You know what I wish, I wish cloneDVD mobile actually worked for Nokia N800. I really don't like ripping the DVD (takes awhile) then converting it (takes awhile). Sure would be nice if this was all combined in one process.

Handbrake. If you look around, you'll find the correct settings someone posted here.

Perfect for me: DVD decryptor, then AutoGK. BTW Media Converter is great and very fast. Never had problems using Mplayer.
Did you read maemo wiki on video formats? --> info on settings

Wondering if I am maybe being a bit too picky . . . I've tried DVD conversions using Handbrake (to xvid) with many different quality permutations, and also using the suggested DVDShrink --> Nokia N800 Video Converter route. I can get movies to where they are pretty darn smooth in playback, but even with low bitrates (e.g. 384) there still appears to be slight stuttering. When I play the video files on my PC, the stuttering is not present, so I don't think it is anything inherent in the files.

Fair comparison or no, my 5G iPod plays video without any such stuttering (that I notice)--even when I use Handbrake's "iPod High-Rez" preset, which is 640 pix wide, whereas I haven't gone above 400 width for the Nokia.

So my question is, basically, whether others have DVD conversions running perfectly smoothly on their tablets, or whether I just need to learn to live with a little bit o' stuttering. And when I say a "little bit," I mean a jerkiness that's just on the threshhold of perception (which makes it almost MORE annoying). Having searched & read the forums, I realize there are a handful of other applications, techniques, and settings that people have used with success. If others are really getting perfectly fluid video playback on a consistent basis, I'll keep trying, but if it's an unattainable goal, I would prefer to spend my time doing other things.

Or perhaps there is some background process/applet I need to disable? I am running the RSS reader (no autoscroll), OMWeather, clock, and LoadApplet, but not a lot more . . . and this happens when I'm not connected to internet, BTW. Other specs: N800, OS2008, default media player. Have switched between extended virtual memory enabled/disabled, makes no difference.

Switching to mPlayer has not helped, I should add. In fact, mPlayer has failed to play most of my files correctly . . . sometimes they play speeded up, sometimes the sound is missing, etc. In general, the same file stutters MORE with mPlayer than the default media player. Plus mPlayer takes a disconcertingly long time to launch (10-15 seconds)--so far I have seen little advantage over the default app. Build is 1.0rc1-maemo.24.n8x0.

Let me say, though, that an xvid from Handbrake running at 400x240, bitrate 500, looks REALLY nice on the Nokia screen. If I could get the microstuttering issue fixed, it would be a pleasure to watch . . .

Does anyone know the codec details on the n810 promo video? That seemed to look good.

Magic bullet: MPEG4 20-30fps, 400x240 (or fit whichever dimension hits an edge first) at no more than 1200Kbps with MP3 audio in an avi container.

No, the stuttering is inherent to the Itablet, and is caused by Nokia's design and budgeting stupidities.

Mind you, the first videos I played on my 770 stuttered every two seconds, so we've come a long way, in spite of Nokia.

Thanks! So I just won't worry about it--the movies are certainly very watchable, and the big screen is definitely nicer than the 'pod.

Re: Nokia, I find it encouraging that the company recognizes the device is not yet fully consumer-friendly, but is trying to move it there. Hopefully media support of at least iPod caliber is part of that goal! Naturally the more formats supported the better, but there should at least be a basic set of video/audio formats that work flawlessly out of the box.

Well, if VLC is ever released, that plays just about everything.

Check the wiki