When Will Apple Decide Ripping DVDs Is Cool Too?

by James R. Stoup Dec 10, 2007

I distinctly remember the weekend I discovered how much iTunes could do for me. I recall being thrilled at the prospect of ripping all of my CDs, playing that music on my computer (and later my iPod), and finally being able to sell my dusty collection of CDs. (In fact, they were all sold, oddly enough, to a middle-aged lesbian couple at a yard sale several years ago. And no, I’m not making that up.) It was truly a joyous day because not only could I now listen to my entire library on my computer, I had reclaimed tons of wasted shelf space that went to more important things like books and cat toys. So, perhaps you can understand, if not share, my frustration as yesterday I stared at my rack of DVDs and desperately wished there was something I could do with them.

The large rack that contains my DVDs is full. It is so full that it has DVDs stacked on top of other DVDs. There are cases leaning against it and more piled at its base. In fact, it has gotten so bad that I’ve finally reached the point where I’m going to have to digitize them just to get them out of my way. The clutter simply has to go. The sad part is that by 2007 I had seriously expected to do this with Apple’s help. Much like they helped me clear out my CDs and move on to a world of digital music, I really thought that by now they would have helped me clear out my DVDs so I could move on to digital videos. Only it hasn’t quite happened like that.

If I decided to put on some pants and drive to Target and buy the White album, then the following would occur when I got home:

1. take off pants (completely optional)
2. put CD in computer
3. open iTunes and rip CD

All fairly easy, wouldn’t you say? But what if instead I picked up a copy of The Matrix while I was at Target? What would be the process for ripping it?

1. go download HandBrake
2. go read the instructions because, let’s face it, you have no idea how to use HandBrake
3. figure out which settings you want to use (frame-rates, compression types, PAL vs NTSC, iPod format, etc.)
4. go reread the documentation because you aren’t really sure you got everything right and you don’t want to waste all this time only to find out you only ripped the first chapter (‘cause then you’d feel stupid)
5. put in your favorite DVD, click rip, and wait a couple hours

However, once you are done ripping you still have a problem. There really isn’t an application designed to handle, archive, rate, sort, and view movie files. Oh, I know iTunes can do it, but I think I’m being generous when I say the experience is less than optimal. It its perhaps more accurate to say that the experience sucks diseased moose wang. (Readers of the Dresden Files will appreciate the moose reference.)

I have been waiting now for a while in hopes that Apple would get its act together and create an iTunes-like application designed for video. Instead they opted to start bolting on video features to iTunes at random and call it good enough. Furthermore, it is an added insult that while Apple is quite enthusiastic about allowing one to rip music, they seem quite hesitant to do the same for movies, thus requiring one to search for a 3rd party alternative like HandBrake. I have nothing against HandBrake mind you, I think it is a wonderful application that fills a vital need. However, it shouldn’t even exist because this functionality should have been added by Apple years ago.

And that kind of brings me back to the title of this post. Just so we are clear, Apple now allows its customers to watch movies on laptops, iPods, and now cellphones. You can make homemade movies in HD! You can wirelessly stream movies to your TV using AppleTV. And there are even rumors of a portable tablet which will no doubt have video playing capabilities. And yet in spite of all that, Apple still refuses to allow its users an easy way to fully use the content they already own. Am I the only one who has a problem with this?

Comments

  • I believe you got the MPAA to blame for the current mess.  Ripping DVDs is legally cloudy territory. 

    For example, play a DVD with iDVD and try to make a screen shot.  You can’t even do that.

    Then there is this whole region encoding thing.

    Ray Fix had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 21
  • DVD’s are copy-protected. So copying them is not strictly legal. And of course, they don’t want people copying their DVDs and selling them off to others as you say you did with your CDs.

    However.. on a more positive note… about 6 months ago a small company that was ‘backing up’ DVDs to its media server product won against a lawsuit attempting to stop it. Apple may see this as an option now… and hard disks are getting to be the right size.

    An Apple HD movie download service (including rental) and the conversion of all your existing DVDs into your own home library would go a long way to putting a nail into the DVD coffin. Of course… Apple would need a home media server product to cope with this I think.

    Greg Alexander had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 228
  • It’s people like you that spoil the party for everybody. Ripping your CDs, and then SELLING the CDs is not “backing up” - it’s PIRACY.

    Can you blame the movie makers for worrying….

    Steve W had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 10
  • I agree with Steve! Once your sold your CD your legally bound to delete them from your library. If you don’t it’s PIRACY pure and simple.

    Timon had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 1
  • “However.. on a more positive note… about 6 months ago a small company that was ‘backing up’ DVDs to its media server product won against a lawsuit attempting to stop it. Apple may see this as an option now… and hard disks are getting to be the right size.”

    That company was Kaleidescape, and because of the licensing fees they have to pay to the DVD Content Control Association, their base unit costs $27,000 and they can go as high as $100,000.  The lawsuit was whether or not they had properly implemented the CSS encryption standard on DVDs.

    While their media servers seem to do some cool stuff, if all you want to do is get rid of your discs a cheaper solution would me a Mini or AppleTV and as many drives as you can afford.

    Andrew Harden had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 19
  • Did you even bother to do any research prior to posting this? It’s illegal to circumvent the copy-protection on DVDs under the DMCA.

    If Apple were to sell software that allowed you to rip your DVDs, they would be breaking the law in the U.S. Which you could have found out in thirty seconds.

    CapnVan had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 68
  • Andrew said:
    “That company was Kaleidescape, and because of the licensing fees they have to pay to the DVD Content Control Association, their base unit costs $27,000 and they can go as high as $100,000.  The lawsuit was whether or not they had properly implemented the CSS encryption standard on DVDs.”

    Thanks Andrew. Well, if they had to pay $25k for licensing fees then I guess Apple can’t offer anything similar at this time.. certainly not at a cheap price point. Damn.

    Greg Alexander had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 228
  • The reason we can’t rip DVD’s is people like yourself.  You just blatantly admitted to ripping your CD’s and then selling them to someone else.  In other words, you no longer own any of the songs in your library.

    The idea that we will all do the same with DVD’s is the reason it is illegal.  Once you’ve ripped The Matrix to your hard drive, you’ll probably sell that in a yard sale too.

    A truly clueless article.  Articles like this are just hurting the cause even more.  Thanks for that.

    Steven Leigh had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 13
  • Thanks for yet another poorly researched, superficially thought about piece.

    CDs don’t have copy protection -> Legal to rip
    DVDs have copy protection -> Illegal to rip

    Apple isn’t in the business of producing software that enables lawbreaking.

    Simple.

    If you spent half as much time researching as you do typing, you might have found this out.

    foofa had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 7
  • Gee James, another stupid, thoughtless article whereby you blatantly admit that you broke the law. Are you and Hadley having some sort of contest to see who can be the biggest idiot?

    Some of the stuff that Chris writes is the only reason I come to this site (and beeb’s comments).

    Interesting to see if you attempt some sort of defence of your position. You are truly a first rate fool.

    serveblunted had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 8
  • Besides the very legitimate issues raised in the last three replies, I have to say a line like “sucks diseased moose wang” in this type of article basically red-flags the credibility quotient of the author.

    MarkSF had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 14
  • Just what significance to the article is the mention that a same-sex couple bought your CDs? And why would anyone, on reading that, ever think that you made it up?  What a gratuitous unnecessary distraction.

    *plonk*

    Tod_Wicks had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 3
  • Regarding your pitiful lack of shelf space being taken up by so many DVDs (and previously your entire CD collection), why not reduce the clutter by getting rid of those jewel cases and DVD cases in favor of some paper sleeves and a shoebox (or even pop for a CD/DVD-sized cardboard box at Ikea) and store them that way.

    I too have ripped my collection of music CDS but I also know my responsibility as a consumer - I can’t simply make a profit off the original CDs if I rip them to my Mac.  If I wanted to to that to DVDs, there are much easier ways than you describe above.

    And knowing that you remove your pants before ripping is a bit more information that we need.  Why are you obsessed with gratuitous sexual innuendos in this article?

    Tod_Wicks had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 3
  • @sunflowerflyer:
    Try subscribing to Netflix.  No time limit on your rentals.  View at your leisure.  Lots of indie, foreign, and other non-mainstream content.

    We enjoy this kind of rental and if we decide we want one of the films for ourselves, we go online and order it, or we rent it again from Netflix. 

    -Tod

    Tod_Wicks had this to say on Dec 10, 2007 Posts: 3
  • How about getting your pants back on? Lesbian and no pants doesn’t sound safe.

    There are lots of PC DVD ripping software. You should get Windows.

    TechGuy2 had this to say on Dec 11, 2007 Posts: 12
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