1. Rip DVD onto HDD 2. Use dgmpgdec to extract streams and audio 3. Use Nero's free aac/mp4 encoder and encode .wav into mp4 4. Install avisynth, write 1 line script to load .d2v that dgmpgdec created. e.g MPEG2Source("D:\Paparazzi\paparazzi.d2v") 5. Use worlds best, free h.264 decoder from x264.nl to encode video, x264 encoder supports avisynth so you will be able to load script you created. 6. To make encoding simple, write encode.cmd or something similar, on linux you'll have to write perl script, for example: @echo off x264.exe --pass 1 --bitrate 850 --stats ".stats" --ref 5 --mixed-refs --bframes 3 --b-pyramid --b-rdo --bime --weightb --direct auto --filter -2,-1 --subme 6 --trellis 1 --analyse all --8x8dct --vbv-maxrate 25000 --me umh --threads 2 --thread-input --progress --no-psnr --output NUL input.avs x264.exe --pass 2 --bitrate 850 --stats ".stats" --ref 5 --mixed-refs --bframes 3 --b-pyramid --b-rdo --bime --weightb --direct auto --filter -2,-1 --subme 6 --trellis 1 --analyse all --8x8dct --vbv-maxrate 25000 --me umh --threads 2 --thread-input --progress --no-psnr --output video.mp4 input.avs pause exit With above options, iPod won't be able to decode that because those options are very powerful and that's a high profile. Get megui, export profiles and you'll find there profile for ipods, adjust bitrate at the end to so,ething like 400kbps. 7. Mux encoded audio mp4 with video mp4 using mp4box. Is it really that hard? I know your not gonna do it because you'll use crappy one click solution but that's ok, because if you knew you wouldn't be asking such a question. I fell bad for Jeremy and couple of his posts pointing to doo9.org or videohelp.