Here’s how to copy a DVD to your hard drive and then convert it to a movie that will play on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or even in a Keynote presentation. You need to convert the movie from DVD format into Quicktime (mp4) movie.
STEP 1. Copy the DVD to your computer using Mac The Ripper.
Firstly you’ll need to copy (rip) the DVD to your computer using Mac the Ripper.
1. Download Mac The Ripper.
(Click here to go to the mactheripper page to download it. Otherwise click here to download an old free version. It used to be free but the newer (and better) version you need to buy.)
2. Mac the Ripper will copy a DVD from your DVD player to your computer, removing any copy protection, and save it on your desktop as a ‘VIDEO_TS’ folder. You can watch this ‘VIDEO_TS’ folder using Apple’s DVD Player App.
Is this legal? It depends on which country you live in. For example here’s the relevant Australian rules. Before you rip a DVD to your computer I suggest you ring the person who made it and ask if it’s OK.
STEP 2. Convert the DVD to a Quicktime (mp4) movie.
Secondly, you most probably want to convert this VIDEO_TS folder to a different format to make it more useful. For example so you can watch it watch on your iPad. A good app for this is handbrake.
1. Go to http://handbrake.fr/ and click on ‘download it now’ to download the latest version of handbrake.
2. Instal and run Handbrake.
3. In Handbrake select the ‘source’ in the top left of the toolbar – select the VIDEO_TS folder you have just ripped.
4. Under ‘Source’ select the title and chapters that you want. (Or select the whole movie) You can work out the chapters by opening DVD player and looking in the information window. To verify them you can check the duration.
5. Click ‘toggle presets’ in the toolbar and this will give you a pull out window where you can select the output quality that you want. AppleTV is better quality, iPod is lower quality and a smaller file.
6. Select a destination directory (eg desktop) and press the start button.
It can take quite a while, allow a few hours!
That’s it – you can now copy this new movie file to your iPad, or iPhone (via iTunes) or even put it into a Keynote presentation.
If you download and use “instant handbrake” (free download) you can rip off the movie into a Quicktime movie with just one click. The resolution is reduced but generally fine to watch on a laptop. We use it to convert our DVDs so as to watch them on an ipod video.
What do you do if the movie ends up being fuzzy when your done downloading it
Wow Handbrake looks great. So simple!!!
You can get it here:
http://handbrake.m0k.org
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[…] Mac the ripper is a little program that allows you to copy a DVD to your computer, and at the same time it removes the copy protection. (This is called ‘ripping’ a DVD) Click here to go to the mactheripper page to download it. Otherwise click here to download it locally. Basically it will copy a DVD from your DVD player to your computer – you’ll need to watch it with DVD Player.If you want to convert a DVD it to a different format, for example to watch on your iphone, or to put on the web, try handbrake. […]
Well, I don’t know what the replies up above are smoking, but Handbrake does not produce a Quicktime. I have to use a second program, MPEG streamclip, to create a Quicktime from the file that Handbrake produces, an MP4. Boy, I would kill for a program that can convert a DVD directly into a Quicktime. If you are not editing your content on a Quicktime based editing system (like FCP), however, you may not care, as MP4’s behave a lot like Quicktime. If anybody DOES know of a software that actually will convert a Quicktime in one step from a DVD, please tell!
MPEG streamclip DOES produce a direct QT file. I do it all the time. You have to have the Quick Time MPEG 2 plugin installed. I convert straight from DVD to Pro Res really easy. And you can trim the bits you need. Very versatile.
QuickTime is an Apple app that can do a lot. Check the File Export selection. A video is a container that contains pictures and sounds. These are encoded in a container that limits variables such as bit rate and resolution. Containers are crafted to play on devices with different capabilities. MOV, WMV, MP2, MP3, MP4, M4V, AVI, MKV, and FLV are containers which have similarities and differences. QuickTime is one of the oldest technologies, as are MOV and WMV. Apple is not maintaining QT as its main media editor. Handbrake, VLC, and MpegStreamclip are taking up the slack. Apps like VideoDrive, Adapter, and others provide front ends to make conversion one easier.
@shannon you are right: to go to quicktime it’s a two step process you then need to use quicktime player pro 7 or that software you have to export into a .mov file. I heard the handbrake team are working on direct export to quicktime.
Wayne
Hi Wayne, just what I was looking for. However, when I tried to use Handbrake I was told that I needed to use VLC media player – any ideas what this is for and why I need it?
same question as above…it keeps saying i need vlc,then i download vlc, but what then?
after downloading VLC, go to handbrake file/open source choose your video file, then click on play.
Hello- I have thankfully found your website and have downloaded handbrake- i have a mac book and am currently searching within the DVD toolbar in an attempt to accomplish the next step: it says to find the toggle presets- though i cannot find where in the toolbar it should say SOURCE- ? Would you be able to assist? thank you very much
I will try it later. Can it rip DVDs with protection? I am using Joyoshare Video Converter now. It can remove various limitations from the DVD and rip DVD to MP4, AVI, etc.
For me, I use Handbrake & VLC combo to rip DVDs. It works great in most times. As for titles from studios, and when Handbrake goes kaput, mostly caused by protections, I switch to MakeMKV or paid programs like WinX DVD Ripper to extract the content and transcode with Handbrake, if necessary. Haven’t used Mac The Ripper but will give it a try.