How to get your DVDs onto your iPod

The problem: I own several DVDs that I purchased legally and through commercial channels for the express purpose of supporting the people who made them. Now I want to be able to watch them on my iPod while travelling.

The quick and easy solution: Search for your DVD on Google Video. Not YouTube, Google Video. Google Video videos are allowed to be as long as they want, rather than the 10-minute limit on YouTube, plus some of them have a "Download for iPod" option (in the drop-down menu in the right-hand frame, right next to the Download button) so it's much faster to do this than to rip a DVD.

If it isn't available on Google Video:

1. If it's a commercial DVD, you need a program called DVD43. I'm not providing a link because the copyright police tend to hunt it down and remove it quickly, but at the moment it's readily googleable. Download and install DVD43 (you'll have to reboot after), run the program, and insert the DVD in question into your drive. DVD43 will take it from there.

2. To rip the DVD, the program I used is Handbrake. There are many other programs, but I'm blogging what worked for me. Download, install, and run Handbrake, with the DVD still in the drive and DVD43 still running. Note: At this point, you're going to need to tie up your DVD drive and have your computer running for 2-3 hours straight (based on my 2.8 GHz processor with 1 gig of RAM). Plan accordingly.

3. Once Handbrake is running, a window will pop up saying Select DVD Source. Click on Browse, and select the VIDEO_TS folder in your DVD. Yes, even if that's the only folder in the DVD, you'll still have to select VIDEO_TS rather than the whole DVD. The program should indicate that it's reading the DVD (click OK) on the window that pops up) and a DOS window should come up and then disappear.

4. To confirm that the DVD has been properly read, click on the Tools menu at the top and select View DVD Data. You should see a big long list of the chapters etc. in your DVD. If you don't see this, the most likely solution is to run the DVD through DVD43 again. Make sure the program has properly scanned your DVD before proceeding with the next steps.

4. Next to Destination, click on Browse and tell the computer where you want the resulting mp4 file to be stored.

5. Under the Presets menu at the top, select iPod (1.33). The numbers are the aspect ratio, so don't choose another iPod preset unless you specifically want a different aspect ratio. If you don't understand what this means, just pick 1.33.

6. Click on Encode Video in the bottom right corner of Handbrake. A DOS window will pop up and the bottom line of the text output will indicate how long you have to wait until the DVD is finished ripping. The less computer resources you use, the faster it goes.

7. Once the process is complete, add the resulting mp4 files into the movie library of your iTunes the usual way.

Troubleshooting:

If you don't see an Encode Video button in Handbrake, your screen resolution may be too low. The program didn't anticipate an 800x600 resultion. Minimize all your windows, right-click on your desktop, click on the Settings tab, and slide the little slidey thing over to 1024x768 or greater.

If you immediately get a pop-up saying that the encoding is complete when it clearly isn't, first go back to step 4 and verify that it has properly scanned your DVD. If it has, go to the dropdown menu next to DVD Title (second thing from the top in Handbrake) and manually select the title you want. (If the titles don't have names, you can probably tell by the running time).

Disclaimer: the legality of this procedures varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and I do not advise anyone to do anything that is illegal in their jurisdiction.

Free cookies!

If you happen to visit a certain website where you have to either buy a membership or watch a commercial to gain access, it may interest you to know that you can expedite the process by cookieing yourself. (Yeah, I think the E looks funny in that word too, but if I left it out it would be cooking.)

Next time you watch the commercial, watch your URL bar. As you are granted access to the site, you will see the cookieing process reflected in the URL bar. Next time you need a cookie, you can simply manipulate the URL manually, and it should let you in.

How to keep Google Groups from freezing in IE 6

Ever since Google Groups updated, it's been freezing for me in IE 6 (and malheureusement I don't have the option of using another browser at work). I accidentally figured out a workaround.

Open Google Groups in a maximized window. Open another IE window but don't maximize it (i.e. click on the little two-box "restore" icon on the top right.)

When you click on a link in Google Groups, immediately switch over to the non-maximized IE, then switch back to Google Groups. In my experience, the Google Groups window will display normally.

For some reason, this doesn't work if the second IE window is maximized, and it doesn't work if you just wait for Gooogle Groups to load. I have no idea why.

Since Baty's book sucks, I thought I'd post what I remember from some different streetproofing tips I got in 2nd year. These are meant to be used in addition to the standard common-sense tips you read everywhere. Some are kind of morbid because they deal with maximizing the chances of your being remembered by passers-by if you turn up missing on the news, but they are good food for thought. YMMV.

• Use your cell phone judiciously: Many streetproofing tips say not to talk on your cell because you look distracted. However, if you can remain alert to your surroundings, a fake phone call might deter would be attackers. Pretend to dial, wait long enough for 2 rings, then loudly announce "Hi honey, it's me, I'm at [your current location] so I should be home in a couple of minutes." Say you'll be home in a couple of minutes even if you aren't that close to home. Some would-be attackers might be deterred by the fact that someone knows exactly where you are and will notice your absence in under 10 minutes.


• Always be prepared to take a cab home: Think about the place in the city your normally frequent that is furthest from your home. How much would it cost to take a taxi home from there? Keep double that amount in cash somewhere in your home. If you find yourself stuck somewhere, even if you lose your wallet, you can just hop in a cab and get home safely.


• Make eye contact and small talk with safe people: Smile at your bus driver, say hi, ask for a transfer, and comment on the weather (if it doesn't hold up the line). Chat with the clerk while they ring up your purchases. Frequent businesses closest to your home, be nice to the employees, and they'll remember you and look out for you.


• Look like your picture: Think for a moment about the worst-case scenerio: you vanish, and your picture is all over the newspapers and TV. What picture of you would they likely use? What do you look like in this picture? How is your hair done? Are you wearing glasses? Are you wearing makeup? If you are in a higher-risk situation, like making your own way home late at night, try to look like that picture. If you normally wear glasses but take them off for photographs, take them off when you do your eye contact and small talk with people you meet. If you are making any radical changes to your appearrance (a vastly different hair colour, for example) mention it to your next of kin so the police aren't questioning people about a brunette girl when you're now blonde.