For the last year, Maximum PC editors have scoured the net, searching for a program that seamlessly rips DVD movies and converts them to an MPEG4 based format¡ªnamely Divx or Xvid. We¡¯ve tested literally dozens of freeware and shareware apps, all of which suffered from fatal flaws: ridiculously complex set-up processes, constant crashes, and some just plain haven¡¯t worked. Then came the aptly-named Extra DVD Ripper. It¡¯s easy to use, rock-solid stable, and works beautifully every time.

Ripping a DVD with Extra DVD Ripper is simple. First, the software scans your DVD for video content, then breaks out all the videos on the disc by title and chapter. You select the chapters you want to rip, select either a multi-pass or single-pass encode, and then define the audio and subtitle tracks you want to use. Once that¡¯s done, you click Rip, and let Extra DVD Ripper work it¡¯s mojo.