Our portable DVD player has bit the dust (spinning but not reading)  and our kids' DVDs are looking a bit worse for wear (you can't really expect a 4 yr old to take proper care of discs and put them back in the right place)

 

So thinking of moving to having a tablet instead, and wondering how to make available all the "favourite" DVDs

 

It's easy enough nowadays to make digital copies of CDs to use on the move in phones, cars etc

Are DVDs in the same "legal grey area" about being able to make copies for your own use ?

How do you go about it?

and if, for example, it's a 10-episode DVD of Peppa Pig, does the menu system and selecting your favourite episode still work ?

In theory you can copy the entire disk as an image and use a virtual DVD drive program to run it (I use Magicdisc/MagicISO), however the copy protection systems on many disks makes it difficult; it is usually easier to search for already ripped files on the "sharing" websites; only d/l those you already have - naturally. The ripped files will be the video files only though, no menu system or easter eggs.

 

I do this for the childrens games as well, as the little blighters are also good at breaking the disk caddies/cup holders.

There's a couple bits of hard-ware to can buy on the E-Bay.

They limit the recording (in real time) to the sections of the DVD, ie: film - film with subtitles - extra's all recorded separately..

Then once all bits recorded (onto hard-drive of recorder) they can all be put onto one disc, but again can only be viewed separately.

 

One method would be get a HDMI input to an output (3 coloured) composite, converter, to enable a DVD blu-ray player be connected to a recorder, about £9 -£12.00 on E-Bay.

Because of the change in signal any copy protection is lost.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321424073117?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D321424073117%26_rdc%3D1

 

It's one way to download from Netflix, Blinkbox (once rental has been paid), (but far cheaper than buying a new dvd disc in shop) player would need a 'SMART' facility.

No one is going to charge you for making rips of your own disks. Whatever the detail of the legality.

 

I'll check when I get home, I found a bit of freeware to do exactly that and I rip the wee man's favourite DVDs to MP4s for going on the plane on holiday.

 

Takes a bit of time. Might depend on how beefy your PC is.

 

You'll also want a tablet with decent battery life and an SDCard slot.

I have my whole 400+ DVD collection and 30-odd TV series ripped to Disc and dumped on a Plex server so I can watch them on any of my devices.

I use a Mac, so rip with MDRP, but I convert with Handbrake (handbrake.fr I think is the link) which I believe can also rip and is cross platform if you have a PC. Kids DVDs, especially Disney, are by far the worst with copy protection in my experience though, so you may need a dedicated ripper depending on what you're converting.

Best thing I've done with my media, no trailers, always available on any device in (and out if there's wifi) the house. Plus the disks can be packed away and don't end up a mass of scratches or in random cases.

I don't miss the DVD menu systems as I access all the tips via Plex which puts them in order and works perfectly to navigate the collection.

Occasionally I pull out a disk if I'm desperate to see the extras. But that's few and far between.

Thanks everyone - I didn't expect it to be easy

I remember  having an iRiver U10 which could play movies (wow!)  - it was novelty back in 2007 - and we found software which could do ripping: a 2 hr film took a whole day to make.

I was just hoping things had moved on since then

WinX DVD Ripper (Platinum) does the job for me, it will only copy DVDs NOT Blu Rays.

 

WinX DVD Ripper: http://www.winxdvd.com/

 

You can get software that will do both at around $60 (~£40) which is downloadable and once bought with the key should be burnt to CD or DVD for safe keeping. 

 

DVD & Blu Ray ripper: http://www.dvdfab.cn/index.htm

 

If you want both then it will cost you around about $180 (~£120) for both, but that's a full lifetime licence.

Thanks everyone - I didn't expect it to be easy

I remember  having an iRiver U10 which could play movies (wow!)  - it was novelty back in 2007 - and we found software which could do ripping: a 2 hr film took a whole day to make.

I was just hoping things had moved on since then

 

I have been doing the same for the same reasons as you (though mine is 8 years old not 4 now) :-)

 

I use DVD Catalyst 4. Works on nearly everything I've thrown at it. It's not free but wasn't too dear. 

 

Whereabouts in West Lothian are you? If you wanted to pop round and see if your discs worked before you spend money on it then you're very welcome to give me a shout.

This should do the job, and is free

 

http://bitripper.com/index.html

 

You should be able to choose which video on the DVD you rip to which AVI.

Alcohol 120% (no joke)

Dvdfab platinum (has option to rip to various tablets phones etc.)

 

Is all you will ever need. Although as Gentle Giant said above just download them let someone else have all the agro.

http://www.freemake.com/free_video_converter/

 

Is what I've used. No issues with the Disney DVDs (Planes 1,2 and Frozen) I've done with it. Not fast though. Only just better than 1x I think when I've used it.

 

Might try the Handbrake app myself.

Edited 29 May, 201511 yr by Aspman

For freeware try either TUCOWS.COM or download.com. For problems with DVD that have files missing, try a quick polish with a FINE car scratch remover and meths/spec cleaner ,if all else fails.

I used to do this, but now everything is available from streaming sites so there's no real need for me to do it any more.

KODI/XBMC saves me doing any ripping and finding storage space for video files.

Edited 31 May, 201511 yr by camelspyyder

If your putting them on a tablet why not download something like showbox?

Not in any App Store but google it and you will find it.

I use that to keep the nipper entertained when in the car on long trips.

Only works on android tablets etc but it's free and has lots of new stuff on there.

Lots of options out there, but the one

I've just done for darling son is

Dvdshrink to backup the dvd. Then handbrake to mount the iso and convert to mp4 on the tablet.

It took approx 20mins to do a dvd.

No issues that I've noticed so far

+1 dvdshrink

I used to use dvdshrink until I discovered dvd catalyst, it does the lot, pop in the dvd, select what device you want to view the fileon and then out pops an MP4 (or whatever format you've picked)

I use handbrake as well. It takes a little bit of set up to get the right settings but there will be a guide if you search for one.

I'm not sure why I thought this thread was recent. But realised after I had posted it was ancient - apologies for raising it from the grave.

Edited 29 March, 20179 yr by io1901

Is there anyway to rip the dvd to run as if from the dvd with all content and menu's, not just the main film? 

Yes. but it's such an old idea (media? on a disk?) that I cant remember which tools  I used to use.

 

PowerISO and Nero I think.

 

Look on CNET downloads.

 

 

 

Edited 3 April, 20179 yr by camelspyyder