How to rip a DVD to your iPod

It doesn't need to be complicated to get a movie from a DVD onto you iPod.

Even though you are trying to do something simple, lots of programs make you fiddle with a million settings and configurations. Mac DVDRipper Pro is the easy, elegant and fast way to convert a movie from a DVD to your iPod.

Here are the instructions:

  1. Download Mac DVDRipper Pro from the homepage. Try the free demo or pay for the full version.

  2. When it's finished downloading, go to your Downloads folder and double-click on the MDRP ZIP file.

  3. Presto! Mac DVDRipper Pro - aka MDRP. Open the program by double-clicking on "MDRP".

  4. Your computer might remind you this is "an application downloaded from the internet". No problem. click Open.

  5. Insert the DVD you want to copy to your iPod. If it starts playing automatically, just press the escape key.

  6. Select the MDRP window, which should list the DVD by its title.

  7. Click on the "Destination:" button to choose where you want the movie file to go, before you send it to your iPod. Your Desktop works.

  8. Click on the pull-down menu that reads "All videos, menus and bonuses". Choose "Rip and convert". This setting will rip the movie and convert it for your iPod. (If you're planning to watch the movie on a bigger screen, like a MacBook or iMac, choose "Main movie only" instead.)

    NOTE: If you want to watch your movie on an old iPod, from before 2010, you need to change a setting. Click on the "Mac DVDRipper Pro" menu at the top of the screen. Choose "Preferences..." Now click in the box beside "Support old iPhones and iPods (slight quality penalty)", so a little orange square appears. That's it!

  9. Click the "Rip" button.

  10. Let Mac DVDRipper Pro do its job. You can follow the progress bar as the program copies the DVD to your computer and converts it to an iPod format.

  11. When the conversion is finished, connect your iPod to your computer.

  12. Bring up iTunes so that you can see your iPod.

  13. Find the converted movie file (wherever you specified in Step 7), and drag it into iTunes - right onto your iPod icon. (Just like any other iPod song or movie.)

  14. When the movie is finished transferring, eject your iPod. You should now be able to watch it!

We hope these simple instructions were useful for copying a movie from a DVD to your iPod, using Mac DVDRipper Pro. You can also use this program to burn an exact replica of a DVD, to rip its full disc image, to copy the menus and bonus features, or to convert the main film of a DVD for watching on your computer. For more information, visit our homepage.