.

[weebl]

wow you seel music whitch means that you have enough money for a gutar plug to normal headphone jack AND you have enogh money for a microphone And cd to burn,WOW a recording studio whith a computer and if your very edgy you could even try to make a video whith a webcam wow a whole recording studio for you very high valued musicians explaned in one comment.

[weebl]

what im saying in simple terms so the tiny penut inside your head can figure out is that if you have enough money for a microphone a gutar and a cd.what!!???!??!?!? i have all those and guess what i must be a hihly valued musician!!!!!!!!

[bengerszewski]

dude! stop being a jerk! and yes, i agree, comment below me, LEARN TO SPELL!

[fionaleigh]

maybe if you learn to spell, i can understand what you're trying to say to me.....

[gizmo_ult]

thanks finally one i can get free and be able to do more like pick chapters for my ac/dc family jewels

[2685866]

he is copying 007 Casino Royale

[alex-sharetskiy]

i wonder what movie you were ripping...