Straight DVD Copy/Backup (no conversion)

_SBradley_ · 6 Sep 2011 at 19:04

Hi guys,

I want to start backing up my DVD collection (for playing via the WD TV Live, as well as for pure backup purposes).

I want to make lossless copies (not make the same mistake I did with my CD collection: rip them first in lossy format, then have to go back and do it all over again when I decide I have enough space for FLAC

).

Ideally, I'd just like to copy the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS files from the DVD to my hard drive, but I assume this sometimes/often doesn't work, due to copy protection mechanisms.

Can anyone recommend some (preferably free/open source) Windows software to rip DVDs to folders of VOBs? (ISOs would be a second option. Would ImgBurn, for example, have the same issues with copy protection?)

Note (for emphasis): I want to make full-disc copies, including menus, angles, etc. I don't want the content to go through any processing/conversion.

Thanks!
Simon

wesley · 6 Sep 2011 at 20:48

dvdshrink is best one i used.

just rip/backup the DVD to ISO to hard drive and can be play by VLC player.

j.col · 6 Sep 2011 at 21:18

wesley said:
dvdshrink is best one i used.

just rip/backup the DVD to ISO to hard drive and can be play by VLC player.

+1, then imgburn can burn the iso back to dvd

_SBradley_ · 6 Sep 2011 at 21:24

I've heard about DVDShrink, but never used it myself. Are you sure it's possible to tell it to "just rip; don't shrink"?

I've heard that DVD Decrypter (by the guy behind ImgBurn) is good -- but discontinued, so I don't know if it's able to deal with newer discs?

dave-lew99 · 6 Sep 2011 at 21:26

Either ISO rip or use DVDShrink - make sure you turn off compression options.

Both are good if you want the entire disk - menus, extras etc

If you change your mind just want the main movie then look at MakeMKV that will rip into an MKV the video plus audio and subtitle tracks that you want. (but doesn't transcode)