Not any more. Handbrake, free software for Macs and PCs, allows you to convert videos and DVD to several formats, permitting you to watch your favorite flicks on iTunes, your iPod or even on your Apple TV.

Note: Here is the tutorial on how to use handbrake to convert DVD on Mac.

Requirements:

• 500 MHz processor or better with at least 16MB of video RAM
• (Handbrake 0.9.3 and higher) Handbrake 0.9.3 (Only the latest version of handbrake 0.9.3 can convert videos using the Theora codec. It can convert videos such as 3GP, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOD, MOV, MP4, MPG, WMV to MP4, MKV, AVI, OGM on Mac. But sometimes, Some such videos can not be loaded successfully.)
• Mac OS X 10.5 or higher

1. DOWNLOAD AND LOAD VIDEOS YOU WANT TO CONVERT

Download Handbrake from here: Handbrake 0.9.3 for Mac OS X.
Handbrake is free. If you already have Handbrake installed, please check to see if your version is out of date. Several new improvements have been made recently to the program, specifically for the iPod and iPhone.

Once downloaded, depending on your computer’s operating system, you’ll be asked to install the program. Follow the directions on your screen and you’ll be fine.

Now, you can load videos such as 3GP, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOD, MOV, MP4, MPG, WMV you want to convert.

If a dialog box doesn’t open up, click on the icon that says Source and select the videos in you mac which you want to convert. You can load 3GP, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOD, MOV, MP4, MPG, WMV to MP4, MKV, AVI, OGM. If you can not load your videos successfully, you can use iMedia Converter for Mac). It can convert DVD and all videos to sorts of videos such as MP4, MOV, AVI, ETC.

It only allows you to convert one video at one time. So if you want to convert several videos and merge them into one file, you’d better use iMedia Converter.

2. CHANGE THE DESTINATION SETTINGS

The way your picture and sound quality will turn out in the resulting file depends on the settings you choose in this step. You could always go with the default settings, but if you’d like more control over the output, here’s how to do it.

The Destination section has 3 settings you can modify: file format, codec and file destination.

One of the first things you need to decide is what format (MP4, MKV, AVI, OGM) you’d like the output file to be in. There are some presets that can be found on the Presets Toggle bar, and you can select any one of those, such as those for iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, Xbox, Sony PSP and many more.

Next, you want to choose the destination location. You can name your file and choose its destination using this box. Try to pick a location that has sufficient disk space to store the converted file.

3. PICTURE SETTINGS

Click on the Picture Settings button to launch a separate window. The only thing you really want to do here is to compensate for interlaced or grainy, compressed looking video. Handbrake will have adjusted everything here for you based on the preset you selected.

Sometimes video files will have horizontal lines in them. This is called interlacing. To get rid of interlacing, try turning on the Deinterlace option and select “Fast.” The image below is animated and will toggle between when the deinterlace option is turned on or off. You can really see the difference around the edge of the flipper.

Remember: the larger the screen size, the larger the file size will be, and hence the more time it will take for Handbrake to convert your files.

4. USE HANDBRAKE TO CONVERT VIDEOS ON MAC

Finally! Click on the Start button and stand back. The encoding time will depend on several variables including: the duration of the video file, the speed of your computer, what other activity your computer is currently doing, the codec you selected (H264 or MP4) and if you decided to do a 2-pass encoding or not.

Handbrake will attempt to provide you with an ETA. The time will increase if you Pause the encode or do anything that will hog the processor like start a 3D render in Maya. We suggest you do your video conversion overnight or at a time when you don’t need to use your computer.

When encoding is finished, quit Handbrake.
 

5. Import Into iTunes
Connect your iPod Video or iPhone to your computer using the cable it came with and open iTunes (Applications > iTunes).

Drag and drop the video file into your iTunes library, or select Add to Library… from the File menu.

Make sure the video file you just added to iTunes is in a Playlist that will get synced to your device.

Select “Sync”

The sync may take a few minutes. Once completed, the file should now be on your iPod or iPhone.