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Upon installation of 1st DVD Ripper, the user can't help but notice the similarities to iTunes, a few versions ago. The interface looks like a clone of the Apple audio and video distribution program.

Not that this is a bad thing, but first impressions stay with you. We did appreciate the clean, usable interface and responsiveness of the program, though. The features that the program sports are adequate enough and are integrated into the interface well.

The primary intention of 1st DVD Ripper is to rip backups of DVDs to iPod/MP4/ VCD, SVCD,DIVX, or AVI files. This it does well. The program performed the tasks quick and without incident. There were no pauses when ripping to iPod format and the end result was a clean file that played well. The splicing feature was nice as it enables the user to capture pieces of the video, instead of the entire production. For producing iPod compatible files, we feel that 1st DVD Ripper is a good choice for the base price of $34.95. One drawback is that the cost tends to rise a bit on the pricey side as you have to purchase some of the more advanced features separately. The pricing structures for the various features are as follows:

* 1st DVD Ripper + 1st Video Converter for $54.95
* 1st DVD Ripper + All Converter for $54.95
* All Editor + All Converter for $59.95
* All Editor + All Converter + All Recorder + 1st CD Ripper for $99.84

The payments are processed through RegSoft, better known as Digital River. There is also a volume discount offered for commercial purchases. The purchase is for download only, but a CD version can be ordered for an additional $9.99.

Other interesting features of 1st DVD Ripper that we liked were the subtitles, batch converting and multiple DVD format support. Conversion speed was impressive as it took only forty minutes or so for us. From within the program, we also appreciated the completeness of the help files and photo-instructions. The following is a complete list of the features:

* MPEG4 to iPod encoding
* Create multiple DVD compilations and save as one file
* MPEG1 encoding DVD to VCD, dual resolution
* MPEG2 encoding DVD to SVCD, dual resolution
* Dvd to AVI and DivX
* Rips to smaller file size without compromising quality
* Program auto-detects CPU classification and adjusts accordingly
* Ability to do batch conversions
* Choose to copy entire disk or certain parts only
* Compatible with most hardware
* P4 optimized
* Auto-shutdown feature
* Compatible with NTSC and PAL

1st DVD Ripper offers good support via email. They responded to our general inquiries within one day after we posed them. The company does not offer telephone support, however, which we would consider a drawback since that delays the help process a bit.

For consumers who are looking for a product to create movies for their iPods, 1st DVD Ripper is an above average choice. It does that well. The end product is a quality video in variable formats. The base cost is well within most budgets, but add-on features can run the price up. And as an added perk, the developer appears to be on track with the other product offerings.

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