Making Digital Movie Files

eisman

eisman

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Sep 9, 2009
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With the acess to cheap storage, and the current trend towards downloading movies, is there anyway available for the average consumer to copy a DVD to a hard drive? I have several hundred movies I really don't want to buy again, and yet I need a better way to store and transport them. I've looked at a couple pieces of software but they're not very specific. Anyone know what will work?
 
I have used "Mac the Ripper" freeware on my Mac and then used Roxio "Popcorn" to convert to MPEG files for use on my iPod. I have used it maybe a dozen times and three or four times copyright protection built into the DVD stopped the program. It seems like the old stuff works easily. It takes a long time, though. A two hour movie takes over two hours to convert.

I would guess there is a PC equivalent to Mac the Ripper.
 
I have converted DVDs to MP4 files that playback on my laptop, desktop, Iphone etc. I can also play them direct from a portable drive to my TV or via a Blu Ray Player (depending on the tv and player that you might have) - the software I use is 1-click DVD to Ipod converter. Very simple and quick to use. You have to buy the software.
 
Hi eisman -

I use Cucusoft Video Converter.

Works well and easy to use. You can adjust the output file size (and quality) with a slider control.

best regards

mqqn
 
If you aren't concerned about file size but have so many that speed is an important factor consider MakeMKV. It's not what I'd use for the kind of rip and squidge go on ho-hum stuff. I'd use Xvid or something for that. With this the file size isn't going to be much different from the original but there are huge advantages in that the MKV format can hold an unlimited number of video, audio and subtitle tracks, along with any metadata in a single file, plus it is only going to take ten minutes to rip out that MPEG-2 and stick it in an MKV container. That's fast! The only downside is the product is still in Beta which is probably why it is still free. That comes with a minor nuisance “Program is time-limited -- it will stop functioning after 60 days. You can always download the latest version from makemkv.com that will reset the expiration date”. It works flawlessly for me.
 
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