How to Transfer DVDs Onto iPods

by Michael Butler
You can watch family videos on your iPod.

You can watch family videos on your iPod.

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If some of your favorite videos are on DVD, you might want to put them on your iPod so you can watch them on the go. Unfortunately, iTunes does not support importing files from a DVD and DVD videos are not in a format that allow you to just copy and paste the files onto your hard drive. However, with the help of some free software, you can transfer video from your DVDs to your iPod.

Step 1

Insert the DVD you want to transfer to your iPod into your computer's DVD drive.

Step 2

Use DVD ripping and burning software, such as Freemake Video Converter, Free DVD Ripper or Nero BurnLite to rip the video files and convert them to an iPod compatible MP4 format. The interface on all the software is similar, with minor differences. Start the program. Open the DVD file in it. Select your conversion settings, and let the software do its job. The important thing to remember is that you do not want to convert the video to a regular MP4 file; that is too large for the iPod. Make sure you choose to convert to an iPod-compatible MP4 file. It will take awhile for the software to complete the task.

Step 3

Open iTunes. Click the "File" menu. Select "Add file to library." Navigate around your computer files to find your newly converted video. Highlight it, then click "Open."

Step 4

Connect your iPod to your computer with the iPod USB cable. If you are not setup to automatically synchronize all videos between iTunes and your iPod, find the video in your iTunes video library. Drag and drop it onto the iPod listing in the left menu of iTunes.

Tip

  • If you receive a warning that the video is too large for your iPod, you created a full-sized video, not an iPod compatible MP4. Click on the video in iTunes. Click on the "Advanced" menu, and select "Create an iPod or iPhone Version." iTunes will convert it for you.

Warning

  • Most commercial DVDs have digital rights management and it is illegal to copy them without the proper license. Some DVD ripping software will not work with DVDs that have DRM.

About the Author

A professional writer, Michael Butler has been writing Web content since 2010. Butler brings expertise in legal and computer issues to his how-to articles. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Washburn University. Butler also has a Juris Doctor from Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington.

Photo Credits

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