Will itunes support native dvd resolution video? If so, how can we rip dvds to it?

Yes you can rip on a Mac without re-compression. However, Apple TV only support MPEG-4, so you have to compress in order to play them on Apple TV.

Chris

Technically, DVDs are already compressed to MPEG2, to make them fit on the DVD:-) I guess you are asking for ripping them without re-encoding. Try this: http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/22715

If you need to compress a bit more, try this: http://www.dvd2one.com/

Or, to re-code to MPEG4, try Handbrake from here: http://handbrake.m0k.org/

The short answer to this is no, ian.

You're misunderstanding what Ryan and Chris are trying to tell you--if playback though aTV is your goal, you have to 1) rip the dvd then 2) convert it into a format iTunes supports then 3) add it to iTunes.

Most of us first "rip" dvds with MactheRipper, it produces a video_ts file, which is an exact copy of the dvd, with no additional compression. (The dvd itself, by its very nature, is already compressed to fit on the physical disc--MactheRipper merely defeats the encryption and makes a perfect copy. Except don't use the "free" version 2.6.6 that Ryan linked to, no one uses it anymore except in very rare circumstances, donate $20 to the MTR developers in order to get the latest beta, r14d, which is wonderful.)

Donation info, and all sorts of other Mac OS related ripping discussion, here:

http://ripdifferent.com/phpbb2/viewf...ca0d40c357a991

The thing is, iTunes, and hence aTV, won't know what to do with a video_ts file or MPEG2--that's not an acceptable iTunes, and hence aTV, format. So you need to use something else, like Handbrake, to convert the video_ts file to a format that is acceptable--and yes, that will involve compression and/or loss of data from the original dvd.

Rip, then convert, then import into iTunes. aTV won't care whether iTunes itself is running on a PC or a Mac.

There are whole forums set up just to discuss the myriad ways you can import something into iTunes, so it can be played back by an iPod and by aTV, which is really just a cool iPod. But basically it all comes down to encoding your dvd into a different format, either H.264 or MPEG-4, which is what iTunes and aTV accept.

Do the programs like handbrake leave all the menu's and extra content intact when converting to H.264? If so, seems like a slick use for ATV.

No, usually you'd just get the one main title because that's all an iPod or aTV knows how to handle. But, if you wanted to watch a special feature on your iPod or aTV, say something like a 'Making of' featurette, there's no reason why you couldn't pull that out as a separate title and convert it. This will give you an idea what's involved with Handbrake:

http://www.phoppe.com/HB/movie/movie.html

I have my ripped DVDs on my iTunes.

I rip my DVD's with Handbrake, and in there it can rip it into .mp4s in their native dvd video resolution, although the audio can only go as high as 128kbps... but i think you can still pretty much preserve the picture quality of the DVD.

When it finishes Encoding, i import them right into iTunes Movies, and there it stays. I can even put cover art on them

Handbrake is the way to go for ease of use. Rip at a bitrate of 2000KBPS and you will be very happy with the outcome. Don't mess with the screen resolution, do the 2 pass encode for a better PQ. Just make sure your (finished) file size is under 2GB as at the moment itunes can't stream anything over 2GB in file size.

Adding covers is easy, just go to Amazon and crab the DVD cover (use the larger one) crop it if necessary and drag and drop it into iTunes and your good to go.

Be aware that some movies won't rip with Handbrake all by itself (esp Sony titles) due to the garbage they are putting in these days to keep you from making copies. It it doesn't work at first then use the latest version of MTR to rip main feature only. Then navigate handbrake to that folder and try it again. You will need to preview your file first in Quicktime (before adding to iTunes) to make sure you got the whole movie.

I have 350 movies now ripped into an external HD connected to a Mac Mini. Like having HBO on demand.

How do you keep the movies under 2GB and retain original video resolution when a lot of DVDs are 5 to 7GB just main feature only?

There has been a lot of talk (speculation, I think) that the iTunes store will be upgraded/updated to sell movies compatible with iTunes/ATV. With the delay in ATV, it also seems reasonable that the delay is caused by negotiations with movie studios, since Apple has a very good record of delivering products on or before the announced delivery date.

So, I guess we'll all just have to wait and see. It's only another week or two.

I'm surprised at some of the confusion I'm sensing here, I thought we had already gone over this ground:


They already do.


You can't.

When you convert from one already-compressed format to another you end up with something less than the original, no matter what settings you choose. When you go from a much larger file size to a smaller file size you aren't retaining "original video resolution." The only questions are: is what you end up with still good enough? Can you tell the difference when you blow it back up on a big screen? Is it worth the time you just spent to convert it?


aTV will still be a very good seller and attactive for a lot of reasons, but it likely won't reach "amazing" status until you can buy 720p content a la carte with it.


No, dvd is the past, Apple wants you to look forward, because that would remove the incentive to repurchase all your content from the iTMS. That Apple will allow you to get your existing content into an acceptable iTunes format is a good thing--and that's where these software programs come into play--but they're not going to openly support that conversion or undercut iTMS sales.

Ah, yes. The MPAA (and RIAA) wet dream. Thanks chefklc for getting me in [rant] mode. I hate that word "repurchase."

How many times can they get us to pay for the same content, though it may be in different formats/file types? I have so much trouble with the philosophy behind this. Just give me a system where I can purchase the rights to view a piece of content, no matter what format it is in. Let me go to the theatre, and buy a "ticket plus" that allows me to see the movie in the theatre, go home and download the 1080p version and burn it to BD, download the iPodicized version to play on my iPhone and be done with it. I want to hold the rights to access the CONTENT OF THE MOVIE IN ITS ENTIRETY, in perpetuity. Sure, I might have to pay 50 cents or a dollar fee to access the download again--after all a download or transcode or new 2160p super duper HD version with All-too-True HD 14.3 sound has a cost above and beyond my original rights to the content. But there are people that would pay good money for this right.

I go to a concert, pay my $50+ for the ticket, buy the CD for $20, take it home, rip it and put it in iTunes in lossless, stream it around the house, and then downsample a version for my iPod, play it in my car and take it wherever. What's the big deal? Rock star rides home in a limo, and I've had a good time. And 20 years from now when I pull the CD out again, I'll have a great rememberance.

I know, I know, there's a world of difference between music and video. But those movie actors still ride home in limos, too. I don't feel too sorry for them. But when we have to get all worked up because my DVD doesn't transcode well, and the iTunes Store version is only "near DVD" quality, and I can't get the HD version on BD because of a format battle, and if I could I couldn't repurpose it for iTunes and streaming via appleTV, and Quicktime doesn't have the proper codecs built in handle video_ts files (or VC-1, or...???) without having a degree in computer science, so you can't play them via Front Row, and on, and on, and on ad nauseum...

I may be a little delerious when I talk about this, but there has to be a new and better model for giving consumers the rights to use content. If we don't get one, then no matter what kind of DRM system crops up, it will be defeated, and piracy will remain the great equalizer in the war between the pirates and those who seek to get you to "repurchase all your content" as many times as possible. Or to watch or listen to as many commercials as possible in order to subsidize the one time "experience."

We have an all-or-nothing system right now: we want it for free; we want it for as much money as we can extract from you. And the honest consumer is stuck in the middle. Their notions of Fair Use and interoperability ignored, and their access to versatile and high quality content being continually whittled away, limited (think "near DVD" quality) and marginalized by this tug-of-war. Just repurchase. What's the problem? It's no wonder the system is such a mish-mash bunch of garbage right now and just doesn't work. Throw it away and start over.[/rant]

Ripping your movies and converting them to an iTunes playable format does nothing to change the resolution. They started out at a resolution of 720 x 480 and they end up at a resolution of 720 x 480. Resolution is in lines basically. Bitrate however does change. The bitrate on a regular DVD averages out anywhere from 3-5 Mbps. BluRay averages out in the 20-23 Mbps range as well as has 1080 lines. Big difference.

You are converting from MPEG2 to MPEG4 which in theory at least is better (more efficient) codec.

If you rip at 2000Kbps MPEG4 your very close in quality to the 3-5 Mbps MPEG2 originally.

Its not quite the same but darn close, takes up 1/3 the space and makes your HTPC life pretty simple.

You could always try ripping at higher rate say 3000 - 4000 Kbps but most have said they see no difference really.

iTunes will play larger than a 2GB file with no problems but only on the computer the library is connected to. You can't stream anything over the network over 2GB. This could all change with Apple TV launch of course.

Hopefully this clears up some of this.

I think that the point is that when you transcode, you decompress the original file, and then you recompress it. This results in loss of video quality. Given the same resolution (i.e. pixel count in this example, as opposed to the more subjective meaning of resolution that chefklc used), the bitrate comparisons are meaningless once transcoded, as they are relative to the efficiency of the codec. But anytime you decompress and recompress a file using lossy codecs, you will loose the quality of the original. Ain't no way around it. That's why it's called "lossy."

Just to add....iPod/iTV is the limitation that forces people to downgrade the video, even from DVD. It can't play high quality video. It is currently appears to be designed for HDTVs (as Apple's site says), with only outputs for HD, but basically no HD video capability other than some QT downloads or stuff you make yourself.

A very strange product with these specs. Video for analog TVs, connections for HDTVs.


An actual computer would be better, like the Mini. I would say it won't reach "amazing" status til it can actually work with today's TV system. You can simply plug your iPod into a TV with a dock for a lot less money if you want to see low quality video.

Isn't 640x480 the top resolution available for iPod/iTV playback? (with standard framerates for use on a TV) Which means widescreen becomes 640x360. It sounds different to me, whether downconverted during ripping or on-the-fly later.

from the apple website for the appleTV:

Video formats supported:
H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store):
640 by 480, 30 fps, LC version of Baseline Profile;
320 by 240, 30 fps, Baseline profile up to Level 1.3;
1280 by 720, 24 fps, Progressive Main Profile.
MPEG-4: 640 by 480, 30 fps, Simple Profile

I wonder if bittorent offers HD-quality movies.... and for how much?

Yes. The same price as the other films.