DVD copy to external hard drive.

[admin_exported]

Hi,

What is the best software to use to copy my DVD collection to an 2 TB external hard drive so can plug it into a media streamer (eg AC Ryan Playon, WD TV HD Media Player etc) conected to my TV.

I am looking for high quality picture with full surround sound (Dolby Digital) support.

Thanks

 

[roger06]

I can give some advice as I've been embarking on the same journey. The plethora of video formats is a minefield...

I've settled on Handbrake (cross platform) it allows you to rip and encode a DVD all in one go. I've successfully done this with some DVDs and can now watch them on any 'puter in the house which is good.

However, it took a while how to figure out how to get Handbrake to encode to DivX - and although this appears to work, it still uses the .mkv extension so I still can't stream it to my BDPs370 Blu Ray player. Perhaps someone can enlighten me (us)...

 

[sc1]

As has been stated in other threads, if you are in the UK it is currently illegal to do this, even if you have purchased the original disc.

However should you wish to break the law; it depends. Handbrake can be very slow but will output the file in formats that will play on a multitude of players as mentioned above (i.e. ipod/ipad/ps3 etc.). If the media player supports ISO files, which most seem to do (but ipod/ipad and ps3 do not without other software) then you could use something like DVD shrink which is free. Depending on number of discs you need to fit on the drive and whether it is NTFS or FAT 32 formatted you can have the ISO file at the original size or reduce it to 4gb or less but quality may suffer.

You will also need a programme that breaks the encryption on the DVD. This is the super-naughty bit. Whether you can get a free one depends on your OS, for example DVD43 is free but I'm not sure if it works with all copy programs on Windows 64 bit operating systems. ANYDVD works but costs money.

Of course that would be very naughty.

 

[cram]

DVDFab and CloneDVD are paid alternatives. Have used both and they both seem ok to me.

 

[roger06]

sc1:
As has been stated in other threads, if you are in the UK it is currently illegal to do this, even if you have purchased the original disc.

So all those people who rip CDs to their iPods are breaking the law?

 

[cram]

yes

 

[John Duncan]

Yep...

 

[roger06]

Interesting. Looks like change is in the pipeline though. British copyright law is more or less unchanged since Dickens' time. I work on Univiersity web sites and we're always running into ridiculous copyright issues.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs/article.html?in_article_id=500206&in_page_id=5

Sadly, as with most things, it's those who insist on breaking the law that tarnish everyone else who's happy to pay for music. Just this morning this in on the Beeb's web site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12003499

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your sugestions. I think I am going to have to try a couple of the free ones and see what give the best results.

I did have a look at handbreak but they suggest that their program is not supposed to be for ripping but for converting and may not work strait from DVD all the time.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

roger06:sc1:
As has been stated in other threads, if you are in the UK it is currently illegal to do this, even if you have purchased the original disc.

So all those people who rip CDs to their iPods are breaking the law?

And the nice helpful companies like Apple and Microsoft are very helpful by adding a "rip" button on their software.

 

[professorhat]

As Clare has pointed out in the past though, the difference between ripping CDs and ripping DVDs is the music industry as a whole has said it won't be targeting prosecution for users who rip their CDs to a PC for their own use - it's only when they start sharing the files around on the internet that they will look to prosecute.

No such promises have been made by movie studios for ripping DVDs though and, since the process of ripping a DVD can actively involve breaking methods specifically put in place to stop this, my understanding is the potential criminal charges which could be applied should they chose to could be quite severe...

 

[roger06]

Yeah BUT. CDs are now 30 years old. When the format was developed copying wasn't an issue - only into the late '90s did it become possible for consumers to do it. Now CDs have come out with copy protection but these don't comply to the 'CD' specification so many people, myself included, have sent such items back.

So surely the music industry realises that if people can't rip them to their iPods, they won't buy them at all.

DVDs however grew up in the digital age so had copy protection built in. So perhaps this is the key difference?

I reckon movie studios must realise that in the not too distant future none of us will be buying anything on DISC and they'll seem as archaic as film cameras...

 

[Anonymous]

Magman12,

if its just for dvd then "dvd shrink" being free would be my choice if HD material then its a paid for program like anydvdhd.

With regards to all the copyright posts if your not putting your films online for others to download how would anyone know you've done it? I'm not for one minute supporting piracy to sell copies left right and center but we do have some silly laws, like only keeping tv material for 30 days and such. no mr. policeman checking my media box every month!

Roger06,

I know lots of people talk of downloading and no physical media in the future but even tho I've put my films on hard drives I still like to have the cases on the shelf, something to pickup and read. I could see it moving to something more like a memory card with no moving parts or lasers to go wrong.

as for downloading most of the country has pathetically slow speeds.

regards Ian.