Transfer Original DVD's to PC

jaffacaique · 28 Aug 2009 at 16:04

I've now built a mini PC but what I'd like to be able to do is to transfer my favourite DVDs onto the Hard Drive in such a way that it keeps the DVD's menu intact and still allows me to select the the options as though it was still on the actual disk itself. Is this possible? NOT interested in pirating the DVDs just simply looking for a way to have my collection in one place without disk swapping.

DJDaz · 28 Aug 2009 at 17:07

Use imgburn and make an iso image of the dvd, don't know about other video players but vlc player can open iso's

AbsenceJam · 28 Aug 2009 at 17:16

AnyDVD Ripper (can rip to an image or files).
ImgBurn won't bypass any protection the disc may have. Any player will work with a mounted ISO or the files themselves so long as it has a DVD decoder in it, I'd suggest MPC-HC - http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/ .

ChileanLlama · 28 Aug 2009 at 17:18

How are you going to play back?

You can use imgburn to make an ISO as DJDaz has said or you can use AnyDVD and rip it so many programs like Media Player/Center, MyMovies etc can play it back from the VIDEO_TS folder as though it was a DVD.

apatia77 · 28 Aug 2009 at 17:21

I think you need software like dvdshrink which is free. Just google it.

jaffacaique · 28 Aug 2009 at 20:55

I have since found Anydvd and downloaded the demo version, this has extracted the DVD to the HDD as a Video_TS file etc. I've also installed Power DVD which came with my external writer, this allows me play the extracted DVD direct from the HDD as though it was still on the DVD itself and also allows you to select the options from the DVD menu as well. I've only tried one DVD so far so I'm hoping this combination will allow me to do the same with my others too. Still could not get Vista Media Centre to recognise the extracted file though. Thanks for the advice you've given me.

Sin_Chase · 28 Aug 2009 at 21:01

You are better using ImgBurn and making ISO images of the media.

Then use something like Daemon Tools Lite to mount that ISO Image onto a Virtual Drive and use it as if the media was in a physical drive.

AbsenceJam · 28 Aug 2009 at 21:43

jaffacaique said:
I have since found Anydvd and downloaded the demo version, this has extracted the DVD to the HDD as a Video_TS file etc. I've also installed Power DVD which came with my external writer, this allows me play the extracted DVD direct from the HDD as though it was still on the DVD itself and also allows you to select the options from the DVD menu as well. I've only tried one DVD so far so I'm hoping this combination will allow me to do the same with my others too. Still could not get Vista Media Centre to recognise the extracted file though. Thanks for the advice you've given me.

http://www.wictorwilen.se/Post/Watch-DVDs-in-VIDEO_TS-folders-on-Vista-Media-Center.aspx

AbsenceJam · 28 Aug 2009 at 21:45

Sin_Chase said:
You are better using ImgBurn and making ISO images of the media.

Then use something like Daemon Tools Lite to mount that ISO Image onto a Virtual Drive and use it as if the media was in a physical drive.

Not at all.

ImgBurn doesn't bypass any protection so you won't be able to copy every disc, and why bother of mounting ISO's when you can just play the VIDEO_TS folder directly?

Sin_Chase · 28 Aug 2009 at 21:52

Who said anything about copy protection?

What happens when he needs to replace the media from backup. ISO is much easier to just burn back than fussing around with all the contents of a folder structure.

The Mad Rapper · 28 Aug 2009 at 22:07

DJDaz said:
Use imgburn and make an iso image of the dvd, don't know about other video players but vlc player can open iso's

This is the best way.

Or...you could use DVD Shrink which clears the copy protection and will save the file as an .iso

Steve M · 28 Aug 2009 at 22:08

DVD Shrink

DJDaz · 28 Aug 2009 at 22:22

i take back my suggestion, just tried imgburn and it errored when trying to make the iso because of the protection.

instead i'd suggest dvd decryptor (exactly the same as imgburn but can deal with the protection) or dvd fab decryptor

ssmacc · 28 Aug 2009 at 23:05

another vote for dvd decryptor

AbsenceJam · 28 Aug 2009 at 23:28

Sin_Chase said:
Who said anything about copy protection?

What happens when he needs to replace the media from backup. ISO is much easier to just burn back than fussing around with all the contents of a folder structure.

The studios did.

Burning a VIDEO_TS is no harder than burning an ISO. You don't have to mess around with anything.....

AbsenceJam · 28 Aug 2009 at 23:32

DVD Decryptor (4.5 years old) and DVD Shrink (5 years old and produces AWFUL quality if you use its compression) are too old to work with a lot of discs with newer protection methods.

So you need AnyDVD or DVD Fab.

ChileanLlama · 29 Aug 2009 at 09:50

jaffacaique said:
I have since found Anydvd and downloaded the demo version, this has extracted the DVD to the HDD as a Video_TS file etc. I've also installed Power DVD which came with my external writer, this allows me play the extracted DVD direct from the HDD as though it was still on the DVD itself and also allows you to select the options from the DVD menu as well. I've only tried one DVD so far so I'm hoping this combination will allow me to do the same with my others too. Still could not get Vista Media Centre to recognise the extracted file though. Thanks for the advice you've given me.

To enable DVD library in Media Center make this simple change which will allow MC to index a folder full of DVDs (by default MC only shows a physical DVD in a DVD drive); http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930526

If you're using Media Center, then check out MyMovies (www.mymovies.dk) for managing DVD libraries. MyMovies can also manage mounting and playback of ISOs for DVD and Blu-Ray - if you have VirtualCloneDrive installed.