external DVD drive to iPad2

[MandyH]

At the request of a friend....

is it possible to get an adapter that would enable you to use an external USB DVD drive with an iPad2?

They would like to be able to rip some bespoke CDs to use on their iPad2, but I know little about iPads, and the only adapters I can find are for connecting a digital camera to the iPad2. That combined with a couple of You-Tube videos suggest it's almost impossible.

Just thought I'd ask incase you know better?

thanks

 

[Pete Thomas]

They would like to be able to rip some bespoke CDs to use on their iPad2, but I know little about iPads, and the only adapters I can find are for connecting a digital camera to the iPad2. That combined with a couple of You-Tube videos suggest it's almost impossible.

The camera adaptor is an all purpose USB adapter for iPad, in that you can use them for external microphones etc so even if there is an iPad app that will rip (and I don't think there is) , that's what you would need.

Even on a computer, DVD ripping requires some software. I use DVDRemaster which works well on my iMac for converting to quicktime or various other formats which can then be imported to iPad via iTunes, but I doubt if there is a DVD ripping app.

BTW DVDremaster doesn't work on encrypted DVDs

However I found this:

http://www.dvdtoipad.com/

 

[MandyH]

Sorry, I didn't make it clear. It's only music CDs that need ripping. It just happens to be a DVD drive (which will also read CDs)

 

[Pete Thomas]

Sorry, I didn't make it clear. It's only music CDs that need ripping. It just happens to be a DVD drive (which will also read CDs)

Oh well that's easy. You import the CD tracks to iTunes, then when you sync the iPad, you sync the music and it goes onto the iPad.

 

[MandyH]

so you'd need a PC or Mac to do this?

For the price, I'd rather assumed the iPad was a stand-alone computer, but really it's just a rather expensive accessory?

 

[Pete Thomas]

so you'd need a PC or Mac to do this?

For the price, I'd rather assumed the iPad was a stand-alone computer, but really it's just a rather expensive accessory?

Aha, I see. I assumed if someone has an external USB DVD drive, then they have a computer to go with it.

You certainly can use an iPad independently of a computer, but I think then there are some limitations.

For more involved communications with various different types of media then either iCloud or a computer (with iTunes) may be required. I don't know enough about iCloud to say any more about that but did your friend buy the iPad recently? In which case she'll get some answers from Applecare support, or the Apple Discussion forum.

 

[old git]

Always thought an iPad was something pirates wore.

 

[MandyH]

OG you are sooo funny, ahem!

Pete, to clarify, I am asking these questions before she buys. She first asked me if I could help transfer her CD collection to soft-versions (ie Mp3 or wma, I guess). In principal this is not a problem, except that there are hundreds of CDs; but then she said she'd like to go the iPad route.

This got me thinking, I don't own an i-anything. My first thought was how do you get anything "in" to an iPad, since they only have that one bespoke socket. Having assumed such a thing could replace a PC/Mac, I am now coming to realise that this is not a possibility and she'll need to keep her PC to carry out the transfer of the music.

I own the external DVD reader, it would have been a case of sharing resources to achieve the goal.

I now need to see if I can rip her CDs on my PC (obviously I can do this! but...) and then just give her back the MP3s on a memory stick or external hard-drive for transfer to her PC (I also know how to do this!) via iTunes to her iPad (this is the bit I have no idea on yet).

I'm sure we'll succeed just fine with a PC acting as intermediary.
Although I have been advised elsewhere to only plug her iPad into her PC as there can be problems sync-ing (OG, that's not the Titanic) with iTunes if you use more than one PC.

Anyone still awake?

 

[Pete Thomas]

OG you are sooo funny, ahem!

Pete, to clarify, I am asking these questions before she buys. She first asked me if I could help transfer her CD collection to soft-versions (ie Mp3 or wma, I guess). In principal this is not a problem, except that there are hundreds of CDs; but then she said she'd like to go the iPad route.

If the files can be ripped to mp3, then you, or she, can the email or dropbox them to herself, and apps in iPad that can play audio such as Goodreader should be able to play them.

But I'm not sure she would be able to organise them into albums and/playlists as they would be in iTunes on the iPad.

I think the best thing is, she could gat a very basic cheap old computer that runs iTunes to use an the "interface" between CD collection and iPad. Importing CD tracks into iTunes is very quick and straightforward, as naming the tracks usually happens automatically via the Gracenote database. Then synching up tot he iPad.

Alternatively if it's a one off process, you could temporarily set up a user account for her on your computer and do it that way. her iTunes library on that computer will then not interfere with yours.

On really good thing the Applestore do is when you buy a computer or iPad, for an extra £79 you get a years worth of one to one lessons on how to do stuff. You can have as many lessons as you want so it can be a very very good deal. Just thought I'd mention that.