Need assistance on DVD ripping

[Widescreen]

I'm sure I could spend a bunch of time scouring the innerweb for this but I figure some of you yahoos already know the answers.

I just got a new gps that also plays videos. So I'd like to be able to rip DVD's to play on it. Last night, I successfully used a trial version of AnyDVD to decrypt a DVD and Handbrake to rip it (I'm using WinXP). I transferred it to the device and it played fine. I have the following questions:

1. Handbrake doesn't give me the option to set the resolution so it rips at 720x380 or whatever the source is. While my gps does a good job of scaling, the file size is much too big thus taking up too much space on my SD card. Is there anything out there that will allow you to specify the resolution while ripping? My screen size is 320x240. If you always have to shrink it after ripping, what software is best for that purpose?

2. I'm looking for a cheap (possibly free) way to do this that's legal. I don't want cracked warez and I'm willing to pay at least something for it but I'd like to be able to do this cheaply.

Thanks,

[SicEmBaylor]

Use DVD shrink to rip it. The program is free, and then just use whatever DVD burning program you have (assuming it has this feature) to recode the DVD and burn a new one.

err, I just saw the caveat that this had to be "legal" so nevermind.

[Frozen Sooner]

2. I'm looking for a cheap (possibly free) way to do this that's legal.

Assuming that the DVD you're ripping has CSS implemented, no such thing exists. Defeating DRM is illegal under the DMCA. Which is one of the areas in which the DMCA oversteps its bounds, as the activity you're describing should be legal.

[Widescreen]

Then how can these products be sold on the shelf at Best Buy? Or do those products simply make backups and retain the CSS encryption on the backups?

[Frozen Sooner]

Well, I can't imagine that they retain the CSS encryption-it is illegal in and of itself to bypass the CSS encryption in order to make a copy of the DVD, regardless of purpose, so if you're in for a penny, may as well be in for a pound.

I think what's going on is that the courts are ruling that it's not illegal in and of itself to sell a product designed to defeat CSS, but using the tool to defeat CSS is illegal.

[Widescreen]

Makes perfect sense. Let's make it legal to sell crack but illegal to use it. :rolleyes:

Typical BS.

[Frozen Sooner]

Hey, I don't make the copyright laws. I just try to not run afoul of them. ;)

[Ike]

the content producers love having the law like this. They firmly believe that you do not possess the right to "format shift" your media. ie, to take a DVD you own and re-format it to play on some other device. They believe that this is something you should have to pay for.

The reason you can buy some things that do this at best buy is because the makers of those products have paid a licensing fee to the CSS folks and the MPAA, so in other words, you are paying the content producers for the 'right' to format shift.

[Widescreen]

Interesting. So you're saying that as long as you pay for the product to rip the DVD, you're legally OK?

[Ike]

Interesting. So you're saying that as long as you pay for the product to rip the DVD, you're legally OK?

If it's a commercial product that you can buy in a store, it's highly likely that you are alright. The content producers go after the product makers that don't pay licenses pretty aggressively.

[Widescreen]

OK, so the combination I've tried today seems to work OK but it's kind of a hassle.

1. Start AnyDVD to decrypt ($50)
2. Run HandBrake to rip (free)
3. Run Open Video Converter to change to 320x240 ($25)

Guess I need to check out some of the shrinkwrapped software and see if they can do it in a more streamlined way.