best quick and easy dvd ripper

dphillips22 · 11-10-07, 09:47 PM

I just purchased a used x51v. I'm interested in the best click and go video conversion program, and I dont mind paying for a good solution. I just want an easy and fast program (single step). I've downloaded demo versions of "dvd catalyst" and "pocket dvd studio" so far. Anyother suggestions?

Also, what is the best format to convert output to?

Thanks, Dan

gjw · 11-11-07, 02:53 AM

SPB Mobile DVD is the quickest converter I've tried but it can't touch the image quality of Pocket DVD Studio.
If you value quick and easy over image quality then you might want to give that one a try.
I use it for ripping DVDs of television shows since the image for TV wasn't great to begin with but for movies shot for the big-screen I use Pocket DVD Studio.
Both convert to WMV or Xvid (P.D.S. also supports Divx) so which format is up to you.
I use Xvid to watch on my Axim (with CorePlayer) and WMV to watch on my Zune.

Jogga · 11-11-07, 04:56 AM

DVD to Pocket PC is also worth a look. The trial will only allow a restricted conversion, but it might be what you're looking for.

Rsaturn9 · 11-11-07, 09:32 AM

Fairuse Wizzard lite is free.

Don't Panic! · 11-11-07, 10:51 AM

We have a tutorial for using fairuse wizard around here somewhere... back with a link shortly.

Update:
Here's the link

gjw · 11-12-07, 10:29 AM

Just tried DVD Catalyst and the one thing it has going for it is that it's the only program I've found that successfully converts from MOVs encoded with the Sorensen codec.
The preview window will show the video as all garbled and skewed (so I disable it) but the output is perfectly fine.

The one thing that's weird about the program is that for whatever reason, the WMVs that it generates refuse to join or merge.
The Godfather II comes on two DVDs so when I ripped it I got two WMV files.
Even though my conversion settings were identical the two WMVs refused to merge into one file like I do with Pocket DVD Studio.

To me, that's a negative but if anyone has a quantity of MOVs they need to convert, DVD Catalyst might be your savior.

Don't Panic! · 11-12-07, 10:41 AM

DVD Catalyst is the one I ended up paying for when I stopped messing with freeware convertors. I recommend it highly.

stevenator65 · 11-12-07, 10:48 AM

Fairuse Wizard Tutorial, SPB Mobile DVD Are a couple that I have reviewed. They are both easy to use.

Don't Panic! · 11-12-07, 11:52 AM

I think I'll give SPB Mobile DVD a try. It does have a 15 day free trial after all. Thanks for the tutorials Stevenator65. :approve:

stevenator65 · 11-12-07, 03:37 PM

SPB Mobile is very fast. Try and use the highest quality settings b/c the other ones aren't as good as you would expect. By increasing speed you give up some quality.

dphillips22 · 11-16-07, 11:20 PM

Thanks to all for the input on the dvd ripper software. One more question, what would be the best format to save the output as? LOTS of options, only need to use for X51v. Thanks...

Don't Panic! · 11-17-07, 10:13 AM

I use Xvid with MP3 audio and either TCPMP or Coreplayer as my media player for watching DVDs I've ripped. A lot of people like OGG for audio but I've never tried it myself.

Julie · 11-17-07, 12:08 PM

I use AoA DVD Ripper. See the article I posted to my blog about how to use it:

"24" in my Pocket (or Ripping DVDs for a Pocket PC