HandBrake

My original foray into DVD backup was using Mac the Ripper (MTR) and Popcorn by Roxio. An apple tv and ipod video brought Handbrake into the mix. Discovering Handbrake I was delighted to learn I could now use just one application to rip and encode. After delving into the forums I became bewildered as to why other applications like FairMount and DVD2One were being employed alongside Handbrake.

The answer seems to be in the handbrake wiki under Sources.

Basically it seems to come down to this:
1. It is faster. Separating the ripping from the encoding allows the encoding step to take move quicker by using your hard drive (HD) rather then your optical drive.
2. It is harder wear and tear on your Optical Drive (longer time in continous use?)
3. Handbrake can't unlock every DVD

Another reading suggests copying over the DVD contents to your HD using the OS X's Finder and then using Handbrake. Which seemed simplistic but beautiful. Why use MTR or FairMount etc. (provided you have HD space) when the Finder is right there and Handbrake can easily separate the main title?

Perhaps I'm missing something.

Given the same computer, same dvd (that will open), same encoding settings what does experience show is the fastest way to move dvd content?

DVD > Handbrake
DVD > Finder > Handbrake
DVD > MTR > Handbrake
DVD > FairMount and VLC >DVD2One >Handbrake


I'm hoping this thread can flesh out the surrounding issues and/or reasons surrounding different techniques. Ideally in one place for the newbie who are certainly wondering: which way is fastest? best? or necessary.

Also: Anyone having luck using Leopard OS X Automator to expedite things to a single click?

Use a 3rd party ripper because HandBrake's ripper is weak and out of date. Even on the ones it can break through, it's faster if you have FairMount as an intermediary. Use DVD2OneX if there are zero cells.

You shouldn't be asking which way is the faster, but which way *works most often*...because when the faster methods fail, you'll find yourself spending more time going back and doing to the slow method too than if you'd just done it properly to begin with.