SITE MOVED

www.irace.net has been updated. You are seeing the old version. Nothing to see here, move along.

I just got a new iPod Video. It's not easy to get my DVD movies onto it, so I hacked something together that makes using available tools a little easier.

Download my little tool. Or read the FAQ.

More details and a copy of the "read me" file are available.

The Read Me file is reproduced below.

THE SHORT VERSION:

Drop a folder containing DVD files (VOB etc) on this batch file. If it works, you'll end up with an .mp4 file you can add to iTunes and watch on your iPod.

THE LONG VERSION:

This is a Drag and Drop interface to the prototype Windows port of Handbrake, a nifty program for converting DVDs into a format suitable for viewing on an iPod video.

By Will Irace, http://irace.net/ 2006-02-05

NO WARRANTY. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. SERIOUSLY.

I CLAIM COPYRIGHT ON THIS WORTHLESS HACK, BUT YOU MAY USE AND DISTRIBUTE IT ACCORDING TO THE TERMS OF THE GPL--WHICHEVER VERSION YOU CHOOSE.

www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

In addition to offering no warranty, I offer no support. If you send money to me via http://irace.net/donate, I might (and I might not) help you.

If you have an iPod video and a Windows PC and can't figure out how to get your own DVD movies on it, here's what I suggest.

1. Check this forum thread for updates. Keep in mind that future efforts to create a Windows GUI for Handbrake could make this little script completely obsolete.

2. Download the Windows Handbrake prototype.

3. Download this batch file.

4. Put the contents of both downloads into a single folder. I suggest c:\temp\handbrake, which should contain HBTest.exe, cygwin1.dll and hb_drop_source_on_me.bat.

5. Figure out how to decrypt the DVD. I won't help you. Do a google search for DVD Decrypter or DVD Shrink. Then call your congressperson and complain that the movie industry makes it so hard to watch a movie you ALREADY BOUGHT on your iPod.

6. Locate a folder containing the files that were copied from your DVD. This folder has a bunch of files with names like "VIDEO_TS.IFO" and "VTS_01_0.VOB".

7. Drag the folder you just located onto the hb_drop_source_on_me.bat icon.

8. Answer questions about which title you want to encode, what to name the output, and what aspect ratio to use. Press return for defaults if you're not sure what the choices mean.

9. When it's over, look for an encouraging "it worked" message, followed by a reminder of where your encoded file is. Add this to iTunes with the menu: File -> Add File To Library...

10. Sync your iPod. Enjoy the show.

HAVING PROBLEMS?

1. Make sure your iPod isn't on firmware 1.1, something broke. Get help reverting to firmware 1.0.

2. Make sure you have an iPod video, with the enlarged screen. iPod nano, photo, etc. are not capable of watching videos.

3. Read the forum indicated above, or search for an easier tool to use. Videora iPod Converter isn't bad, and 3GP_Converter is downright cool, both based on the excellent ffmpeg.

Thanks to Computer Hope for the nice DOS reference and the posters at the handbrake forum.

Stuff we don't do that I might or might not fix someday:

	chapter selection
	subtitles
	bitrate choices
	error detection

...but it works for me if you don't want to figure the tools out for yourself.

Good luck!

Excellent tool, mate. Just as functional and quite more free than the infinite number of crappy shareware programs out there. Thanks for your time.

Posted by: Peter on February 28, 2006 08:02 AM

Oh my Goodness !!!... DRAMA free way kool... Kudos to you.. I was with the post that needed it simple stupid.. 1+1=2... LOL

Posted by: Rhoni on August 3, 2006 10:02 PM

dude your program sucks and u wasted ur time

Posted by: Larry on August 5, 2006 06:55 PM