DVD Ripper

A DVD Ripper is a special kind of software that is capable of ripping (copying) the contents of a DVD to another storage medium, usually a hard disk drive. DVD Rippers serve a variety of purposes including backup/transfer of DVD content and conversion of DVD content to suit playback on various media players or mobile devices. The latest DVD Rippers come equipped with a rich feature set, including decryption, removal of copy protection and region-based restrictions that some DVDs come with.

Copying to the Right Format

Buying the right product is the really critical part of DVD ripping. Most rippers will convert to a variety of formats that most computers and DVDs use. Some, however, leave out that one particular format that you need. This is not a discovery you want to make when you are ready to rip. Ensure that you read which formats the ripper can handle before you buy it. Many rippers do not come with burning software, so you need to think about how you want to use the final product and invest in the burner software as well. Nero is usually what is suggested. Some of the formats the ripper should be able to handle are AVI, WMX, MP4 (iPod and PSP), MP3, VCD, and SVCD. And as it always with technology, with time, this list of formats that a good ripper must support will get longer.

Product Quality

Typical of any kind of device or technology, you will find that a better product is available in later offerings. If an earlier or less expensive product was purchased, there will likely be issues with the quality of the video and sound timing. The critical issue in this regard is the timing. In some products, the sound just doesn’t quite link up. Missed timing for sound may be acceptable for a Chinese kung fu movie, but Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks just don’t cut it on top of the Empire State Building with their voices out of sync.

Computer Requirements

Generally speaking, most computers are capable of running ripper products. An Intel III with 1 GB of free space is really all that is needed. More will obviously help in many ways, not only with the ripper but in general.

Choices

As may be suspected, there is no shortage of DVD ripper software being offered on the Internet today. Each appears to offer just a little bit of a different package from the others. Which to choose is really up to you and your budget. This is what you need to consider to zero-in on the right ripper for you:

• Format Support
• Price
• Tech Support
• Bundled Software

Finally, also consider how long this product will be useful to you – it must be backward compatible (compatibility with older technology) and forward compatible (ability to adapt to newer formats) to an acceptable extent.