TOTALLY new to backing up DVD's! How do i start?

[crusader33x]

Hello! I posted once here a year ago, and was appreciative to those who helped learn how to use fair use! Now im back and want to learn how to straight copy some of my dvd's as EXACT copys onto blank dvd-r's. i downloaded a trial version of anydvd ( i heard this was the best?) and cant use it! all it lets me do is extract a dvd to my harddrive in a Video_TS foler but those files are too big to burn on a dvd-r! help!

[grossjamesh]

Well, welcome back. First you will need a DVD burner that will handle Dual Layer DVDs
<------Then see guides on Left

[redwudz]

You said you wanted an exact copy, but DVD-5's only hold about 4.37GB, so no help there. So your alternatives are to burn to a dual layer DVD disc or use a transcoder like DVD Shrink.

A good combination is RipIt4Me, DVD Shrink and ImgBurn. Best news, they are all freeware. There is a version of DVD Shrink that uses ImgBurn to burn to a DVD automatically. You can use Shrink for the whole DVD video, or just encode the main movie for more quality or even split the extras to a second DVD and get about the same quality as a dual layer, but quite a bit cheaper and often more compatible with most players. The modded Shrink version is here: http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?t=63869