DVD Movies on the Touch

So I'm new to the world of watching movies on the handheld devices.  I guess I don't know the first thing about it.  There there like a 101 tutorial on how to do it.  I've heard you have a few steps to go through, but I seem to have found just one step only.

My assumption is that you download and/or purchase DVD ripping software such as Handbrake or DVDFab.  I know there are lots of others as well.  Install that on your computer and insert your favorite DVD movie and let it rip to your computer.  Once it's ripped you can take the file(s) that were created and put them in the proper folder of tye micro card?  Sounds easy enough right?  I guess what I don't know about is what is the format the Touch reads?  AVI, MP4...etc.  Is it really that simple with only minor tweaking to bit rate and format size such as wide screen or otherwise to deal with?

I would be more than happy to go look up information on a web link if anybody knows, or if you are able to write it out that would be fine.  I did see one article here semi-related to my question but since I don't know where to begin I thought this may be a good place for a newb to learn.  Also, the previous link I found linked to a Voyager page which also required being registed to in order to read the info.

Thank you everybody.....

Thanks Coyote, I did actually read that thread already but it seemed there were a lot of open ended answers such as the best file format for the quality and the How-To create it part.  As I am new to this aspect of digital media, hearing the term "digital converter" didn't help a whole lot.  I will look more into the handbrake software to see what's it's all about and how it works.  I'll try to rip a copy of a DVD I already have and it may make more sense after that.  I won't have the phone for another 24 hours, I figure I'll go pick it up tomorrow after work.

I will get back with you on stuff that doesn't work.  haha

So far I'm on my 3rd attempt at ripping with handbrake.  No luck.  I'm stumbling.  I let it run earlier but came home and realized my laptop wasn't plugged in so I guess it didn't complete.  I am trying again as we (I) speak (type).

Three failed attempts earlier when I was trying to do a few chapters so it would go fast.  It didn't like only a few chapters.  Hopefully this will run through successfully.  All I want is a file to produce,  don't care if it works on the phone.  Mostly because I don't have it yet.  Once I get it to rip I'll worry about playback on the tiny hand held device.

I'll get it, I'm a self proclaimed geek!  Must like most on the forum I'm sure.

Edit #1
Okay, I converted a movie to MP4.  Excellent, it's on my desktop finally.  Humm, 7.71kb, that sound suspicious.  I'll play it anyway.  Yeah right!  Quick time does not recognize the file.  Okay, I'll play it with Window's Media Play.  Fat Chance!  Okay, time to try it as an AVI.

Humm, now there is a little piece of information that seems helpful.  haha

When I run handbrake it says that is is encoding.  Is that the same a decrypting?

I will look into dvd43 and see what it does as well are other searches for something similar.

I loaded Handbrake on my PC last night and tried what you did. It does something "Encoding" for about a second then says "Encoding Completed"  It left a 12k file in its wake.  I thought wtf so I looked more closely at the website and found a spot where Handbrake makes it clear that it does not rip DVD's it is only a file converter.  Someone correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks for looking into this guys.

I only went forward after reading the descriptions of what it did because a friend of mine used it to create his file for his blackberry.  It has been a few months since he attempted so he may not remember what the exact steps were.  However, he thought it was as simple as hitting "go" and getting a result after.  I am not home so I can't check out the other pieces of software but I will.  I haven't had an opportunity to discuss with my friend the details yet.  I know there must be something missing.....It must be the steps you folks are discussing.  Again, I'm not sure what is necessary to make it happen.  I believe I am closer though realizing you need to first decrypt the files.  Once it's decrypted and readable is when you can choose a file type to convert it to such as 3gpp.

EDIT:
So I was able to finally create a video file from a commercial DVD.  It played back wonderfully on the computer but when I placed the *.mp4 file on my Touch it doesn't like it.  I didn't have an option to copy it as a 3gpp so I'll have to play around and see if I missed the option or converted it poorly.  The positive is that I was able to create the file...the negative is that it is the wrong format for the phone.  One step closer!!

Why do you use your camera as a USB mass storage device instead of the phone itself?  You don't need the adapter at all.

Use DVD Shrink to rip movie (only the movie) to ISO.
Use Daemon Tools to mount image.
Use Hanbrake to convert.

Works like a charm for me. The real trick is to find a balance between video quality and playback via MP4 H.264. 368x208 at 24fps,  2nd pass encoding (Turbo), files size 400MB-500MB works really great with very good video.

Not all converters are the same. Some converts DVD to crap video. So far Handbrakes works the best.