Adding DVD and Video Files to Your iPod

Adding DVDs and video files to your iPod that aren’t in iTunes.  I don’t have an iPhone, but I imagine this process could work for that too.

Want to add your favorite DVDs to your iPod, but don’t want to pay to download content from iTunes that you already own? The process is surprisingly simple. I’ve done this with both videos on my computer, and commercial DVDs. You need a program that can convert video files to the iPod format, and I use Xiisoft Video Converter 3 and Xiisoft DVD Ripper Platinum 4 to accomplish this.

Converting a DVD.

1. Insert the disk into the disk drive.

2. Open Xiisoft DVD Ripper.

3. Goto File->Add DVD Folder. Select the drive you put the disk in.

4. All the videos are loaded onto the screen. Make sure you check only the ones that you want. You can tell by the duration of the file. The others are title screens and special features, which you can preview and check if you so choose. (If you’re ripping television shows, there will often be a ‘play all’ track thats a couple hours long)

5. At the bottom of the window, choose a destination, and select ‘iPod Video2(640×480) MPEG-4 Movie (*.mp4)’

6. Click the button with the red circle, or select ‘rip all checked’ from the file dropdown.

7. Add to iTunes and your iPod the usual way. If you sync, ripping these files to the proper folders should be enough. If you don’t, you need to goto File->Add Folder to Library in iTunes, and then move those added videos onto your iPod.

Converting an existing video. Perhaps something you’ve downloaded.

1. Open Xiisoft Video Converter

2. Click Add and select the files you want to convert.

3. Select a destination. (Perhaps your iTunes folder) Make sure profile reads ‘iPod Video2(640×480) MPEG-4 Movie (*.mp4)’. Make sure all videos are checked.

4. Click Encode. Or File->Encode.

5. Add to iTunes and your iPod the usual way. If you sync, ripping these files to the proper folders should be enough. If you don’t, you need to goto File->Add Folder to Library in iTunes, and then move those added videos onto your iPod.

Listen/Watch and enjoy.