Converting DVD movies for the iPod or iPhone using Windows (Part 2)

Rip the DVD using DVD Decrypter
1. Start
Put the DVD you want to convert into your DVD-ROM drive and start DVD Decrypter. The disc should eventually be recognized and you should get a screen like the one below. Notice DVD Decrypter automatically picks the longest program which is usually the movie. If you don't have enough free space on your C: drive, you can change the destination by clicking the little yellow folder icon and choosing a new destination.)


2. IFO Mode
Make sure you are in IFO mode by pressing "i" or checking under the Mode menu.


3. Stream Processing
Go to the Stream Processing tab and select Enable Stream Processing.



Note: You might have other video and audio options on your DVD. This screen is where you pick which audio and video track you want. Usually the default is a good choice but if you end up with the wrong video or audio channel (such as the director's commentary or a foreign language) experiment with other selections in this window.
4. No File Splitting
We need to make sure we end up with one big file containing the entire movie. Go to Tools -> Settings and click on the IFO Mode tab. Set "Flie Splitting" to none and hit OK.


5. Let it Rip
Click the "DVD to Hard Drive" Rip button and wait for it to finish. When you are done you will hopefully have one big file ending in ".VOB" wherever "Destination" is set. (above the rip button)



Keep in mind, ripping is fairly hard on DVD drives. If your rip seems to get stuck, try using another computer with a newer DVD drive. Also, scratched or dirty DVDs don't rip well and also cause the DVD drive to constantly re-read parts of the disk wearing the drive out. Be aware of that as you rip. Newer drives and perfect DVDs make great rips.
Convert the file with Videora iPod Converter
1. Run Videora iPod Converter

2. Convert Screen.
Click the Convert tab on the left.


3. Transcode New Video
Click Transcode New Video and find the big VOB file DVD Decrypter created for you. (Hint: look for it in a place like "C:\DVD_NAME_HERE\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_01.VOB")


4. Output Videos To...
Click the Setup tab on the left and define where you want the finished product to end up.


5. Quality Profile
Give your video a Title and pick the Quality Profile MPEG-4/320x240/768kbps Stereo/128kbps. (others will work as well, experiment to find the best choice) Then click Start to begin encoding.


6. Wait for it to finish.

7. If encoding doesn't work, check for errors.
Videora iPod Converter uses ffmpeg which is a Unix program. In order to run ffmpeg under Windows, a current version of cygwin is required. You may find errors relating to this in the error log. Enable it and see what it says.


8. Import into iTunes
If all seems to have gone well, open iTunes and drag your new video onto your Library or directly onto your iPod or iPhone.


That's it. Enjoy!