DVD to single file...

[kevinp]

Is there a program out yet that will convert a whole DVD into a single file, complete with menus and everything?
I see that MKV is able to do chapters and subtitles. How long before it can do menus as well?

[Baldrick]

Yep, ratdvd...but as it's no longer updated and developed I wouldn't use it.

MakeMKV stores everything in a mkv except the menus.

MP4 supports menus but I haven't seen any easy method to convert dvd to mp4 with menus...or any mp4 menu players either.

[Ai Haibara]

You probably won't like this answer, but... you can have the software create an ISO disc image. That's basically an exact copy of the DVD, menus and all. The downside is that it'll require at least 5-10GB to store, unless you use DVD Shrink or DVD Rebuilder and other utilities to compress the DVD further, throw out things you don't want.

However, once you've ripped the DVD and stored it as an ISO, there are a number of players you can use to play from the ISO, and you can also convert directly from the ISO or from the files within it to another format.

[kevinp]

What I'm wanting to do is put our training video library on a network drive. The DVDs either tend to come up missing or an instructor will swear a certain DVD doesn't play in the DVD player. I need the menus because the class might only need to see a certain chapter in a DVD and not the whole hour-long DVD.
I'm mainly a database programmer. I know nothing about programming codecs or converter programs. I might have to look into it myself though if nothing surfaces. I'll take a look at the ratDVD program. Thanks.

[Ai Haibara]

Why not save the chapters or separate menu selections as individual videos, then? That way, all the instructor would have to do is call up/request the relevant video files and play them.

I believe that can be done with ISO as well, but having an instructor request (by networked computer) and play a 4+ GB file across the network could be more of a hassle. (Even assuming there wouldn't be more than one request/play at a time.)

[kevinp]

That's probably the only sensible alternative right now, huh? I could write the program that would play the individual chapter files. It just might work...