How to Use Handbrake

Have a huge movie collection that you'd like to view using different formats? Handbrake, free software for Macs and PCs, rips your DVDs so you can play them on your iPod, Apple TV, or even your PS3. How to Use Handbrake will show you the ins and outs of converting your DVDs.

The content in this page is for legal conversion of files under fair use. Do not use the information in this guide for any kind of illegal distribution of copyrighted material or for commercial use.

• Handbrake takes your movie DVDS and converts them to MPEG-4 files, making for easier play, and much easier transfers.Mac360: Put DVD Movies on Your Mac. Use HandBrake

• Simply put, here are the benefits of using Handbrake:

1. It allows you to back-up your DVD movie collection.Mac360: Put DVD Movies on Your Mac. Use HandBrake
2. It's open-source, which means not only is it free, but the bugs will be fixed quickly and by a community of users.Lifehacker: Rip DVDs to Friendlier Formats with Handbrake (August 20, 2007)
3. Handbrake will make a copy of nearly any copy-protected DVD, encrypted or unencrypted with CSS, PAL or NTSC, AC-3, LPCM, or MPEG audio.Mac360: Put DVD Movies on Your Mac. Use HandBrake
4. Handbrake creates an MPEG-4, AVI, or H.264 file, which means you can play it via iTunes, Apple TV, your iPod or even on a Sony Playstation 3.AppleSource: How-to Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs (August 21, 2007)

• First, download the software and install it on your system.

1. Handbrake is available for Mac, Windows PCs, and Linux. The latest version is 0.9.2, and can be downloaded at http://handbrake.fr/.AppleSource: How-to: Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs
2. Once downloaded, depending on your computer's operating system, you'll be asked to install the program. Follow the directions on your screen and you'll be fine.
3. Now, all you need to do is find a DVD and put it into your computer.
   • Remember though, Handbrake only converts DVDs that can be played in a DVD player. So if you've got a disk filled with video files, such as AVI, MPG, WMV, MOV, etc, it won't convert them.AppleSource: How-to: Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs

• In order to get the optimum quality and settings that suit you, the first thing to do is to change the source settings.

1. Once you've inserted the DVD that needs converting into your computer, start the Handbrake software.
   • If a dialog box doesn't open up, click on the icon that says Source and select your DVD drive.AppleSource: How-to: Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs
2. Handbrake will open the main Handbrake window and scan your DVD to detect the various titles and chapters.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
3. Select the proper title.
   • -Your DVD is likely to have several titles and chapters (like headings and sub-headings) for the main movie, and for other special features.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
   • -The correct title is usually the title with the longest duration.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
4. Sometimes, when you try and open a DVD, you might get a confusing set of folders and sub-folders.
   • If you've already ripped the a DVD to your drive and want to convert it, you'll need to choose the VIDEO_TS folder.Macworld: Mac Gems - HandBrake 0.9.0 (December 21, 2006)

• Once you've chosen the source, the software will automatically ask you to selected the destination.

• The way your picture and sound quality will turn out in the resulting file depends on the settings you choose in this step. You could always go with the default settings, but if you'd like more control over the output, here's how to do it.

1. One of the first things you need to decide is what format you'd like the output file to be in.
   • -There are some presets that can be found on the Presets Toggle bar, and you can select any one of those, such as those for Apple TV, iPod and PS3.AppleSource: How-to: Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs
   • -If you're new, a good thing to remember is that the larger the screen size, the larger the file size will be, and hence the more time it will take for Handbrake to convert your files.AppleSource: How-to: Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs
2. Next, you want to choose the destination location.
   1. The default location for Handbrake's output files is the Desktop.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
   2. Choose a different location if you'd like to save your file elsewhere, else just copy it over once it's done.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
3. Name the resulting video file.
   • Handbrake will typically give it a default, but you may not recognize that name, so try and do so yourself.Macworld: Mac Gems - HandBrake 0.9.0
4. If you know what you're doing, go to the Advanced Settings and select the options that you feel would be best for your purposes.

• Once you've chosen the source and destination settings, you're pretty much set to go. Just click on the Start button and the program will do the conversion for you.AppleSource: How-to: Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs

• However, there are a few other settings to keep in mind in case you choose to get a little more involved.

1. Shrink the file. By default, you'll be ripping the files at full-size. While that's great for quality, you're going to need a lot of storage space. Especially, if your ripping several movies or TV shows, you're going to fill up your hard drive pretty quickly. Here are a few ways to save some space:Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
   1. Cut out the credits by unselecting that chapter in the Source Settings.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake It's usually the last one.
   2. Movies are typically made for the big screen. Since you're going to be watching the video on your computer or iPod, you can afford to cut down on the picture quality.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
   3. You can select the desired size for the file, which is useful if you have only a limited amount of space.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
   4. You can also slim down the quality of the audio using Handbrake's Audio section.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
2. If your DVD has several audio tracks, you can select a preferred audio track for the region you live in.
   • Language 1 is usually English in America.
3. If you want a high-quality file, you'll want to select 2-pass encoding. With this setting, the encoder will go over your video twice so that it's as good as can be.
   • This does mean that it'll take twice as long, but it'll look and sound better even with a smaller file size.Macworld: Mac Gems - HandBrake 0.9.0

• Handbrake is a very powerful, and very efficient tool to have, especially if you have a huge collection of movies that you want to back-up, or to watch on different media. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Always check the copyright notices on the DVDs you plan to copy.
   • Make sure you know the local laws, and never use the software for illegal purposes, such as for piracy or commercial gain. AppleSource: How-to: Use HandBrake to Copy Your DVDs
2. If you want to rip TV episodes instead of a movie, you either need to convert the episodes one at a time, or try a simpler solution: build a queue. To build a queue:
   1. First select the Enable Queue options.
   2. Set up all of the options for each episode.
   3. Click, Add to Queue.
   4. Repeat for each episode.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake
3. To add subtitles, use the subtitle section of Handbrake to select from the ones available on your DVD.
   • Once you've selected a subtitle, Handbrake will imprint it onto your finished movie.Macinstruct: How to Rip DVDs with Handbrake

• Handbrake is not the only method available for ripping DVDs, however, it is known to be one of the best. Not to mention, completely free. The developers have a lot of documentation available on the website, so be sure to check it out before using.

• And again, make sure to follow the law. The law is murky at best on the ripping and conversion of movies, so when in doubt, check to make sure.Macworld: Mac Gems - HandBrake 0.9.0