"Ripping" a DVD is transferring the video and audio content to a PC or another device. Ripping lets you view your DVD movies and TV shows on your computer, or devices like cellular phones, portable media players, and game consoles. You can also edit ripped video files and use them in other projects.

Q. Can the program rip from DVDs stored on a hard drive?

Yes. If the contents of a DVD, including all files and folders, are copied to a folder on the PC's hard drive , Rip DVD Plus can open that folder and rip the content just as if it was a physical disc in a DVD drive.

Q. How can I choose the correct bitrates, frame rates, and audio settings when ripping?

Unless you have a specific reason to change something, you should use the default settings. DeskShare's developers have carefully adjusted the defaults for each file format to produce the very best quality with the smallest possible file sizes. If you would like to learn more about how video and audio files work and how the settings affect the quality and size of the file, please download our free ebook.

Q. Which file format is the best?

The following table explains when we recommend using each file format:

File Format	Reasons to use this format
Windows Media Video (WMV)	WMV is a good choice for most Windows users.
AVI Xvid or AVI DivX	AVI is a good choice when you plan to edit the video after ripping it.
QuickTime MOV	QuickTime files are an excellent choice if the files will be played on an Apple Macintosh computer.
MPEG 2 DVD	Use this format if you plan to burn the ripped files to a new DVD.

Q. What is the "Main Title(s)"?

When opening a DVD, Rip DVD plus attempts to determine the main title. The program attempts to exclude all "extras" like cast interview and making-of documentaries, as well as trailers and video menus.

Q. What is photo capturing and why would I use it?

You can use Rip DVD Plus to capture a photo image of any frame in your DVD video. Captured photos can be used to illustrate a review of the movie. One popular use of captured photos is as a Windows Desktop background. You can also use the photo to create a custom DVD label or box label.