Best all-purpose format for DVD rips

[studawg66]

I am very familiar with the process for ripping and encoding video to various file types, but I am curious what you all consider to be the best format to use if you were going to copy your entire DVD collection soon. I have lots of DVDs that I would like to make available to my PS3 via local network, my old Xbox (running XBMC...very cool by the way) via local network, as well as some different mobile devices like an iPod Touch, iPhone, PSP, and iPod nano. I was hoping that there would be some format that all of these devices would accept, even if I had to sacrifice quality, but they don't seem to be that consistent. Am I wrong?
Also, if there is not a good all-purpose format, which format would you convert to first, so that making the subsequent conversions did not require another DVD rip? Just trying to save time.

Thanks!

[guns1inger]

There is no universal file format that will suit all those devices. H264 is the closest, but the sacrifice in quality between what an iPod can handle, versus a PS3, means you are better off having two purpose built versions than just taking the lowest common denominator approach.

[studawg66]

Ok, that is sort of what I thought. However, on to the second part of my post: if you were going to rip once and convert twice (or three times, etc.), which format would you use to start with. The reason for my question is that I would really like to just rip and convert to something like a high quality h264 or xvid or simlar to start with, then later if I need the ipod formats I could just convert those files rather than have to get the DVDs out again. So if you were going to go that route, what format would you use as your "base" conversion?

[olyteddy]

"what format would you use as your "base" conversion"
The VOBs that are on the original DVD. Nothing will get better than that.

[studawg66]

I agree, except that I'm trying to conserve space, and I am definitely going to start with something smaller than the native VOBs. Perhaps Xvid or a high quality H264? But what I don't know about is how easy it would be to go from one of those formats down to a smaller, much more compressed H264 to put on an ipod for instance. The reason I ask is because many of the programs out there for conversion require either the native VOBs or even the DVD itself, but I'm sure there are some programs that will convert the other formats. I just figured someone else has been through this.
I envision something like the following...convert all DVDs to a somewhat compressed format (Xvid or high quality H264) and store on HDD for streaming to PS3 and other devices. I could keep my entire library on a 500GB HDD that way. Then whenever I want to put one of those movies onto an ipod or psp, rather than dig up the DVDs again, it would be really nice to be able to convert the existing files. Has anyone done something like this? If you can't tell, my motivation here is to get rid of the DVDs and cases I have lying around.

[lordsmurf]

Given the choice between time and money, I'd just assume buy some 1TB external drives and have them hold DVD ISOs (reauthored as "movie only") to truly conserve space, at reasonable cost, without requiring thousands of hours of your life.

Put the DVDs in wallets (retails, can be replaced), give away the DVD cases, and put the DVD case artwork inserts in a file folder in your home file cabinet (or a drawer). Put the wallets in the same drawer.

Lots of space now conserved.