Ripping dvd to hard drive and playing from there

[johnjk]

I wasn't sure where to put this since it didn't seem to fit any of the forum areas. I don't have a dvd drive on my laptop. I do have an external dvd writer. I'd like to be able to rip a dvd to the hard drive and play it on my laptop with windvd. What's the best way to do this? Thanks.

[Bob W]

All you need to do that is the freeware program SmartRipper.
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/dvd_rippers/smartripper.cfm

[dcsos]

You SHOULD'VE put this one in SOFTWARE-WinDVD is SOFTWARE

Follow this for WIN DVD 4.0 and HIGHER
first, after launching the software, and seeing its seeminly satisfied there's no DVD in the drive right now...
do the following....
CLICK on the extreme right end of the "player" module on the arrow
in the end zone..

from the MENU that comes up
choose NAVIGATION

and this will bring up an addition PLAYER MODULE
...on this new module there a 4 entry panes,so click on the top drop down window and select "DVD from folder.."

NOW GO HIGHLIGHT YOUR VIDEO_TS and select it..
that will make it play just like a DVD from the DISC itself...You'll see the "FIRST PLAY" as WINDVD finds all the DVD assets.....
.
**IMPORTANT** don't open the VIDEO TS
just select it...
cause opening it confuses the player unless you are in the other file mode

THIS OPEN DVD only works is you ripped all the files from the dvd
IF YOU JUST ripped the movie...youll hav'ta look for the VOB files and load them sequentially into a playist in FILE MODE not DVD from HARD DRIVE MODE
good luck

[johnjk]

I tried ripping with smart ripper in movie mode and all I got was a bunch of files. I don't have a VIDEO_TS folder. Can you please tell me what settings I need to use in smartripper? Thanks.

[Bob W]

Just create a VIDEO_TS folder with windows exployer then direct SmartRipper to put all the files in that folder. I don't think SmartRipper will make the folder for you however DVD Decrypter will do that.

[johnjk]

For some reason I'm just getting a screen that shows the region information now. I thought this would be a simple task. I must be really stupid.

[Vejita-sama]

If all you want to do is rip and play. The easiest choice is to:

1) Get software DVD player, DVD Decrytper, and DEAMON tools.

2) Run DVD decrypter. Chose "mode| iso read". Then rip an ISO image file of the DVD

3) Run DEAMON tools and mount the iso image file. This will create a new virtual drive (eg. g that you can select in your software DVD player.

This way you get all the menus, features, etc. You only have one file. And if you have a locked DVD-ROM you can rip at near full speed (as no de-CSS has to be run).

I do this for my laptop when I travel. Just put 2-4 ISO image files on my HD and go (also gives longer battery life then spinning the DVD-ROM drive).