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Handbrake vs. Mac the ripper

T

tom1971

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 15, 2007
671
0
Hi folks,

I searched this forum, but I did not really find the answer to my questions.
I am a new owner of a 160 GB Apple TV :D

My questions:

1) What is the big difference between the 2 mentioned applications?
2) What is the easiest way (fewest steps) to get a DVD to my Apple TV in the best possible quality?

Thanks for the help,

Tom
 
MTR is for extraction.
HB is for ripping/compression.

They work great in combination.
Use MTR to extract the DVD to a folder, then use HB to rip a iTunes/QT/Apple TV compatible movie file. Use MetaX or Lostify to tag them with all the pertinent info.

Use the Apple TV preset in HB. And if you want to run several encodes overnight you can queue them by using the MTR'd folders. Whereas with the HB direct from disc method you cannot queue them.
 
i normally rip the dvd using mac the ripper and then encode using handbrake. i do this that way i can encode more than one dvd at a time and leave it running while i sleep or am away at school/work. I use the Apple Tv setting in handbrake and add a 2-pass encode. The quality is pretty good. Don't know the specifics or if it can get better.

I know you can go straight from dvd to handbrake but i think the time it take is a little longer and i'm not sure if the quality is any better. Mac the ripper normally takes a max of like 20 minutes per dvd, so this extra step doesnt bother me much and then i also have a copy of the entire dvd (menus, etc.) for backup purposes.

Hope this helped?
 
I downloaded both programs yesterday and I have a question. I tried it out with an Audioslave DVD and it ripped it into 4 different parts. Is there a way to use handbrake to compress them into one file? It seems like watching a movie in several different sections is not worth the time.

Also, is it going to do this for all DVDs or is that just how the Audioslave DVD was formatted?
 
sWaltuo said:
i normally rip the dvd using mac the ripper and then encode using handbrake. i do this that way i can encode more than one dvd at a time and leave it running while i sleep or am away at school/work. I use the Apple Tv setting in handbrake and add a 2-pass encode. The quality is pretty good. Don't know the specifics or if it can get better.

I know you can go straight from dvd to handbrake but i think the time it take is a little longer and i'm not sure if the quality is any better. Mac the ripper normally takes a max of like 20 minutes per dvd, so this extra step doesnt bother me much and then i also have a copy of the entire dvd (menus, etc.) for backup purposes.

Hope this helped?
Click to expand...

I was keeping a copy for backup. But really now with the movie loaded into iTunes for the Apple TV, the original DVD becomes my backup in a box in the basement.
 
roland.g said:
I was keeping a copy for backup. But really now with the movie loaded into iTunes for the Apple TV, the original DVD becomes my backup in a box in the basement.
Click to expand...

I agree, I do the same thing. Once it is ripped and on my iTunes (which is backed up with time-machine), the dvd goes into a box that stays in my closet. I recently had my condo broken into and one of the things that was stolen was a box of my original dvd's. So I guess I have a back-up of back-ups of back-ups. Maybe I'm a little paranoid right now? But I have three external 1TB hard-drives so I figure I should use them for something until I actually need the space for media?
 
roland.g said:
MTR is for extraction.
HB is for ripping/compression.

They work great in combination.
Use MTR to extract the DVD to a folder, then use HB to rip a iTunes/QT/Apple TV compatible movie file. Use MetaX or Lostify to tag them with all the pertinent info.

Use the Apple TV preset in HB. And if you want to run several encodes overnight you can queue them by using the MTR'd folders. Whereas with the HB direct from disc method you cannot queue them.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I think i still did not get it 100%....

Why can't I rip directly from DVD to an ATV compatible file? With HB, I can select all VOB files- that's all I need, right?
Is MTR necessary for copy-protected DVDs?

Thanks,

Tom
 
Ripping from a DVD is a can be a little bit more for Handbrake to handle since:

1. They are copy protected.
2. Handbrake can break most copy protection AND encode the video/audio into an Apple TV compatible file.

BUT

Most people on this forum like to keep their computers busy, and the easiest way to do this is to keep Handbrake busy, and feeding new DVDs to it is not a reasonable thing to attempt. Everyone needs to sleep sometime. :)

So, enter MacTheRipper. Feed this program a DVD and it will "rip" it to your hard drive, defeating its copy protection. It takes 20 to 30 minutes. Then feed it another one. And another one.

Then, when you have a bunch "ripped," start up Handbrake. You can then add each of the ripped movies to a queue, and have Handbrake go at it, unattended, overnight, and *POOF* you have encoded, Apple TV-compatible files!

Necessary? Well, it all depends on how many DVDs you need to do.
 
MikieMikie said:
Ripping from a DVD is a can be a little bit more for Handbrake to handle since:

1. They are copy protected.
2. Handbrake can break most copy protection AND encode the video/audio into an Apple TV compatible file.

BUT

Most people on this forum like to keep their computers busy, and the easiest way to do this is to keep Handbrake busy, and feeding new DVDs to it is not a reasonable thing to attempt. Everyone needs to sleep sometime. :)

So, enter MacTheRipper. Feed this program a DVD and it will "rip" it to your hard drive, defeating its copy protection. It takes 20 to 30 minutes. Then feed it another one. And another one.

Then, when you have a bunch "ripped," start up Handbrake. You can then add each of the ripped movies to a queue, and have Handbrake go at it, unattended, overnight, and *POOF* you have encoded, Apple TV-compatible files!

Necessary? Well, it all depends on how many DVDs you need to do.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation, Mikie
 
realize as well. HandBrake, while it can *ignore* the copy protection on most dvd's up to about two years ago, is not a dedicated ripper like mtr is. mtr has one goal: to defeat any copy protection. While HB has one focus: to be the best dvd (mpeg-2 ) to mpeg 4 converter.

With HB reading right from disk, ymmv.
 
When to use Mac The Ripper (Or something like it)

I watch mostly TV series. My usually process is to just take the DVD and copy it, in the finder, to a directory. Until this week, none of the HBO, ABC or Fox DVDs have given me any trouble. But then this week, I was putting the X-Files Season 9 disks in my ripping folder and found something weird. Disk 3, 6 & 7 won't copy. So I guess this is the time to use something like Mac The Ripper. Otherwise, I just use the Finder.
 
I have a question about all this. I get confused 'cause it seems like many of these apps have cross purposes and...well, it gets confusing.

Say I want to copy, or 'rip' a commercial dvd movie to my hd. I've already done this with MTR a couple of times, but I was just interested in the audio and I tossed the video part.

Now here's where I'm confused. I'd like to take a movie that I ripped to my hd using MTR. Now I want to make a copy of it onto a blank recordable dvd.
Is this where using Handbrake comes in?

IOW, MTR allows me to break the CP and put it on my drive. Handbrake then is needed in order to burn a dvd of that movie. Is this correct?

thanks:)
 
Wie Gehts said:
Now here's where I'm confused. I'd like to take a movie that I ripped to my hd using MTR. Now I want to make a copy of it onto a blank recordable dvd. Is this where using Handbrake comes in?

IOW, MTR allows me to break the CP and put it on my drive. Handbrake then is needed in order to burn a dvd of that movie. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
No no no.

HB is for converting from DVD format (MPEG2) into another format, e.g. for your iPod or Apple TV.

I think you are asking about how to copy a purchased DVD onto a black recordable DVD. I refer you to the forum rules, "Things Not to Do #3":

Warez/Serials/Keys. Do not post software serial numbers or keys or refer people to specific websites or software whose purpose is to break or bypass software licensing methods, distribute cracks, or obtain or use commercial software or media in violation of its license and/or for copyright violation. Do not ask for or give such help.
 
MTR is a ripper that is updated with their gift setup so the latest copy protection schemes can be broken. Rippers strip the CSS (Content Scramble System) from DVD movie disks. The goal is to make an exact copy of the original DVD but with de-CSS'd contents that can be played (eg DVD Player) as if it was the original disk. These de-CSS'd folders can then be burned to a DVD to make a non-copy protected duplicate. They can also be used to encode the contents in other more useful formats (eg :apple:TV).

HB is a ripper/encoder that focuses on the encoding side. It will simultaneously rip/encode so MTR isn't necessary in all cases if the goal is to encode. It will not simply rip the content without also encoding so some content may be unavailable (eg DVD ROM content). There are also some DVD movies that will not show as encodable content on the menu although they are on the disk (eg Pixar Animated Shorts and BMW Films The Hire). Some say the frequent start/stop of optical drive is hard on the drive. If you are using MTR 2.6.6 (old freeware version) to rip prior to encoding, HB will probably work better alone with most newer protection schemes.
 
cohibadad said:
If you are using MTR 2.6.6 (old freeware version) to rip prior to encoding, HB will probably work better alone with most newer protection schemes.
Click to expand...
Very very true. The converse is also true. The latest mtr beta *will* read dvd's that HB will not (though the current release of HB is getting closer to the newer strange mastering schemes ie. Ratatouille, etc.). So in a sense, its six of one, half dozen of the other.
 
Did I make a faux pas. Oops..sorry :eek:

Anyway, if hypothetically I had a dvd of a friends circumcision party and wanted a copy, but didn't need to encode it into another format like :apple:tv or quicktime or whatever.....then just ripping it to the hd and burning it to a blank dvd is all thats necessary?

Yes, MTR is v2.6.6. But I remember d/ling HB at the same time..about a month ago. I mean, I know nothing about this stuff. Just what i try to glean from these forums...and yet my eyes still glaze over. IOW, I haven't the slightest idea what alot of this technical jargon is you guys all talk about with such ease. :(:)
 
Wie Gehts said:
Did I make a faux pas. Oops..sorry :eek:

Anyway, if hypothetically I had a dvd of a friends circumcision party and wanted a copy, but didn't need to encode it into another format like :apple:tv or quicktime or whatever.....then just ripping it to the hd and burning it to a blank dvd is all thats necessary?
Click to expand...
In this case it sounds like a DVD you or the friend own the copyright on, so there should be no legal issues. And I guess you could make a copy like that - I've never tried myself.
 
If you want to make a copy of a DVD that is not copy protected (i.e. one made from iMovie/iDVD), all you need to do is use Disc Utility to make a disc image, than burn that image to disc. (Note: this is for Mac; I'm sure there's a similar way to copy unprotected DVDs on a Windows machine.)
 
Quick question:

When you guys use MTR to rip and handbrake to convert, what do you do with the old MTR video folder. I already deleted a bunch because it is wasted space as far as I know, but does anybody keep them? Worst case scenario I can just re-rip the DVDs since I own them all, but I was curious.
 
swmr said:
Quick question:

When you guys use MTR to rip and handbrake to convert, what do you do with the old MTR video folder. I already deleted a bunch because it is wasted space as far as I know, but does anybody keep them? Worst case scenario I can just re-rip the DVDs since I own them all, but I was curious.
Click to expand...

I delete. No need for them to keep taking up space.
 
Quick question. If I am encoding my DVDs for use on the Apple TV and for an iPod Touch, I should just choose the Apple TV setting in Handbrake, right? These files will be fine to use on both the Apple TV and the Touch?
 
pjac said:
No no no.

HB is for converting from DVD format (MPEG2) into another format, e.g. for your iPod or Apple TV.

I think you are asking about how to copy a purchased DVD onto a black recordable DVD. I refer you to the forum rules, "Things Not to Do #3":

Warez/Serials/Keys. Do not post software serial numbers or keys or refer people to specific websites or software whose purpose is to break or bypass software licensing methods, distribute cracks, or obtain or use commercial software or media in violation of its license and/or for copyright violation. Do not ask for or give such help.
Click to expand...

So as not to violate forum rules, I will ask this...

So now after using Handbrake I have a some H.264 encoded video on my disk. How can I backup this file to a DVD?

Jumping through hoops so you can play your movie that you bought on a movie player such as an iPod or ATV is "fair use". Making an exact copy of the media you bought is a copyright violation.
 
Gherkin said:
Quick question. If I am encoding my DVDs for use on the Apple TV and for an iPod Touch, I should just choose the Apple TV setting in Handbrake, right? These files will be fine to use on both the Apple TV and the Touch?
Click to expand...
Nope. The ATV preset will not produce files compatible on any ipods/or iphone.
 
Gherkin said:
Well that's dumb.
Click to expand...
Hmm. Your right. "AppleTV" *is* a stupid name for a preset designed for the AppleTV. I can definitely see how this is misleading.
Gherkin said:
Is it because the resolution Handbrake rips for ATV is not compatible with a Touch?
Click to expand...
Partly, but its really just because the appleTV can take advantage of other features that the iPod touch cannot. For instance b-frames, strict anamorphic. etc. etc.
 
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