Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Add your DVD collection to iTunes
• Method 2 of 3: Download movies and copy them to your iPad
• Method 3 of 3: Using apps to stream movies for free

An iPad is a wonderful device. The beautiful Retina display and long battery life make the iPad a great tool for watching movies. The problem is that downloading movies is very expensive nowadays. If you have an extensive DVD collection, you can use free software to convert these movies into files that you can play on your iPad. In addition, you can convert downloaded movies to a format suitable for your iPad. Finally, there are several free apps available that allow you to stream hundreds of free movies to your iPad.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Add your DVD collection to iTunes

1. Download and install Handbrake. Handbrake is a free program that allows you to "rip" DVDs to your computer, then convert them to a format suitable for iPad (with some adjustments). It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. You can download it at handbrake.fr.
2. Download the libdvdcss file to bypass DVD encryption. Most DVDs are protected to prevent copying. The libdvdcss file allows Handbrake to bypass protection when the DVD is copied to your computer. You can download it at download.videolan.org/pub/libdvdcss/1.2.12/. Select the correct version for your operating system.
3. Move the libdvdcss file to the correct location. After downloading the libdvdcss file, place it in the "Handbrake" folder.
   • Windows - Copy the libdvdcss-2 file to C: Program Files Handbrake or to your chosen Handbrake location.
   • Mac OS X - Double-click the libdvdcss.pkg file to automatically install the file in the correct location.
4. Put the DVD in your computer. You may only rip DVDs that you have purchased yourself, and even that is a gray area, but as long as you do not distribute the films further, it will not cause any problems.
5. Start Handbrake. Don't worry about the complicated options, you just use preset settings to convert the movie.
6. Click on "Source" and select "DVD Video". Handbrake will now start scanning the DVD that is in your computer.
7. Select the title you want. If your DVD contains both widescreen and full screen versions, you can now choose the desired version from the "Title" drop-down menu. The "Size" section in the "Picture" tab will help you determine which one it is.
8. Set the location of the converted file. Click the Browse button next to the "Destination" field to select where to save the file.
9. Select "iPad" from the "Presets" list. This setting ensures that the movie is converted to a format that is suitable for your iPad. If you don't see "Presets", click the "Toggle Presets" button.
10. Click "Start" to start ripping and converting the DVD. This will probably take some time, the movie will need to be copied to your computer and converted to a format suitable for iPad. You can keep an eye on the progress at the bottom of the Handbrake window.
11. Add the movie to your iTunes library. Once the movie has been converted, you can add the movie to your iTunes library to sync with your iPad.
    • Click on "File" (Windows) or "Archive" (Mac) and select "Add File to Library". Look for the file you just ripped and converted.
12. Open the "Movies" section in your iTunes library. Select the "Home Videos" tab. Here are all the movies you have imported to iTunes.
    • To move the movie to the "Movies" section, right-click the mouse and select "Get Info". Under the "Options" tab, use the menu to select the category you want to move the movie to.
13. Sync the movie to your iPad. Now that the movie is in your iTunes library, you can sync your iPad with iTunes. Then you can watch the movie on your iPad whenever you want.

Method 2 of 3: Download movies and copy them to your iPad

1. Find a movie that you can download legally and for free. Most well-known movies cost money, but there are websites where you can download movies for free. Here are some websites:
   • Archive.org (archive.org/details/movies) - This is a large collection of movies that anyone can download. Please choose the "h.246" version when downloading.
   • The "Free Movies" section of YouTube - This is a collection of movies that have been legally uploaded to YouTube for free viewing. If you want to download one of these movies you can use a special download website.
   • Classic Cinema Online (classiccinemaonline.com) - On this website you will find many movies from the early days of Hollywood, most of the movies can be downloaded for free. Select a movie and click the "Download" button to download the movie as .avi file. The file must then be converted to a format suitable for iPad (see below).
2. Download a torrent file. The other option for downloading movies for free is through a torrent file.This is only legal if you already have the film in your possession on a physical carrier. Most movies downloaded via torrent file will need to be converted before you can watch them on your iPad (see below). For more information about torrents, click here.
3. Use Handbrake to make your downloaded file suitable for use on your iPad. Most files will not immediately be suitable for iPad. You can use the free Handbrake program to convert the movies.
   • Download and install Handbrake on it handbrake.fr.
   • Start Handbrake and click on the "Source" button. Select the downloaded file.
   • Click the Browse button next to the "Destination" field to select where you want to save the file and what name you want to give it ("movie name-ipad" is a handy way to distinguish different versions).
   • Select "iPad" from the "Presets" list. This setting ensures that the movie is converted to a format that is suitable for your iPad. If you don't see "Presets", click the "Toggle Presets" button.
   • Click on "Start". Handbrake will now start converting the file, which may take a while. You can keep an eye on the progress at the bottom of the Handbrake window.
4. Add the movie to your iTunes library. Once the movie has been converted, you can add the movie to your iTunes library to sync with your iPad.
   • Click on "File" (Windows) or "Archive" (Mac) and select "Add File to Library". Look for the file you just converted.
   • Open the "Movies" section in your iTunes library. Click the movie icon at the top of the window to open the section.
   • Select the "Home Videos" tab. Here are all the movies you have imported to iTunes. To move the movie to the "Movies" section, right-click the mouse and select "Get Info". Under the "Options" tab, use the menu to select the category you want to move the movie to.
5. Sync the movie to your iPad. Now that the movie is in your iTunes library, you can sync your iPad with iTunes. Then you can watch the movie on your iPad whenever you want.

Method 3 of 3: Using apps to stream movies for free

1. Go to the App Store and download a free app to stream movies on your iPad. There are many options available for the iPad, some (e.g. Hulu and Netflix) require a monthly subscription. Fortunately, there are also apps where you can watch movies for free, usually interrupted by commercials. These are popular apps:
   • Crackle - This apps has hundreds of movies available, interrupted by commercials. A subscription is not required. If you want to watch more famous movies for free, this is the best option.
   • NFB Films - This is an app from "National Film Board of Canada", you can watch thousands of movies on it for free.
   • PlayBox - On this app you can watch thousands of movies, TV shows, etc. You can download a TV show or movie of your choice and watch on the go.
2. Search for movies available on the app. The selection of movies usually changes quickly on free apps, so there's always something new to watch.
3. Play the movie. With a streaming app you can immediately play the movie, provided you have a working internet connection. You don't have to wait for the movie to download to start watching.