Ipod Video and Movies

seb481 · #1 December 27th, 2006, 02:05 AM

I've read a lot of posts asking how to transfer a DVD to an iPod. It's actually pretty easy. You need to use an external converter (I downloaded mine from www.ipodmediaselection.com). 95% of all converters will require you to pay for their services. While you can find free converters online, I would not recommend them as the quality is really poor. Download and install the software. Open it and just follow the steps. Hope this will help.

**fryke** · #2 December 27th, 2006, 06:00 AM

If you're talking about video DVDs, handbrake is your friend. Free and good. -> http://handbrake.m0k.org/

Redb0y · #3 January 6th, 2007, 11:58 PM

Okay... I used ImToo to rip a legal DVD into mp4 files (in a bunch of structured folders). I did this on my PC, just because I'm more comfortable doing it that way.

I copied all the folders into a folder on my Mac. I dropped the folder into my iTunes library... and VOILA!!! I have a bunch of disjunct tiny video files that I can't make sense of and that have no menu structure (like the vids I bought on iTunes).

Everyone keeps posting how simple it is (and, YES it was simple to rip down the DVD)... but how the heck can I get it all onto the iPod?!?

On a sidenote... I'm doing this w/ my daughter's iPod on the Mini Mac she has at my house... but her home computer for the iPod is at mom's. I don't want to delete the existing content on her iPod (the movies she's already bought). I checked the manual file management... but I got a message that made me think I was going to delete a bunch of stuff if I went ahead with the sync (which was only all those random video files from the DVD anyway..).

10 points if you're a super brainiac and can explain both how to keep the DVD structure/menus AND have me NOT delete everything else on her iPod!

Thanks

seb481 · #4 January 7th, 2007, 11:30 AM

I don't know about the DVD problem. I have a PC so I could help you if you had a PC too but I am Mac stupid!
Regarding how t nOT delete everything on her iPod, there is an option in your iTunes saying something like "Automatically sync iTunes and iPod". This option is the most stupid thing ever in my opinion. Uncheck the box if it's checked and from then you shouldn't have any problem adding songs from your computer to her ipod. hope this will help

Redb0y · #5 January 7th, 2007, 11:43 AM

I think my initial problem is that I've got a bunch of files (instead of one big one). My experience in ripping stuff before was that if I put it all into one big file then I lost all the chapter structure and could not skip to the menu'd spots in the movie (or have the menu at all). Is there a way to keep the DVD structure, but put it into only one (mp4) file? What's the actual structure on the files I bought off of iTunes?

Thanks...I will try checking that box. I'm sure she can just reload everything from her home computer if I botch it up.

**fryke** · #6 January 7th, 2007, 01:47 PM

How did you end up with "a bunch of files"? You won't get the menu across, btw. You can only put _video_ files on the iPod, nothing fancy like subtitles and more than one language or bonus material (except as their own video files). But really: Use handbrake to create the MP4 file(s). It's not just a matter of transcoding to MPEG-4, the files also must fulfill certain requirements about resolution/bitrates etc. Handbrake is the way to go. Rip on that Mac mini and give her the resulting files so shen can put them on the iPod with that other computer which is iPod's home.

The "automatically synch..." feature of iTunes/iPod integration is not the most stupid, but the most _brilliant_ feature of it all. It keeps _all_ your iTunes and iPhoto media in perfect synch between your Mac and your iPod. It's just that some people don't _expect_ it to work that way and want to synch their iPod with various Macs and PCs, which is not the intended use with iPod.