DVDs allow content creators to include high quality content, mainly due to the large storage capacity that they offer compared to CDs. The bar has been raised even higher with the arrival of Blu Ray discs. DVDs however, continue to be a very popular media among users and content creators.

The thing with DVDs, as with all kind of optical media, is that they are pretty easy to damage. DVD players need the DVD to be in a specific format. Computers don’t have such restrictions and you can easily play content from your hard drive without needing the DVDs every time.

The obvious solution, at least for playing them back on your computer would be to copy the content of the DVD onto the hard drive and play back the copied content instead of the actual DVD. The problem with this approach is that even if you are able to copy the contents, the files are oddly named and require more disk space.

Av even better option is to actually rip the DVD to the hard drive in a file format of your choice. What’s more, you can tweak various options so that you are able to view the file on your iPod and mobile phones.

Before we go any further, keep in mind that people have been ripping DVDs for the wrong reasons as well. So most DVDs are copy-protected, meaning that copying or ripping its content is rendered more difficult. While you can circumvent such restrictions, that is not the topic of discussion here. Let’s quickly jump over to ripping DVDs.

A number of software are available that will let you rip DVDs with ease. I prefer Handbrake for the simple reason that it is easy to use and available for Windows, Mac and Linux. Handbrake also requires you to have VLC installed on your computer. So if you don’t already have the awesome media player, go ahead and download it as well.

Install Handbrake (+ VLC) and get ready with the DVD you want to rip. Insert the DVD and fire up Handbrake.

Point Handbrake to the DVD you just inserted. Handbrake will now scan the DVD’s content and get back to you after it has scanned the entire disc, offering you suggestions as to what you might want to rip to your hard drive.

Choose whatever it is that you wish to rip. Generally, the movies and/or shows are longer in durations and are much larger in size; making them easier to identify as opposed to other trailers and menu screens.

Choose where to store the ripped files and choose from among the various presets if you want to rip the video for iPhones or PSPs. You can also specify custom settings such as cropping the picture, applying video filters, adding or removing subtitles or audio tracks and much more. If you don’t know what all these mean, just choose a preset and you are good to go!

Hit Start to begin the encoding process. This might take some time depending on your computer’s hardware and the length of the video file. You might also experience high CPU usage during the encoding process, which will make it difficult to use your computer during the process. So go and enjoy a cup of coffee!

Do you rip your DVD collection to a hard drive to keep them safe? What are your favorite applications for the task?

via MakeUseOf

I have always maintained my stance on Apple, that I am not an Apple man… Recently, the launch of the iPad got me excited and made me feel, for about 2 hours, that this is the future. But then the comments were made and reality set in and I remembered that this is the iPod and the iPhone all over again.

iPod

See, if there is one this thing Apple do well.. it’s marketing!!! I always disliked the iPod. Yet they sold billions of them. I own three different types. But I hated Apple for it because they claimed enormous battery life and it didn’t exist and then forced all to use their iTunes… not buts!!! Other manufacturers understated battery life and let you do whatever you wanted.. cause it’s yours!!!

iPhone

This is when I dug my heels in. I said this phone would never sell. I was working in Carphone Warehouse at the time. I meant, it would never sell in Europe. It was made for Americans. Why?

They released a phone that did not do MMS, did not have 3g, had a crap 2.0 mp camera, did not have copy/cut and paste and it was big! And yet the damn thing sold like hot cakes with melted Dairygold butter!!! In Europe, the year prior to the iPhone launch, we had all those missing features in advanced stage.

iPad

And here we are again – they release something with so much fanfare that people will go out and buy it and then ask: What The H…?? Where is multitask?? I thought there was a camera on this thing..?!  What do you mean I have to close this app to open another!!???!!

And it will still sell like crazy.. and that’s why you will buy one.. cause everyone else is… Am I wrong?

I am now looking back to Android and the Dell tablet. We’ll see…..