Plenty of great free ones at download.com. Just check the ratings and reviews before you download. Try dvd encrypter for ripping dvds. It's free, and works pretty darn fast.
I actually bought a software package from Xilisoft (iPod mate)....I really like it. It works much better than the free apps I have tried. I can leave it running for days straight, and it will get the job done. I have left it ripping hunderds of files at once. However, if you have limited converting needs, then get a free app like those listed above. iPod mate by Xilisoft is 3 programs in one (a video converter, DVD ripper, and iPod ripper - the iPod ripper can rip the files off of your iPod onto a computer without syncing). It is very, very good and useful.
I have used PEnGUIn Encoder MP4 for Mac. It is a little slower, I think, than other converters, but it does a good job and the videos are high quality. It is also free.
Jodix is also pretty easy to use, and very simple, and of course its free. I dont think you should spend any money on something like this.
It might sound weird, but the best iPod Touch/iPhone video convertor i've used is XviD4PSP! I have tried all kinds, including Videora, Xilisoft, Handbrake, and Virtual Hub/iSquint, but non of those compare quality-wise to XviD4PSP in my opinion. The nice thing about XviD4PSP as well is that you can use the presets (which include presets for other systems, video games consoles, ipods) and customise them to your liking, as well as encoding subtitles straight into videos, which works amazingly well. I recently ripped New Police Story, and wanted only the cantonese version, and downloaded the subs from another website. The program lets me fuse the subs into the encoded video for my iPod Touch 2G, something i've had a hard time doing with any other software. Give is a go, and see if it works for you.
I've been using Videora Converter. It has yielded the best results of any software I've used so far and its free.
I agree Handbrake for DVD's and Super for anything else... http://handbrake.fr/ http://www.erightsoft.net/SUPER.html Both are free and work better then anything I have used to date... With both of these you won't need any other solution.
iTivo can bring content down from a HD Tivo right to iPod/iPhone/Apple TV, Quicktime, etc. It's also free.
Handbrake is great. I have also had good results with Quick Media Converter (which also gets good reviews...)
