The iPad is a beautiful thing. The gorgeous Retina display and long battery life make iPad an excellent device for watching movies. The problem is, most movies nowadays charge a lot of money to download. If you have a large collection of DVDs, you can turn them into movie files that you can play on your iPad using free software. You can also convert any movie you download to a version that can be played on your iPad. Finally, there are several free apps that allow you to legally stream hundreds of free movies.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Adding DVD Collection to iTunes
Step 1. Download and install Handbrake
Handbrake is a free, open-source video encoding program that allows you to rip your DVDs to your computer, then convert them to an iPad-compatible format (with a few tweaks). This program is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can download it from handbrake.fr.
Step 2. Download the libdvdcss file to bypass the DVD decryption
Most DVDs are encrypted to prevent copying. The libdvdcss file allows Handbrake to bypass this restriction when copying DVDs to a computer. You can download it from download.videolan.org/pub/libdvdcss/1.2.12/. Make sure to choose the right version for your operating system.
Step 3. Move the libdvdcss file to the correct location
Once you've downloaded the libdvdcss file, you'll need to place it in the Handbrake folder.
- Windows - Copy the libdvdcss-2 file to C:\Program Files\Handbrake, or to a location of your choice to install Handbrake.
- Mac OS X - Run the libdvdcss.pkg file to automatically install the file to the correct location.
Step 4. Insert the DVD into your computer
You can legally only rip movies that you own, and while this is a gray area, you shouldn't have any problems as long as you don't distribute the files.
Step 5. Run Handbrake
Don't be afraid of all the complicated options, you'll be using the presets to quickly convert the file to the right format.
Step 6. Click "Source" and select "DVD Video"
Handbrake will start scanning the DVD inserted into your computer.
Step 7. Select the title you want
If your DVD contains both wide-screen and full-screen versions of the film, you can select an appropriate version from the "Title" drop-down menu. The "Size" section of the Picture tab will help you determine a suitable version.
Step 8. Specify a storage location for the converted file
Click the Browse button next to the "Destination" field to select where to save your movie file.
Step 9. Select "iPad" from the Presets list
This will automatically convert the ripped movie to an iPad compatible format. If you don't see a list of presets, click the "Toggle Presets" button.
Step 10. Click "Start" to start ripping and converting the DVD
This can take a while, as the movie has to be copied to a computer and then converted to a format that the iPad can read. You can monitor its progress at the bottom of the Handbrake window.
Step 11. Add the movie to your iTunes library
Once the file has finished converting, you can add it to your iTunes library so you can sync the movie with your iPad.
Click the File menu (Windows) or iTunes (Mac) and select "Add File to Library." Browse to the movie file you just ripped and converted
Step 12. Go to the Movies section of your iTunes library, then select the "Home Videos" tab
This will display all the movies that you have imported into iTunes.
To move the movie to the "Movies" section, right-click the movie and select "Get Info". On the "Options" tab, use the pop-up menu to select the category you want the movie to be in
Step 13. Sync the movie to your iPad
Now that the movie is in your iTunes library, you can sync the movie to your iPad so you can watch it anytime. Click here for more details on how to sync video files to iPad.
Method 2 of 3: Downloading Movies and Adding Them to iPad
Step 1. Look for legally downloadable movie files online
Although most popular movies cost money to download, you can download movies for free and legally from a variety of sources, including:
- Archive.org (archive.org/details/movies) - This contains a large collection of films that are in the public domain and can be watched free of charge for anyone. When downloading movies from this site, be sure to download the "h.246" version.
- YouTube's Free Movies selection (youtube.com/user/movies/videos?sort=dd&view=26&shelf_id=12) - This contains a collection of movies that have been legally uploaded to YouTube for free viewing. If you want to download it for your iPad, you will have to use the YouTube downloader program. Click here for more details.
- Classic Cinema Online (classiccinemaonline.com) - This site hosts many of the older films made in the early days of film, and most of them can be downloaded for free. Select a movie, then click the "Download" button to download the movie in an.avi file. This file must be converted in order to be used on the iPad (see below).
Step 2. Download the movie torrent
Another option for finding free movies is to download torrent files. It's only legal if you physically own the film version. Most movie files that you download using torrents must be converted before they can be played on an iPad (see below). For more information on how to download torrent files, click here.
Step 3. Use Handbrake to convert the file you downloaded for use on the iPad
Most files you download online are not compatible with iPad. You can use the free program Handbrake to convert the file to an iPad-compatible format.
- Download and install Handbrake from handbrake.fr.
- Run Handbrake and click the Source button. Select the downloaded video file from your computer.
- Click Browse next to the "Destination" field and specify a save location for your converted file and a desired file name ("ipad-filmname" is a convenient way to indicate that you selected the converted movie version).
- Select "iPad" from the list of presets. If you don't see the Presets list, click the "Toggle Presets" button.
- Click "Start". Handbrake will start converting the movie file, which can take a while. You can monitor its progress at the bottom of the Handbrake window.
Step 4. Import the converted movies into iTunes
Once the conversion is complete, you can import the movie file into iTunes so that it can sync with your iPad.
- Click the File menu (Windows) or iTunes (Mac) and select "Add to Library." Browse to the file you just converted.
- Go to the Movies section of your iTunes library. You can click the "Film strip" button at the top of the iTunes window to open it.
- Select the "Home Video" tab. This will display all the movies that you have imported into iTunes. To move a movie to the "Movies" section, right-click the movie and select "Get Info". On the "Options" tab, use the pop-up menu to select the category you want the movie to be in.
Step 5. Sync the movie to your iPad
Now that the movie is in your iTunes library, you can sync it to your iPad for viewing any time. Click here for more details on how to sync video files to iPad.
Method 3 of 3: Using Apps to Stream Free Movies
Step 1. Download an app that can stream free movies
There are plenty of streaming apps available for the iPad, but many of them like Hulu and Netflix require you to have a monthly subscription in order to use them. Fortunately, there are several apps that give you access to hundreds of free movies, usually by inserting a commercial break. Some of the popular applications include:
- Crackle - This app has hundreds of movies available with ad breaks. You don't need to subscribe. If you want to search for famous movies for free, this app is your best choice.
- NFB Films - This app released by the National Film Board of Canada has thousands of movies and clips available to stream for free.
- PlayBox - This free app lets you watch thousands of movies, TV shows and more. You can download TV shows or movies if you want to watch them anywhere.
Step 2. Browse the movies available in the app
The selection of movies to watch changes frequently for free movie apps, so there's always something new to watch.
Step 3. Play the movie
With a streaming app, you can start watching the movie live as long as you have a network connection. You don't have to wait for the movie to download before you can start watching it.
