Converting movies for the trip.

Blogging can serve all types of purposes.  Such as talking about the software I'm using to convert a good many of Macey's DVD's to iPod format so she can watch them while inpatient.  Especially if her nasal culture comes back positive again for MRSA. Then they'll impose contact isolation on her visit and she won't be able to leave her room the whole week.  Kindof pitiful.  But we have high hopes for this set of cultures.  Hopefully the Zyvox she took for her toe MRSA infection also cleared it from her system.  That toe looks awfully good so we're encouraged.  

Anyway back to the converting.  Several years ago when iPod's first came out I wanted to really get the full portable-ness of the device.  So I shopped around for something that would do away with our video wallet (more like video cabinet) that we took on vacation.  I tried several free and shareware programs and finally settled on PQ.  Now PQ makes several varieties of converting software.  PSP, cellphone, Zune to name a few.

We bought the PQ DVD to iPod Video Suite.  It can do a batch job of several small home videos so we can play them on the iPod or it can do a movie at a time.  With or without subtitles.  Remember too that the iPod can be hooked up to a TV with AV cables so having those home movies on there makes trips to relatives really nice.  

As we convert movies we store them on our checkbook size WD 500gb harddrive.  That way the files don't bog down the computer.  Most TV episodes come out at about 500 mb and most movies come out at about 1-1.4 gb.