The ripping guides

For VCD, SVCD and miniDVD guides click here. 

A few words on which way to chose: FlaskMpeg has slightly better image quality but it about half as fast as mpeg2avi. FlaskMpeg can now also be safely used for all movies but those movies will still look better in mpeg2avi. However FlaskMpeg will usually produce synch audio/video whereas mpeg2avi produces movies that are harder to synch - especially NTSC movies can be a pain in the ass. If you're a beginner I suggest you use FlaskMpeg. I consider DVD2MPG as a 3rd option only.. use it when all else fails. 

Read the bitrate and resolution guide - last updated 11/12 - before ripping. Also read the FAQ and Glossary when you run into problems. Please do that before contacting me. 

DivX guides

Mpeg2avi Guide (not for beginners but damned fast) - last updated 11/12
FlaskMpeg Guide (nice and easy but has some problems with certain titles) - last updated 11/12
DVD2MPG Guide (once you get it to work it can rip anything) - last updated 11/12
DVD2AVI Guide - alternative to FlaskMpeg, now including subtitles as well- last updated 11/12
VirtualDub Guide - can be used together with FlaskMpeg or DVD2AVI now including subtitles as well- last updated 11/12
Avisynth Guide - how to use VOB files directly for your encoder - last updated 11/12
m4c Guide - multipass MPEG-4 encoding with keyframe insertion on scene changes (VKI) - last updated 11/25
AviUtl Guide - includes IVTC, multpass MPEG-4 encoding, VKI, etc - last updated 12/5

IVTC in mpeg2avi 

Subtitle Guides

Subrip Guide - last updated 11/16
Subripper Guide - last updated a while ago.
VobSub & SSA Guide - last updated 11/16

DivX manipulation guides

Splitting Guide - how to split your DivX files
VirtualDub Guide - how to compress audio in VirtualDub and join AVIs with WAVs. 
Joining and Cutting DivX files - and as a bonus: how to joining DivX low mo and high mo
Guide to Manual Synching - last updated 11/12
MM4 guide - mixed MPEG4 for improved image quality
DivX autorun guide - how to make CDs that start playing and install the DivX codec if needed

Audio related

AVI/AC3 Guide - last updated 11/12
AC3 extraction guide - last updated 11/12
Alternative Audio Recording Methods - covers Graphedit and Total Recorder - last updated 8/29
Transcode AC3 - last updated 8/27
PCM and MP2 audio decoding - last updated 11/12
AC3 to MP2 - last updated 11/12

VCD and SVCD guides

A piece of advice: In the VCD section there's not a big speed difference between the different encoder. However in the SVCD section there is: CCE is fastest by a sizeable difference, TMPEGEnc comes in second and bbMPEG has last place by a larger margin. ReMPEG2 works at about the same speed as TMPEGEnc and Heuris at about the same as bbMPEG.

VCD / SVCD Guides - use this as entry point for your VCDs, SVCDs and miniDVDs
Avisynth Guide - how to use VOB files directly for your encoder
ReMpeg2 Guide 
DVD2MPG Guide for VCD/SVCD - last updated 8/26
DVD2AVI Guide - last updated 11/11

SVCD related

SVCD Subtitle / Multiple audio streams in SVCD Guide  - last updated 8/17
I-Author guide - last updated 8/17
SVCD subs and multiple audio channels guide - last updated 8/26

miniDVD

miniDVD guide using DVD Quick Builder - last updated 11/21
DVD Wise guide - last updated 9/27
DVDit PE guide - last updated 9/30
DVD Motion Pro guide - last updated 10/6
Scenarist NT guide - last updated 10/14

The rest

Multiangle & seamless branching Guide - follow this guide if IFO parsing fails in FlaskMpeg or if you use another converter program and deal with multiangle (Matrix, TND R1) or seamless branching movies (ID4, Abyss, T2 ultimate)
NEWBIE GUIDE - read it if you're new to this!
Micro DVD Player Guide - last updated 5/21
Conversion guide - ASF/AVI/MPG to AVI/MPG/VCD/SVCD - last updated 8/26
Tools of trade - DVD rip tools for professionals - last updated 10/03
Ripping the hard way - that's the way to go if you have problems with decryption
DVD Ripper comparison - the web one and only comprehensive test of all DVD ripping programs.
VirtualDub Procedures - explains almost any interesting operation you can make with VirtualDub
MM4 Guide - make better looking rips at smaller filesizes

Zipped versions of the Guides can be downloaded in the download section.