Back up and converting

[Gustav Klimt]

Theres a couple of things I'm trying to achieve but I need help.... I'm trying to back up my DVD collection to standard DVD RW, and i would also convert them for play back on my PSP.

I've downloaded Handbrake and Mac the Ripper. I've got as far as getting a movie onto the hard drive via Handbrake, and Mac the Ripper converted a movie into a 'video-ts' file on the desktop - i have no idea what this means, or how to make it play back!!!

I've also downloaded 'ffmpegx' which i thought would do the trick, but there are three extra elements which need downloading (2 of which are no problem) but trying to download 'mpeg2enc' just produces what looks like random code.

Please help as I feel i'm very close to the answer, but just need pointing in the right direction!

Thanks, K.

[Case]

I'm trying to back up my DVD collection to standard DVD RW

You'll need a ripper app (e.g. MTR) and possibly a requantizer app if your source is larger than the capacity of your DVD-RW (compress dual layer to single layer DVD). The latter can be done with DVD2OneX, Popcorn, Toast and a few others.

i would also convert them for play back on my PSP.

The PSP won't play just any MPEG-4, it needs special meta data inside the file, so use the PSP presets of conversion apps. Not sure if Handbrake has those.

I've downloaded Handbrake and Mac the Ripper. I've got as far as getting a movie onto the hard drive via Handbrake, and Mac the Ripper converted a movie into a 'video-ts' file on the desktop - i have no idea what this means, or how to make it play back!!!

Handbrake is an MPEG-4 (DivX/XviD/H.264) encoder/converter, so you'll need something that understands these flavors for playback. VLC, MPlayer and QuickTime Player should playback Handbrake's output.
MacTheRipper reads, decrypts, but does not convert. The VIDEO_TS folder is just like a DVD, and can be burned back to DVD media 'as-is'. Apple DVD Player can playback from a VIDEO_TS folder, from the harddrive as well as optical media. Also VLC is getting increasingly better at DVD playback.

I've also downloaded 'ffmpegx' which i thought would do the trick, but there are three extra elements which need downloading (2 of which are no problem) but trying to download 'mpeg2enc' just produces what looks like random code.

a. ffmpegX can convert to PSP without mpeg2enc present (that module won't be used for this).
b. You may wait for the 'random code' to finish loading and then save it as a file to the Desktop. Or you could Option-click the link to save directly to the Desktop (or whatever your download folder is).

[Gustav Klimt]

Thanks, Case. Much appreciated - I shall continue experimenting.....

Cheers, k.