Copy 250 DVDs to hard drive

[karenlorr]

Hello

I have just joined this forum as I have read many posts regarding DVD ripping – but I’m still confused (sorry). So I wonder if someonewould be help to offer to some advice please.

I have some DVDs (around 250) ranging from about 5 years old to a couple of weeks old. I would like to copy these onto my computer hard drive so I can play them with Windows Media Player, then I would be able to take some away with me on a stick when I’m on holiday etc.

I'd like something free but I know I'll have to pay for a programme to do this but (up to now)I have not been able to find anything that actually works. I have downloaded many samples and they either simply don’t work, crash my computer, put other “stuff” onto mycomputer, etc, etc.

There MUST be one that is simple to use and actuallyworks. All I’m looking for is a simple method of putting my DVDs onto my machine. It would help if they could reduce the file size whilst keeping at least reasonable quality as well.

Of course all the DVDs have protection and all theprogrammes promise they can get round this, but then they don’t work.

Oh, I have had to completely reload Windows as it was the only way to be sure I had got rid of all the “extra” stuff they was sent withsome of the downloads.

Can anyone offer any advice please? I need to see a sample working before I’ll pay.

Thank you for your time

Karen

[ronmaz]

Hi karenlorr. It's not something that can be answered in 1 or 2 sentences so it would be best if you read some of the how-to guides available on this site. If you look on the left of your post you will see a strip running down the page. In the section called "How To" you will see a link to DVD Backup. This is what you want. There are many guides in here that teach you how to do what you want, and they also suggest some tools to do the job.

In the "Lists" section there is a link to Tool/Software and Downloads. If you go in here and click on Decrypters/Backup (DVD Rippers) it will list some tools you can use and also if they are free or not.

[nharikrishna]

I suggest DVDFab.

[transporterfan]

Backing up DVDs these days is relatively simple. More problematic is compatibility with what you intend to play them on.
If your player can play MKV files I suggest MakeMKV. A free program which makes a DVD structured folder into a single file.
If the player can Play ISO files you can use BDlot DVD ISO Master
Converting to ISO retains the original structure including menus, but places everything in a single file.
Another option is to compress the DVDs to AVI, MP4 or DivX. Video to Video Convertercan do this.
All these programs are free for DVD conversion.

[nharikrishna]

Your first step would be to 'decrypt' and copy the DVD content as it is, onto your hard drive, which can be accomplished only with decrypting softwares such as DVDFab. Once the contents are on your hard drive, you can use any software (One example is Handbrake) to 'compress' the DVD to lesser sizes.

[transporterfan]

Your first step would be to 'decrypt' and copy the DVD content as it is, onto your hard drive, which can be accomplished only with decrypting softwares such as DVDFab. Once the contents are on your hard drive, you can use any software (One example is Handbrake) to 'compress' the DVD to lesser sizes.

That is not correct. AnyDVD, for example, can also decrypt. It is not just DVDFab.
MakeMKV and BD Lot ISO Master not only decrypt, but convert to a single file in the process.
An ISO can be mounted as a virtual disc, or opened with the right software package, and its contents accessed as if it were a normal disc without protection. MKV files produced by MakeMKV can be converted to MP4, or their contents simply swapped into a new MP4 container with a program such as YAMB or Video to Video Converter using 'Direct Stream Copy' in just a few minutes. An ISO can also be opened in programs such as DVDShrink and compressed (made smaller) while still retaining all the features of the DVD. This new, compressed ISO can then be converted to an file by loading into MakeMKV. Again, in just a few minutes.

The difference is, the programs I mention do not cost tens, or hundreds of dollars.
Why pay for something which can be done for nothing?
DVDFab Decrypter is also free as is DVDFab Passkey Lite. They will result in a folder structure on the desktop.
DVDFab is not free and never has been. Besides which, its compression/conversion quality sucks!
Using DVDFab Decrypter, DVDFab Passkey Lite or BD Lot ISO Master results in a folder structure which can also be converted with VidCoder or Video to Video Converter.
The list goes on...all free and proven to work perfectly by the users on this forum.

[jman98]

transporterfan - nharikrishna didn't say that ONLY DVDFab could be used. Read it again. He said that decrypting and copying can ONLY be accomplished through use of decrypting software, of which DVDFab is one example. That statement is correct.

[transporterfan]

Your first step would be to 'decrypt' and copy the DVD content as it is...

@jman:

I was only making the point that it doesn't have to be copied 'as it is', ie, folder structure.
Yes, it needs decrypting, but with tools such as AnyDVD activated the information can be converted from source...to anything.

Not the best way to do it, but there is not always a necessity to copy it up at all. In fact, it makes sense not to, as the trailers, warnings and directors commentaries can be safely ignored. Saves time.
Sorry, if my message was misunderstood. Reading it again, I see you're right. I never emphasized the point.

[karenlorr]

Thanks for all the really helpful advice, I really do appreciate it.
Follow the advice and reading “many” more posts in this forum, this is what I have started to do – as a test.

• I insert the DVD
• I then use AnyDVD ripper to bring in the whole file onto my hard drive
• Then I use DVD Shrink to reduce the file size and take out everything except the main film
• After this I create a new film with Windows Movie Maker fromall the files created by DVD Shrink

It works and it’s quite fast, except for the Windows MovieMaker section which takes around an hour per film.
Does anyone have any suggestions for improvements to this that may make it a little faster?

Thank you again for your advice.

[transporterfan]

@karenlorr:

May I ask, why Movie Maker? What format are you converting to? There is probably a faster and better alternative.

[karenlorr]

This is the only programme that I have that will combine all the DVD Shrink files into a film
It makes WMV files which I can play on my machine

Is this not the way to do it?

[transporterfan]

There are many ways to do it. Movie Maker is just one. WMV are large files compared to other formats. Will your player play anything else? Or are they intended for only computer use?

[karenlorr]

I don't know. I only have DVDs, so I have never used anything else.

Sorry, not being much use here - this is all new to me

[transporterfan]

You mention putting them on USB is all. You will get more on your stick if you compress them to MP4, XviD or DivX.In VidCoder, for example, you can set a 'target size' (file size). If you are prepared to take a small hit on quality, you can quadruple or more the number of files you can fit on a stick. A computer player such as VLC will play anything. Putting a portable version of this player on your stick will ensure you can play any movie, on any computer, in virtually any format. If you plan to use them on a settop box then you can only play them if the box has the right codec to interpret them.

[karenlorr]

Will my computor play MP4 files?

[transporterfan]

Probably, it depends on which codecs you have installed. Definitely if you use VLC instead of Windows Media Player (which is considered to be one of the worst). There are much better software players then Media Player. MPC-BE and PotPlayer are two more very, very good players. Remember to match the right build (32 bit for a 32 bit computer, 64 bit or 32 bit for a 64 bit computer). If you plan on playing them on machines other than your own, stay with the portable versions (you don't have to install them. They play off the stick from the folder you put them in) and keep to 32 bit for compatibility. There is no official portable versions of PotPlayer at the moment.

[Noahtuck]

That is not correct. AnyDVD, for example, can also decrypt. It is not just DVDFab.
MakeMKV and BD Lot ISO Master not only decrypt, but convert to a single file in the process.

Just an FYI, MakeMKV does NOT decrypt or remove copy protections from disc's.

[transporterfan]

That is not correct. AnyDVD, for example, can also decrypt. It is not just DVDFab.
MakeMKV and BD Lot ISO Master not only decrypt, but convert to a single file in the process.

Just an FYI, MakeMKV does NOT decrypt or remove copy protections from disc's.

Its 6 of one and half a dozen of the other:

'All features (including Blu-ray decryption and processing) are free during BETA'

But yes, for DVD's its a 'transcoder'.

[Noahtuck]

Then it would need to be updated on a regular basis just like DVDFab or Anydvd, and it is far from updated on a regular basis compared to those.
Unless they plan on making it only work if your PC is online, like the crap DVDFab pulled!!
Which is one of the reasons I stopped using their software for Bluray.

I never saw that before.

That must be something new, yep, just saw it in the changelog.
Not sure that I would trust it as it says "free during BETA"
LOL!!

[transporterfan]

Yeah. Good while it's free though. Lol. Always to be free for DVDs they say.
I wont be buying in. Already got AnyDVD.

[Kerry56]

MakeMKV has always had decryption capability as far as I am aware, and it has been in "beta" status for years.

I'm not sure I'd describe it as a transcoder when working with dvds either, since it does not alter the video or audio streams, nor does it compress them. It simply puts them in a different container file.

To the original poster, Transporterfan has been giving you some good advice. Look through his posts again. Personally, I don't bother with shrinking dvds when I rip them to the hard drive. I just use AnyDVD to break encryption, then rip the main movie without compression using DVDShrink. This takes larger hard drives, but with 2, 3 and 4tb drives available, space is not at a premium in my HTPC. The process is certainly faster than converting to other formats or compressing.

Though I can't remember the last dvd I bought. Switched entirely to blu ray.

[usually_quiet]

Hello

I have just joined this forum as I have read many posts regarding DVD ripping – but I’m still confused (sorry). So I wonder if someonewould be help to offer to some advice please.

I have some DVDs (around 250) ranging from about 5 years old to a couple of weeks old. I would like to copy these onto my computer hard drive so I can play them with Windows Media Player, then I would be able to take some away with me on a stick when I’m on holiday etc.

I'd like something free but I know I'll have to pay for a programme to do this but (up to now)I have not been able to find anything that actually works. I have downloaded many samples and they either simply don’t work, crash my computer, put other “stuff” onto mycomputer, etc, etc.

There MUST be one that is simple to use and actuallyworks. All I’m looking for is a simple method of putting my DVDs onto my machine. It would help if they could reduce the file size whilst keeping at least reasonable quality as well.

Of course all the DVDs have protection and all theprogrammes promise they can get round this, but then they don’t work.

Oh, I have had to completely reload Windows as it was the only way to be sure I had got rid of all the “extra” stuff they was sent withsome of the downloads.

Can anyone offer any advice please? I need to see a sample working before I’ll pay.

Thank you for your time

Karen

The choices for container file types, video formats and audio to use for converting from DVD to a playable file depend upon what the player(s) that you want to use can accept. In general, hardware media players have more restrictions regarding what they will play than software media players do. So, if you plan to use stand-alone hardware to play the file from a USB stick while on holiday, it is important to find out what that player allows. Also, in case you use subtitles often, be aware that the player may restrict the kind of subtitles that can be used. For example the player may work with external subtitle files but not subtitles embedded in the container file used, or may only play a few kinds of subtitles.

MPG, AVI, MKV and MP4 are common container file types. MPG only allows MPEG-2 or MPEG-1 video. The AVI container is used for many types of video (although not MPEG-1 or MPEG-2), but DivX/XVid is the most common one. MKV and MP4 support almost any type of video. If you prefer to use MKV, MP4 or AVI as the container, you can follow some of the other suggestions in this thread.

Since DVD mostly uses MPEG-2 (MPEG-1 is also allowed), MPG can be a good choice if you want to keep the original DVD video. Conversion from DVD to MPG is normally fast because the audio and video are simply copied to a different container. The drawback to MPG is the size of the file. Using a different container file and converting to DivX/XVid or H.264 reduces the file size, but re-encoding is required and that takes more time than just copying the video and audio.

Most good converters require that you remove copy protection and copy the DVD to you hard drive prior to conversion, AKA "ripping" the DVD. You have already received advice on which ripping software to use.

MPEGStreamclip or VOB2MPG work for converting decrypted DVD movies to an MPG container. VOB2MPG muxes in the subtitle streams as well as video and audio, but some players may not play them because subtitles are not a standard feature in MPG files. External SRT subtitles are compatible with many players, and usable SRT subtitles can often be found online. Converting from DVD subtitles to SRT is possible but not foolproof. DVD SUP files are graphical, so converting to SRT format requires conversion software able to perform OCR.

[Noahtuck]

Yeah. Good while it's free though. Lol. Always to be free for DVDs they say.
I wont be buying in. Already got AnyDVD.

Yep, I switched to Anydvd a long time ago.

The first problem I had like a year or more ago, with a new version upgrade, the software was screwing up the ripping so when you burned the Bluray back up you were only getting a black screen on standalones!!!

Well neither they nor I realized it until after I had burned MANY bluray's and then they said oops!!!
UPDATE to fix THEIR F@*# UP!!!!!!!!!!
Fine, who is going to pay for all the blank Blurays I wasted ?!?!?

Then some time later after another update, when I saw on of my PC's would not allow me to rip Blurays unless it was online, and it was because of DVDFab's new update/process, I said BUH BYE!!!!!
If I have to put a PC online that is a standalone dedicated ripper/burner/workstation just to use their software, I won't and I don't!!

MakeMKV has always had decryption capability as far as I am aware,

Nope.

and it has been in "beta" status for years.

It sure the heck seems like it!!!!!
LOL!!!

I'm not sure I'd describe it as a transcoder when working with dvds either, since it does not alter the video or audio streams, nor does it compress them. It simply puts them in a different container file.

Absolutely 100%!!!
It just packages the original files/format/video/audio/etc into an MKV container.

[Steve(MS)]

Noahtuck, makemkv does decrypt, perhaps you are thinking about freemake?

[Wolfen]

karenlorr, if you're still interested in a DVD (ripper), converter that's easy to use then try this Freemake Video Converter (I use this)a new version out today 29th (4.0.1.1). Just and I'll say it again, Watch when you install this always do custom install and uncheck boxes that want to install a toolbar, other than that it's a great program and the quality is also great. Oh and It's FREE.

[karenlorr]

Thanks for all the information.

I have now copied 7 DVDs (seems to take a while). There were 2 that AnyDVD would not copy the whole film - there seemed to be sections missing, but I think that there may be a problem with those disks.

The reason I am using Windows Movie Maker (apart from it being very simple to use) is that it make fims that can be played on Windows Media Player. I honestly don't know what other types of films you can watch on WMP, but WMV file will always work. All laptops (windows) come with free WMP, so this is why I'm using it.

I hoped it would be simpler. eg. That I could just buy a programme that would take off the protection, copy it to my hard drive as a WMV file - with the the files ready to use. But, after spending ages on Goggle and this forum I still can't find anything that will do this. So I am still using AnyDVD to rip the file, DVDShrink to get just the film, WMM to join the files together into a film that can be watch on WMP

[transporterfan]

AnyDVD in conjunction with Video to Video Converter (from now on VTVC) is enough to do everything you want.
Copy the folder to your desktop, and open the folder in VTVC. A simple window opens asking you what you want to convert to. Choose WMV, settings can be changed on the right (if you want to change anything).
It is a simple 2 stage process...just load and go. It is at least 6x faster than Movie Maker.

There is no right or wrong way to go about this. People will advise you of 'better ways'. At the end of the day, we all do it differently here.

Enjoy, and do experiment with other programs and video formats. Good luck.

http://ihffilm.com/videostandard.html

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/learning_guide/video/part06.html (ignore the stuff about Flash/FLV!)

[karenlorr]

What an excellent bit of advice. I have downloaded Video to Video and it works fine.

Just one thing I can't seem to get right or work out. I have changed the setting on the right of the screen but whatever I do the resulting fim does not fill the screen - even though the file sizes are bigger.

What do I need to do to get the film, when played to be big enough to fill the screen

Thank you

[transporterfan]

Right click on Windows Media Player and click 'Full Screen'?

If you use the original settings for conversion it's about half-size I guess.
On the right hand side is a box which says 'Video Size'. Click the numbers and select '720x576' that's full resolution for PAL.

In the Audio Options select Audio Bitrate to be 192 (near CD quality). You should be good to go.
You see the File size increase? That is why people use compressionion like MP4.
250 DVDs will fill a 1 terabyte drive in WMV.

Still no go? Post me again.

[karenlorr]

I think (maybe) the problem is that I still need to run the AnyDVD files through DVD Shrink so I can remove all the adverts and extra languages and subtitles. I will try and remove the compression in this and see if it make any difference before using your advice in Video to Video

I have to use DVD shrink as I can't work out what is what when I look at files that Video to Video creates