Transfering a DVD to your iPod on a Mac
Written by: Eric Huang
I have come across many new things since the last time I posted; however, I thought this was something that would be most helpful since the iPod is becoming as common as the mobile phone. With its video capabilities coupled with larger storage space your favorite DVD’s can be stored in your iTunes library for later synchronization to your iPod. But how you ask? Well since I’ve converted over to the Mac as of 2007 (took me a few months to become “friendly” with it) these instructions will be for Mac only; however, I have not forgetting my Windows roots (nor can I) so this guide will accommodate Windows users but you’ll need to fill in the blanks. (Which I’m sure you’re used to… 
) So let’s begin…
Things you’ll need:
The first step serves two purposes. One it decrypts the DVD, and second it creates a local copy of the DVD to you can try different methods of encoding for your iPod without having to use the DVD again and again.
- Launch MTR (DVDShrink for Windows Users)
- Insert your DVD and rip the DVD to your hard drive. If using DVDShrink create an ISO file.
- Launch HandBrake**
- On the Select a DVD screen, choose DVD Folder/Image and browse to the root of the ripped DVD. (Windows users will navigate to the ISO file)
- At the bottom place a check mark in Enable queue
- In the Source section select the Title with the most track time.
- Click on Presets and select the iPod format. (This will set all the options for you)
- If you can choose the option for 2 pass encoding as it will encode it properly, granted it takes double the time…. chances are you’ll leave your computer on all night anyway so knock yourself out and elect this option.
- Click on Add to queue
- Go back to the Title and double check to make sure there are no more lengthy track times. If there is simple repeat the previous three steps but make sure you change the name in the File field. (i.e. DVD_Title.mp4 to DVD_Title2.mp4, DVD_Title3.mp4, etc… this way you’ll know the order when you combine them later.)
- iPod Friendly Conversion (If you have QuickTime Pro and only one .mp4 file skip this step… there’s a quicker way…)
- Launch iMovie HD and create a new project.
- Go to File—Import and select the DVD_TitleX.mp4 file(s). This importing will take some time, sometimes more than 4 hours!
- Once it has imported the track(s) drag them one at a time from the grid and put them in the the right order. (This is why you saved each file as DVD_Title2.mp4, DVD_Title3.mp4, etc… so you know which order they’ll be placed in.)
- Now that they’re in order click File—Export and select iPod then the Share button.
- That’s it you’re done…. it should be in your iTunes library ready for synchronization to your iPod.
If you have QuickTime Pro and only one output file from the HandBrake conversion (i.e. DVD_Title.mp4) then open the movie in QuickTime and select File—Export and set the Export to Movie to iPod. Once it exports it just move the file to your Movies folder and add it to your iTunes Library.
Depending on how you have iTunes setup, you can either “Add to Library” or “Import” from iTunes. The reason I say this is because in the Advanced Settings of iTunes there’s an option that will automatically copy the files you add to the iTunes folder. So instead of having one ~1GB movie you’ll have two thus taking up ~2GB of hard disk space as opposed to the ~1GB which you intended.
That’s it. I would post pictures; however, in the country I am in broadband internet isn’t exactly stable with large file uploads…. that I’m a bit weary from my travels today to take screen captures. Enjoy!
**Yes, yes…I know HandBrake converts it into an iPod friendly format so why the heck did I continue with iMovie HD/QuickTime Pro? Simple because although HandBrake works, for me it didn’t convert it 100% of the time into an iPod friendly format in which the iPod accepted it so I could watch it on the iPod.