I keep Handbrake around even without optical drives - although it's been a few years since I last ripped a disc, it's still easily the best general-purpose enco

I keep Handbrake around even without optical drives - although it's been a few years since I last ripped a disc, it's still easily the best general-purpose encoding tool I've used. Nothing else really approaches its combination of reliable, high-quality output, fast performance, and uncluttered UI.