DVD Ripping / Handbrake settings in 2023

Software
1

I am about to embark on a project I’ve been putting off for a few years which is re-ripping about 50 DVDs I have to for a better quality rip / compression than when I did it it like 2009 when I used the preset for iPod touch.

My old process was

  1. RipIt (Abandoned Mac App) to get the Video_ts File
  2. Handbrake with iPod touch settings
  3. Tag with I don’t even remember what, but now I’ll use iFlicks

I liked using ripping ti since it only only used the DVD drive for a short time vs handbrake ripping from the drive the entire encode process

Any guides or ideas for the best settings for Handbrake now, and any replacements for RipIt to get the entire video_ts file?

2

Can’t you just let Handbrake look into your DVD-Drive?
As far as I remember, the last time I did this, I had no extra step to go…

3

I loved RipIt. It made “backing up” my DVDs easier than other methods I had used. You might try googling: alternative for ripit . That brought up some of the old timer apps and several new ones.

Just about every DVD movie I ever purchased is normally streaming for free somewhere so justwatch.com has replaced my ripped movie archive.

Good luck.

4

Adding to this - I want to rip DVDs that have subtitles and be sure my subtitles are included in the rip. Ideally using open source, but willing to pay if I have to. Any tips?

5

I can use handbrake for sure it just takes a lot longer than it use to when I used RipIt to get the video_ts file. It’s not a huge deal, couldn’t find a good alternative to RipIt yet.

6

I have had great luck with MakeMKV and Handbrake for ripping DVD’s.

2 Likes
7

Def Makemkv. I gave up on encoding so just keep everything full size, but handbrake is a fan of the makemkv rips.

Also can just use ffmpeg which is what all the encoders are based off and do it manually after you get the mkv.

8

Why do you need RipIt to get to the Video_TS file?
Why couldn’t you access this file from the DVD?

9

+1 MakeMKV

sretcarahc ytnewt

1 Like
10

Perfect sounds like MakeMKV is what I am looking for.

11

MakeMKV + blu-rays + Plex = easy, great quality streaming solution (that you own, rather than rent)

2 Likes
12

Haven’t ripped DVDs in years. Used RipIt when I did. Now have a set of 26-30 DVDs that I want to rip. Do you use MakeMKV first then use Handbrake to convert to mp4? Want to make these available on Apple TV. Any help is appreciated.

13

Another vote for MakeMKV. I use it all the time for BluRays and then add to Plex for viewing.

14

I rip Blu-rays using makemkv and put them on my Plex server. If you’re watching them on something that doesn’t support .mkv files then (I think) you need something like Handbrake to convert them to mp4.

2 Likes
15

I rip all my DVDs and Blu-ray Discs using MakeMKV and place these files straight into Plex. The MKV files from the DVDs use the MPEG 2 codec and the Apple TV can direct play these files if it’s on the same network as the Plex server. This means it does not need to transcode anything.

Most Blu-rays produce files that use the H.264 codec. Again, the Apple TV can direct play these files without transcoding them. I have some Blu-rays (e.g. the full series of Battlestar Galactica) which use the VC1 codec. These could not be directed played on my Apple TV so the Plex server had to transcode these files. It can do this as needed, especially if your Plex server has a powerful CPU, or if it has a GPU that it can access.

If you are wanting to play files outside of your network (e.g. on you phone) then the files will probably need to be transcoded due to bandwidth limitations.

1 Like
16

Thank you @darranwest @Jezmund_Berserker. Great to know that Plex will play mKV format on Apple TV. Thought I would have to convert all to another format with Handbrake. :grinning:

1 Like