Macintosh: Guide to Ripping, Compressing & Burning

So it can to my attention whilst trying to figure it out myself, that Ripping & burning on Macs tends to be a little different from that of our fellow PC counterparts.

I have prepared a little run down that should make Ripping dvd's and/or converting them and/or burning them a little easier.

Basic software required (Recommended)

Three key stages to the process.

1.Ripping (Getting the DVD files onto your Mac)

Mac the Ripper (Full Disc Extraction)
Handbrake (Xvid's - avi's & mp)

2.Compressing (Making the file smaller & more manageable)

DVD2oneX2 (Compresses Full disc extractions from about 7.3gb to 4.3gb) - Again free to d/l.


3.Burning

Toast Titanium

RIPPING

It's my personal preference, after trying a number of programs to use either Mac the Ripper (Free to d/l) or Handbrake (Also free to d/l).

Google is your friend - Links are constantly changing imo so look it up.

Mac the Ripper (Recommended for Full Disc Extractions - DVD Menus / Extras Etc)

1. Insert DVD into drive
2. Quit DVD Player.
3. Run Mac the Ripper.
4. Once DVD is clear, set to Full Disc Extraction in 'Mode'
5. Save to Location can be specified in Preferences.
6. Click GO!
7. Process usually takes about 30 mins on full mode.
8. Process complete files usually 7.3gb Approx.

Handbrake (Recommended for Xvids / (avi's & mp)

1. Insert DVD into drive
2. Quit DVD Player
3. Run Handbrake
4. If DVD is inserted correctly follow detected volume click ok.
5. Select Language 1: English - as main language (default)
6. Select 2 - pass encoding will take twice as long but you will save on quality.
7. Select File Format: MP4 File or AVI & Codec Respectively.
8. Click Rip!
9. Process in 2-pass usually an hour (double the time)
10. Process complete rips at around 700mb approx.

COMPRESSING Files Using DVD2onex2 (Only really for Full Disc Extractions but your choice) - NOTE: Only really needed if file source size is higher than 4.3 gb

1. Run DVD2OneX2
2. Decided on Compression (Movie Only, Whole Disc or Join Mode [Multiple Episode])
3. Generally for Mac the Ripper select -Whole Disc- (Movie only may preserve slightly highly quality as there will be no extra features.
4. Once selected appropriate mode Click Start.
5. DVD2OneX2 will prompt for a location - specify location.
5. Takes literally Seconds! - at max a few minutes
6. Files usually titled Something_Something_Something.
7. Process complete should reduce files of around 7 gb to 4.3gb suitable for burning to dvd.
8. Delete original rip from Mac The Ripper.

BURNING to DVD using Toast 6

1. Run Toast
2. Select the DATA tab
3. Disc Options > Advanced
4. DVD-ROM (UDF)
5. New Disc > Name Files (E.g. DVD_FILE_NAME_HERE) - avoid leaving spaces use '_' or '.'
6. Add Video_TS folder to the disc (From compression)
7. Add Audio_TS folder to disc even if it may be empty
8. Burn (Slowest speed = higher reliability.)

NOTE: The Video Tab can be used to creating 'VCD' or DVD from the rips from Handbrake (Avi's & Mpg)

Please share your comments and experiences on the comment area.

Similar Posts:

How to Extract Multiple Rar Files

How to join avi's, re-sync and crop

Why being unconnnectable is bad?