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How to rip DVD movies using freeware HandBrake
HandBrake is a free tool which comes with plenty of features for beginners and intermediate users alike. This free cross platform, open source program can *convert a DVD into formats such as MP4, MKV, AVI or OGM that can be played on your PC, Mac, Linux box, iPod, PSP, Apple TV, Television, iPhone, or mobile phone. Just follow this guide.
Step1. Download and install Handbrake
To get started you'll have to install the software. At the time of writing the software was up to version 0.9 and available free at the HandBrake Web site. Once installed open the HandBrake application. The application should default to a simple interface like the screenshot below.
Step 2, Insert DVD movie
Once you've selected the DVD you want to copy or back up insert it into your Mac. Now click on the icon that says "Source" and click your DVD drive.
Click Open and you will be able to see many titles included in this DVD disk. Choose the longest title if this is a movie DVD, or choose your favorite chapter if this is an episode.
Step 3, Set the output format
In this example I've selected MKV files as output format but the principle is the same for other formats. Once the format is selected you can select other settings such as video quality, audio track, Audio Sample Rate, bitrate, Picture Settings, etc.
Step 4, Rip DVD
Check all settings and click Start. A progress bar will show its ripping speed; depends on many factors like machine speed filesize, etc.
*Please note that only CSS encryption is supported. Users with DVD's encrypted with another method will need to use a third party decrypter such as DVDShrink first. We were also informed of another option using DVDFab via this anonymous post:
"Open up DVDFab and choose HD Decrypter at startup. This is the free option; it will automatically start counting down your trial for the Blu-Ray section when you first start ripping, but once that expires you should still be able to choose HD Decrypter at startup, which will rip full discs to your hard drive."
If anyone has other information relevant to this please let us know.
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Comments
Handbrake now only converts to MP4 and MKV formats.
I'm hoping some one can help me to find freeware for making a-v files for uploading to youtube. It would be great if I could create a-v files that are as small as possible, and that have great audio quality. The video quality is only a secondary consideration for the projects I'm currently working on. Any help I can get will be highly appreciated.
Please post the request in the forum :
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/
The images are broken for me. Anyone else?
:(
Thanks for your feedback Shane. The missing screenshot is now fixed.
Which images? There are no images in the article.
There are the usual 'red x' for missing image immediately above the two headings "Step 2" and "Step 3".
R-clicking and "Show picture" has no effect. Using latest IE9.
Strange. Not visible in Firefox. Will have to look into it.. thanks.
If you mean "the images" in the writeup - I too don't get them, just a little box at top left corner with a red X inside.
The first time I tried to reply, I got a "503 error" - blocked for some reason or other, and I hadn't even typed a single thing.
Ah well . . . it's just a b****y computer, what does one expect? [the comment I usually get from my 4 techie sons whenever I query a "problem".] :-)
Handbrake worked great for what I needed. 64 bit version rejected at first but worked with the anyway function with the DVD media I had. Step 4 instructions should read 'click Start', not 'click Rip'--the program button text reads 'Start'.
Thanks for this - now corrected :)
will this program work easily to just rip to external hard drive and be able to play it from there? I can backup anything with clone dvd, encryption is not an issue for me. Ease of operation, default settings for quality, bit rate, video settings etc, are a must as I don't know what is best or recommended. Do like the feature to selectively rip; though most of my movies, 500 or so have already been backed up on disk deleting trailers, multiple audio files in different languages, pesky FBI warnings etc.
I've read a lot of other sites that recommend HB.. Has it been handicapped in recent updates?
Even TSA doesn't recommend it, so I'm just curious.
Handbrake it's ok with dvdfab passkey...
If you like using Handbrake, you just need to have other software running to stop the decrypt security of dvds. Such as DVD43 or DVD Fab Passkey which is also free whilst in beta.
http://www.dvd43.com/
http://www.dvdfab.com/en/passkey.htm
Thanks for the links
For decrypting I got this from the Lifehacker site:
"Open up DVDFab and choose "HD Decrypter" at startup. This is the free option; it will automatically start counting down your trial for the Blu-Ray section when you first start ripping, but once that expires you should still be able to choose HD Decrypter at startup, which will rip full discs to your hard drive."
You can download HD Decrypter here:
http://www.dvdfab.com/en/hd-decrypter.htm
Thanks for this which has now been added to the article.
Dear Gizmo's editors,
This "How-to" should probably be pulled & excluded from your archives. Handbrake does NOT decrypt!! (At least, it doesn't any longer).
Handbrake has not done decryption for some time now.
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