Convert DVD to MP4

[WyomingKnott]

I just got my first Android tablet, the Asus eee Pad Transformer. Supposedly, it can display HD video.

Can anybody point me to a good and free DVD converter that will convert my movies to MP4 in h.264 or h.263 so that I can see what they look like on this device? I would appreciate it.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

To convert DVDs I have created to h.264 I use MPEG Streamclip.

 

[WyomingKnott]

Handbrake is OK, just goole it

And because HandBrake no longer includes the libraries needed to decrypt commercial DVDs (you should only rip DVDs that you’ve purchased), you’ll also need to install the equally free VLC media player.

From posts that I have seen on various forums, Handbrake is an excellent transcoder. I was hoping for a one-step, but two-step is doable. Thanks.

 

[WyomingKnott]

To convert DVDs I have created to h.264 I use MPEG Streamclip.

Will it work with commercial DVDs?

 

[freak46]

what about total video converter?

 

[WyomingKnott]

what about total video converter?

Fails the "free" test, if I'm reading the site correctly. I've seen five rippers so far that are "free" but leave a watermark; if you pay, you get the watermark removed.

Picky, aren't I? Sorry about that, and thanks for the help to all.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

Will it work with commercial DVDs?

MPEG Streamclip will not work with commercial DVDs, but FairUse Wizard does. Of course, the usual disclaimers about following the laws where you live, not using it to pirate, etc, apply here

 

[nikorr]

Hi WyomingKnott

I use it as an alternative to Handbrake, XMedia recode. Great results. Simple interface with advanced features. Updated monthly.


http/translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http/www.xmedia-recode.de/&ei=_p2HTqmOH8XgiALH04XRDA&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CFYQ7gEwBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dxmedia%2Brecode%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26tbo%3Dd%26prmd%3Divns

 

[WyomingKnott]

Kind and helpful souls

I appreciate the responses, but one or the other of us is not getting the point. Might very well be me.

I repeat that mentioned software fails the "free" test. Some apps have a free version, but it puts in a watermark or does not work. FairUse Wizard's free version, for example, always tells me "The selected encoding profile is only available if [sic] the full edition of FairUse Wizard. Do you want to open the full version download page?" That page wants $30. Am I doing it wrong?

VLC Media Player plays my discs flawlessly. It does not, as far as I can see, transcode and store them, or even store them. If it can do this, which button should I be pressing that I am not? Media - Convert / save seems obvious, but doesn't do anything. Perhaps because I am running Win7 64-bit? I will play with it some more.

Sigh. I'm willing to pay for a decent one if the free ones won't cut it, but I've had so many bad experiences testing free versions that I hesitate to pay out the money and take the risk.

 

[nikorr]

Kind and helpful souls

I appreciate the responses, but one or the other of us is not getting the point. Might very well be me.

I repeat that mentioned software fails the "free" test. Some apps have a free version, but it puts in a watermark or does not work. FairUse Wizard's free version, for example, always tells me "The selected encoding profile is only available if [sic] the full edition of FairUse Wizard. Do you want to open the full version download page?" That page wants $30. Am I doing it wrong?

VLC Media Player plays my discs flawlessly. It does not, as far as I can see, transcode and store them, or even store them. If it can do this, which button should I be pressing that I am not? Media - Convert / save seems obvious, but doesn't do anything. Perhaps because I am running Win7 64-bit? I will play with it some more.

Sigh. I'm willing to pay for a decent one if the free ones won't cut it, but I've had so many bad experiences testing free versions that I hesitate to pay out the money and take the risk.

Hi again

Is there anything wrong with Handbrake or XMedia recode for what u need, just wonder?

 

[WyomingKnott]

Hi again

Is there anything wrong with Handbrake or XMedia recode for what u need, just wonder?

Thanks for the reply. Handbrake, as I posted earlier, no longer decodes commercial DVDs. So while it's a great recoder, I still need to rip the VOB files first.

XMedia recode - I've tried so many different utilities out in the last few days that I'd have to go back and run it again to see if I have tried it yet, or what issue I had. Just looked at the page - I didn't try that yet. Maybe tonight.

The closest that I have come so far is with VLC media player. I now have a lovely MP4 of the menu playing over and over and over.

If I had any sense I'd put all that time into doing something more relaxing and forget about ripping for the tablet.

 

[nikorr]

"If I had any sense I'd put all that time into doing something more relaxing and forget about ripping for the tablet. "

Gadgets will do that to you : )

 

[WyomingKnott]

Yep. Anyway, I just got VLC Player to do it for me. At the default bit rate, the video is a little jerky and the sound track is slightly un-synchronized, both whether I play it on my tablet or my computer. It compresses it by a factor of about 10 at the default bit rate, so I may try it again with a higher bit rate. It uses 3 of my 4 CPUs, which is a good sign.

Oh, yeah - to get it to work I had to start with Title number 16. Like that should be obvious? I learned that by poking around with DVD Fab, or I would never have tried that high a number.

Later, DVD Fab free for DVD rip and then Handbrake or something for recoding, if that works.

 

[WyomingKnott]

And that does it. DVD Fab plays smoothly and gives synced sound at default settings. I only converted a small part to test, so I don't know the compression ratio yet. And I'm going to see if the 2-pass encoding looks better, but you have to encode the whole thing to see that.

Thanks, all. Best to Nikorr, who provided a link to VNC, Google Translated from German.

 

[WyomingKnott]

Best answer selected by WyomingKnott.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

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