[ale] DVD ripping tools & distro of choice?

[Preston Boyington]

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 8:43 PM, Rich Faulkner <rfaulkner at 34thprs.org> wrote:
> Question:  What (if any) DVD ripping tools can you recommend
> for busting movies down to HDD?  Hardware for this new server
> I have in mind will be a recycled AMD X2 4200+ w/2G a basic
> system drive and whatever for storage (1-2TB).  Thinking of
> Mythbuntu for the platform unless anyone has a distro already in
> service that they'd highly recommend for that task........Rich

Handbrake.

I use MKV for my files now.  Basically I start with the 'high profile'
preset and then:
'constant quality' of 61%
multiple audio tracks: mp3 @ 160/pass thru/commentaries
for H.264 I bump the reference and b-frames up to '4' to start.  i
also check 'no fast p-skip'

no chapter markers for me.

i use XBMC for my media center (there's even an Ubuntu based LiveCD).
works like a champ.  i also can easily go from mkv to avi should i
want to burn it to a disc and play it in my DiVX compatible DVD
player.