How-To: Backup Your DVDs and Watch Them in iTunes

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How-To: Backup Your DVDs and Watch Them in iTunes

Posted 03/21/2008 at 5:25:55pm | by Roman Loyola

4. Tweak the Video Settings

Selecting 2-pass encoding will improve video quality, but it takes longer to create the file.

The bottom half of HandBrake’s main window lets you make adjustments to the settings. For example, lowering the framerate can help reduce the file size. The Quality settings also influence file size. If you select a Target size, HandBrake will make a video based on your setting; the smaller the setting, the lower the video quality. If you go with an Average bit rate setting, enter a setting between 400 and 600 (though you can go much higher or lower if you want). Constant quality reduces the quality based on a percentage. Click on the Picture Settings button to adjust the pixel size of the video.

5. Tweak the Audio Settings

Lowering the bit rate also helps keep the file size down.

Click on Audio & Subtitles and to tweak the audio settings. Make sure the language you want is selected in Track 1. You can also adjust the sample rate, bit rate, and activate subtitles.

6. Hurry Up and Wait

Converting multiple files from a single DVD? You can create a queue, and HandBrake will convert them automatically.

When you have your settings settled, click on Start, and go do something else. It can take a while to rip a DVD. On a Dual 2GHz Power Mac G5, it took three hours to rip a 45-minute TV show. On a 1GHz PowerBook G4, it took six hours. Fortunately, HandBrake is a Universal application, so you Intel Mac folks will get much faster results. A 45-minute show took about an hour to rip on a 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac.

7. Drag and Drop into iTunes

iTunes stores your HandBrake movies in the Movies library, even if the video is a TV show.

When HandBrake is done, navigate to where you saved the file. Drag and drop the file into iTunes, then connect your iPod, iPhone, or Apple TV, and sync. iTunes will transfer the file to your device. Or, if the movie was converted for your Mac, just double-click the file to watch it.

COMMENTS: 21

TAGS: tip of the day

COMMENTS

Welcome to the year 2000, if
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 2008-03-21 15:23

Welcome to the year 2000, if not earlier.

Fail.

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Hold on, tiger
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 2008-03-21 21:37

You and I may have been aware of the techniques described in this article, but you must remember that a whole lot of users know nothing about these possibilities.

I'm from the UK and I have tried for years to get one of the Mac publications to have an article dealing with these exact matters. They're unwilling to do so mostly because of the potential legal problems of describing how to rip DVDs.

However, I run a consultancy business and have over 600 people on my books. Not one of them know that it is possible to rip DVDs and turn them into iPod-compatible files.

This is huge for them and kudos to Mac|Life for bringing this info to them.

If you already know about this, move on: this article isn't aimed at you. However, I'm willing to bet that most readers (not the techies or web savvy ones who post here) will be glad someone isn't afraid to talk about this issue.

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hold on tiger
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2008-03-23 14:54

there are many apps that can covert a "ripped" movie to itunes format (h264). Like DvdRemaster (shareware), Handbrake (freeware), iSquint (freeware). even VLC media player has a transcode option which is a bit complex for new users but it is freeware. Now to the rippers, there are a few like MTR, Fairmount, and OSEx which is kind of old, note that OSEx needs VLC media player installed on your hard drive for it to work.

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Dumb@ss
Submitted by Kevin LaSur (not verified) on Fri, 2008-03-21 22:12

Hey MacLife folks, ignore that first commenter. I'm new to the Mac; I finally gave up on Vista and decided to go with Leopard and I'm loving it. This is incredibly useful to me.

To the first commenter: a year ago Steve Jobs said at a keynote that 50 percent(!) of Macs sold were new to the Mac. So this how-to is new to a lot of people like me. Get out of your mom's basement once in a while and get some perspective. Instead of sounding l33t, you just sound like an @ss.

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I meant to say
Submitted by Kevin LaSur (not verified) on Fri, 2008-03-21 22:14

that 50 percent of new Macs were sold to new Mac users.

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Pee Pee Head
Submitted by dookiehead (not verified) on Sat, 2008-03-22 02:47

dude serious you ever heard of Handbrake? this "ripper" is crap. FAILED!!!

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No, you failed
Submitted by Kevin (not verified) on Sat, 2008-03-22 10:13

If you actually got the magazine - which you obviously don't - then you'd know that this article is PART OF A LONGER ARTICLE THAT ALSO COVERS HANDBRAKE.

dookiehead=FAIL. Give it up. You are sad.

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DVD-Ripper
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2008-03-22 06:41

It is important to point out that MTR 2.66 is pretty old and unable to copy newer DVDs which have "enhanced" copyprotection. There is a new version 3.x out which is updated whenever the movie-companies try sth. new. For that reason it stays in perpetual beta. This version is not freely available any more, the programmer expects users to support his effort by giving a gift.

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META X
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2008-03-22 10:29

You should add something about the program Meta X. It lets you take those Handbrake mp4's you create and tag them with all sorts of Metadata taken from Amazon.com.

That way, you get to see the box cover, director, description, rating, etc. The same like you would if you bought the movie off of iTunes.

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Thanks
Submitted by atalanta on Wed, 2008-09-24 09:42

Thanks. I will look into Meta X since it sounds like something interesting to play with.

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It's funny because any time
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2008-03-22 14:21

It's funny because any time a person would ask backing up (copying) a dvd, the thread would get locked.
There's nothing wrong with that as i'm sure 9/10 times it was someone trying to copy a movie they borrowed or rented... but nonetheless.

It's funny.

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Legal concerns
Submitted by CyberZeus (not verified) on Sat, 2008-03-22 17:52

First off, great article but a couple of comments:

1) This is no longer freeware - a user must pretty much pay to get a license key.

2) Any software (including MTR) that is used in the circumvention of CSS or any other copy protection scheme is illegal in the US. I am not sure where this magazine is published so this point may not concern many users but for those of us under US jurisdiction, it is a VERY important point to consider. In the US, it is legal to make backup copies but it is illegal to actually posses and transfer the technology used to crack the copy protection - go figure but that is the current law.

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...yes, but what's the real threat?
Submitted by Mojo151 (not verified) on Mon, 2008-03-24 18:47

The real threat here isn't really that you would download and use a ripping program. Based on how you described it, the folks supporting and developing MTR would need to be concerned with offering the software in the first place. Really, the threat doesn't become active until you start to distribute the content. At that point, you've exceeded your 'personal use' and maybe worse, you could be making a profit on it. Then from there, the fact that you used a software to circumvent CSS just becomes a page in the story used to prosecute you.

But, for personal use, and legitimate backing up... I'm pretty sure you're safe. Maybe not 'safe' to the letter of the law, but don't get brash and greedy with the content. What's even more fun to consider is this... you own a certain DVD. Your friend owns the exact same DVD. You rip a copy for your use... and give him a copy as well. He owns a license to use the content from his DVD just as you do. Have you broken the law by providing him the content extracted from your copy of the DVD?

I know, I know... who cares...

If you're new to the Mac family, welcome. Try Mac the Ripper to rip a part or a whole DVD to file formats you can then burn to a disc (probably with Toast 8)... and let that one get scratched up in your car instead of the original. Want to see it on your iPod? Then google this word: Handbrake

'nuf said.

Cheers
Mojo151

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for users who are trying to
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2008-03-23 14:35

for users who are trying to back up newer titles that they purchased and that have newer protections and cant back up their dvds with version 2.6.6 should visit ripdifferent.com for details on how to obtain the newer version :)

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Please read the stickies at
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2008-03-24 07:30

Please read the stickies at ripdifferent.com. They really hate answering the same questions all the time. Also, it doesn't hurt to use the search function either if you have questions.

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Free option?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2008-03-24 08:26

Do you have to use Toast or is there a different program you could use to burn your TS-Folder? Maybe one you don't have to pay 60 bucks for?

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Free Option
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 2008-03-28 10:10

there is DVDRemaster which lets you burn video ts folder and Dvd2onex. Both run for $39.99 each! the free way ofcourse is using disk utility. go to File-> New->Disk image from folder. now choose the folder that also includes audio ts and video ts folders. next choose where to save and under image format choose read only. Under encryption choose: none. let it create and then burn it with disk utility

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Not bad.
Submitted by Starflux (not verified) on Mon, 2008-05-19 13:49

Good article but yeah, really all you need is handbrake and iLife. You rip the dvd with handbrake and then use iLife to get it on a DVD. I know you mentioned it along with other software in the article but really handbrake is all you need.

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MP4's
Submitted by BAP61 on Thu, 2008-08-07 18:12

I have a large MP4 collection. It includes B/W and color TV shows and movies. Ripping is much more complex than has been mentioned in this small article. I have not read the print version. 1 - Size - The bigger the bit rate, the better the video, but the larger the video. Know where you will watch the video. 2 - Handbrake picture settings - intermediate Handbrake training. Deinterlace - When ripping files that are interlaced (look it up), turn on deinterlace. Most interlaced files are NTSC TV and have a 29.97 framerate, but PAL can too Check the cropping, files originally made from VHS tapes will usually have chromatic changes or noise at the edges that can be cropped away. 3 - Codec - no where you want to play your standard MP4 = FMPEG not as good as H.264 and slightly larger files but very fast plays on most devices - Lacinema plays these unless small width of frame H.264 Main - cleanest Handbrake codec, but will not play on iPhone/Lacinema H.264 iPod - next best Handbrake codec, but will not play on Lacie Lacinema iPhone/iPod will play them if Frame size ≤ 640x480 4 - B/W - some old B/W movies and shows have chromatic aberrations that you can take away by turning on Grayscale encoding

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omega watches
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