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Can anyone recommend the best software package to do this ?

Why not use iTunes? It's your best bet for getting the music onto your iPod anyway so may as well use it for ripping.

Me, I have two copies of my cds. One copy is ripped to .flac and is put on a backup drive. Because cds don't last for ever I want a lossless copy somewhere.

The second copy is either ripped to .mp3 or .ogg (using .mp3 mostly due to compatibility with players/gadgets but since my new Nexus One phone plays .ogg I might re-rip to .ogg.) Anyway, the music I use for listening to on my phone, or an iPod is ripped at 256kbps(ish) vbr.

If you're ripping just to put on an iPod then just use iTunes. It's much easier and faster. If you're archiving, or want real quality sound with no compression then I use EAC (Exact Audio Copy) and rip to .flac.

Not all players play .flac though so if you want to use .flac files when listening to your music then there are plenty of players that do. Songbird is a decent player/organiser.

DVDs not CDs. I want to rip DVDs into the iPod.

I use cucusoft dvd to ipod converter its always worked for me

Ah, misread the title. Sorry!

I have a Nexus One and on a few forums people have been asking similar questions to yourself about ripping dvds and getting the stuff onto their phone. One piece of software continually popped up and no one's said a bad word about it yet: Handbrake.

I can't vouch for it myself as I don't see much point in watching movies on a 2, 3, 4 or even 5" screen but if you're into it then you could always give handbrake a go. It's free.

Here's a little tutorial on using handbrake, doing exactly what you want it to.

Thanks Sam, I'll have a look at Handbrake.

As part of my work I'm going to have to catch a train with a 40 min journey each way each day for the next several weeks.

I'm not normally into watching stuff on 4 inch screens, but a mate has loads of TV Boxed Sets which he says he lend me and I was thinking of ripping them to view on my boring journey.

Thanks again.