Technically, it's illegal to rip a DVD, even if you own it yourself. Which is just stupid, because it's not as if tools like Handbrake promote piracy. I figured I'd take a look at Handbrake, since I've got a long flight in front of me this Friday, and carrying a bunch of DVDs in their packaging doesn't sound like a lot of fun (especially given paranoid security types). So, I tried ripping one of my DVDs, to see how practical an idea it would be.

Well. Ripping one 90 minute movie took almost 2 hours. As a background task before a long flight, that's not too bad. As a "piracy tool", it's absurd. I mean, seriously - the professional pirates have hardware that automates the entire process and does it fast. People like me? We just want to watch a movie we already own without having to carry the fragile disc in our travel bag.

And by the way, here's a nice little video explaining some of the knobs and dials on Handbrake.