How to Rip a DVD to AVI

This guide (originally published as How to Rip a DVD on my blog) will show you how to convert your favorite DVDs to the AVI format for viewing on a computer or importing into iTunes.  First, insert the DVD disc into your computer and launch DVD Decrypter. Choose IFO (Information File) mode as seen below:



Now make sure that the destination you're going to rip to looks good, and find which program chain to rip (PGC). Pick the one that’s the longest, or in the case of a TV dvd, the episode you want to rip:

Everything’s set up. Just click the green arrow and wait about twenty minutes, after which you will have a set of files which look like this:

VTS_01_0.IFO
VTS_01_PGC_07 - Stream Information.txt
VTS_01_PGC_07_1.VOB

The whole ripping process shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.  Now that you have the .VOB file copied and unencrypted, you'll need to recompress it to AVI using a popular codec like xvid:

Launch AutoGK and select the first .vob that you just ripped as an input file, and set an output file name:

Now you need to select audio (choose the first one) and subtitles, if any:

If you’re ripping a TV, set the preferred size to 350MB, if you’re ripping a movie, choose either 700MB or 1400MB, depending on your preference:

Finally, click on advanced settings and choose MP3 VBR 128kbs:

Then click “add job” and “start."  Many hours later, you’re done. Delete all the non .avi files and enjoy the fruits of your ripping!