Filed under: Utilities, Video, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Freeware
DVD to iPod minus the aggravation
by Ted Wallingford Aug 23rd 2007
In the intervening months since we last took a look at the fabulous DVD-ripping tool Handbrake (for Mac, Windows, and Linux), the studios have gotten wise to the "lawful use" of the little silver platters they sell at Wal-Mart and upped the ante on rippers. It seems there's a newer protection scheme that does indeed stop Handbrake from ripping the video content on certain DVDs so you can package it for your iPod. Granted, Handbrake's developers state that the best way to use their program is by supplying it with unprotected video files to begin with. And that's the trick.
The answer is the new beta of MacTheRipper (3.0), which offers a workaround for this new technique. Once you've nabbed a rip using MacTheRipper, Handbrake will grab the ripped video files from your hard disk and package them into a MPEG-4 or AAC format that's perfect for your video iPod, iPhone, or for on-the-go viewing on your laptop. Now MacTheRipper is freeware, but you'll need to contribute to the developers' coffers if you want to get the 3.0 beta at this point. When you do, let 'em know Download Squad sent you.
With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet.
They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...
