Not to belabor the thread, but Handbrake is a great tool for this use.  I use it to convert my DVDs to mp4 format for the iPad. The conversion rate is terribly slow, and on an older machine can be even worse than 1:1.  So ideally you have access to several computers at once, and can just keep feeding Handbrake DVDs throughout the day.

I used this guide to get started: http://goo.gl/RnOO. Sounds like you won't have to deal with copy protection, but if so the guide includes instructions for that as well.


*****
Daniel Suchy
User Services Technology Analyst 
University of California, San Diego Libraries
858.534.6819
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-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kozlowski,Brendon
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] converting video DVDs to something that will play on the web

Another vote for Handbrake. Works under OSX and Windows. I used it to convert DVDs that were originally created from VHS tapes to place on the web. I recently also ran the end-resulting m4v files through another application called iGain to adjust audio levels on the produced videos (http://altosdesign.com/iGain/ - Windows; needs iTunes to run).

End results of the video conversion can be found here: http://www.sspl.org/research/local_history/veterans/
...I just realized I should place a "play" type icon on the images to earmark them as video... Either way, click on the veteran's photos to see the video.

Keep in mind that the conversion process is *about* a 1:1 ratio in terms of time (movie length:conversion time). If you mess up the settings on a long video it's not fun. I haven't yet gotten Handbrake to export to a format that properly plays on both iOS devices as well as PCs via Flash, but it is possible.



Brendon Kozlowski
Web Administrator
Saratoga Springs Public Library
49 Henry Street
Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866
[518] 584-7860 x217

Please consider the environment before printing this message.

________________________________________
From: Code for Libraries [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Chris Markman [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 2:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] converting video DVDs to something that will play on the web

<a href="http://www.mirovideoconverter.com/">Miro Video Converter</a> will
do WebM if you want to be HTML5 fancy :) You'll need to rip the DVDs first
though.

Chris Markman
Resource Library Coordinator
Visual & Performing Arts
Clark University
508.793.7481
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On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 2:38 PM, Brad Rhoads <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> You can probably use http://handbrake.fr/.
>
> ---------------------------
> www.maf.org/rhoads
> www.ontherhoads.org
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 12:34 PM, Browne,Ginny <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > We have a bunch of DVDs that we converted from VHS tapes.  And now we
> > would like to put them on the web, but we need some sort of converter
> > from the DVD format to a web streaming file.  Has anybody done this??
> > (They are all our own material, so we have no copyright issues to deal
> > with.)
> >
>

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