While browsing through some iPod & Mac Portuguese sites I found a great tutorial on macnoticias.net, of how to convert a DVD to .mp4 so you can play it on an iPod. There are programs like "Cucusoft DVD to iPod Converter" that can do the same thing, but they cost money - $29,95.

With this tutorial you'll be able to do it for free, all programs used are freeware. There are also optional steps that improve the quality of the video.

The author is a Portuguese mate: Jo�o Bolina de Matos. Good job for writing this guide and thanks for allowing me to to publish it here. The portuguese version can be found at macnoticias.net, the english version is here at the gadgets weblog!

The Tutorial is divided in 3 parts. Check Part 2 and Part 3

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This guide will explain how to convert a DVD so that it can be played on an iPod, step by step instructions for the folks that want to watch the movie on their iPod.

Programs used:

• MacTheRipper - Download at versiontracker.com - MacTheRipper is a freeware DVD ripper (extractor) for Mac OS X.


• ffmepgX - Download at homepage.mac.com - ffmpegX is a Mac OS X graphic user interface designed to easily operate more than 20 powerful Unix open-source video and audio processing tools


• iTunes6 - Official site

1st Step (MacTheRipper) - I suppose that you have the DVD, and that you own it.

Insert the DVD in your drive and if the DVD Player opens, press Quit. Open MacTheRipper and if you did everything exactly like I said, the program will automatically open and scan the DVD, something like this will appear:

• Head on to Mode and select Main Feature Extraction


• Press Go! to start ripping the DVD

After a few hours a few minutes depending how powerful your Mac is, the process should be complete and you can quit MacTheRipper

2nd Step (ffmpegX) - Start ffmepgX and click Open, choose the VIDOE_TS folder that MacTheRipper created or simply drag the folder to where it says Drop file here.

• In the Target Format section on option To, pick MP4 H.264


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Continue reading at Part 2