Best software for ripping DVD collection to external HDD

Hi all,

I'm planning to use my old desktop running Windows XP to rip my DVD collection to an external 1TB HDD, as opposed to using my brand spanking new Clevo M860tu running Vista x32 (which I will use to watch the movies through, and hooking it up to a HDTV at some point to watch them on that).

I'll be doing my ripping and downloading on the old desktop to save me from putting a load of bloatware on a high performance laptop that was bought mainly for gaming, artwork, and composing music on.

I was wondering what software is best to use when ripping your DVD collection... I want to preserve the image and audio quality entirely, and is it possible to do this with a smaller file size? If so, which file size would be best to rip them to? Or should I just convert them to a common format if the file sizes won't be that large anyway?

I was planning on storing and watching HD movies in a mastroska .mkv file format. Is that format best for DVD ripping too? Or not?
(I'm just thinking about how easy it would be to plug my external HDD into a mate's computer and for them to be able to playback .mkv files, as you need a decoder to play them back. Perhaps I can store decoder software on the drive so that it can be installed on any computer that can't already play them back...)

Need some advice.

 

DVD Fab and Any DVD are really the only two up to date rippers. If you want the whole disk with all the extras, use the free DVD Fab, and rip to ISO. Playback using VLC Media Player and you're good top go. If you want to convert the movie only (can't keep menus) I'd use AviDemux.

 

DVDFab and AnyDVD are both great programs. I recommend either one.

 

I've tried that free download of DVD Fab but there is no option to rip the audio when I selcet to just rip the Main Movie. It is greyed out so that I can't select anything other than to rip the video. Do I have to buy the full program to rip the audio as well?

 

dvd decrypter with fix vts and burn it for me, only problem is it rips everything menus etc.

 

Hey Cat, how's that baby of your working out for you?

I reccommend DVD Decrypter (if you can find a copy)

You can rip DVD to files and then open them using powerDVD or VLC afterwards, or make iso's from them.

OB

hdx freak - It does unless you turn off the features before ripping...

If you open it in files mode you can deselect the languages you don't want for example...

It also ignores copy protection... (",)

 

Gunsmith I’ve been ripping DVD’s for ages and have tried all of the best DVD Ripper and DVD copy software out there. For DVD Ripping I would recommend Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate which converts to the most formats and has excellent video and sound quality with no noticeable loss of quality!

http://www.xilivideo.com/dvd-ripper-ultimate.html

For DVD copying I would recommend 1CLICK DVD COPY PRO with AnyDVD or DVD43 for decryption.

http://www.1clickdvdcopy.com/1clickdvdcopy.asp

http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvd.html

http://www.dvd43.com/

My second and third choice would be:-

2. CloneDVD 2 http://www.slysoft.com/en/clonedvd.html
3. DVDFab http://www.dvdfab.com/

I spent months trying loads of different software in my opinion these are the best.

 

I'm pretty sure you made this topic recently didn't you?
Or at least posted in one?

Anyway, DVDFab to rip the TSes, then use Handbrake or SUPER to convert 'em if you want, or just use VLC to play straight from the TS folders.

 

Why are those 2 apps better than Im Too DVD Ripper?

 

+1 to DVD Decrypter

I've used it for about 3 years

 

Yup DVD Decrypter has always worked for me.

 

They both work, one of them is free and they both get updated as new releases come out...

 

Handbrake is very easy to use, and produces good quality files that are compatible with lots of things (presets on the side). It maintains full resolution with an anamorphic flag, can embed chapter markers (only a few players can read these however), you can use multiple audio tracks, hardcode subtitles. It tends to be slower because it uses h264 compression, but the results are a good quality file at a reasonable size (I recommend PS3, 2 Pass, Turbo First, Bitrate between 1000 and 2000 depending on how much action the content has). In my opionion the most flexible and easiest to use solution available (I used to use FlaskMPEG but it is obsolete).

 

Use DVD Decrypter to rip the DVD, then use DVD Shrink to compress the DVD to the size of a single DVD. This will save space on your external HDD and your DVD's will be ready to burn whenever you want.

Go to Doom9 to learn about DVD everything.

 

@ Renegade ... this is not a Freeware ... right!?!?

I thought Cat was asking for a software that maintains Video & Audio Quality ... although DVDShrink is great Transcoder ... you will see a difference in Video Output (colors and so forth).

@ CAT ... you can't maintain the entire content of DVD and shrink the size and maintain a 100% Video & Audio Quality. When compressing you will loose some quality ... just depends what kind of Encoder you are using ... some are better than the others ... but the better ones are not Freeware!

G!

 

Use DVD Decrytpor to copy the DVD files to your hard drive. Then, use AutoGK to convert the files to a single AVI file.

 

Im about to write a guide on this soon since I have gone deep into it and learned a lot.

I have ripped about 50 dvds so far and tried pretty much every ripper & encoder out there.

In short the best ripper is DVDFab 5

> Its FREE for the part we need (HD Decrypter)
> Its up to date so it works on every dvd I have tried so far (DVD Decrypter only about half or less, unless you us it with AnyDVD, but AnyDVD can rip on its own)
> Its the fastest & best because you can rip only the main movie and also select only the audio & subs you want

For encoding, for general stuff AutoGK using XVID 2-Pass is great (default audio I think is AC3)
Most movie torrents use this probably and use the target file size 700mb

However if you really want to do it right AviDemux using x264 2-Pass is the best its the same quality with about 80% of the file size of DIVX or XVID and actually higher quality if you manually adjust the settings. For audio use AAC its like the original AC3 but compressed and thus better.

The difference in quality is very real, you do not need HD material, its just very nice to cut 20% of your file size off or more when you have a huge HD video. It takes longer to encode for sure, AviDemux seems to do it very fast but some of the others took a lonnng time. I use a Q6600 @ 3.6ghz and it pegs all 4 cores to about 100% for 40minutes to get a movie done.

I have tried:
AutoGK
AVISynth
VirtuaDubMod
MeGui
Fairuse Wizard
Nero Recode

and a hand full of others.

The above I recommended really stand out above the rest and are totally free.

Nero would be awesome if its codecs were better supported (FFDSHOW gives a horrible reverb on the audio) and it also cost money....

Edit: oh and for your container use .MP4 for x264 it has a lot of new things that .AVI does not support. AVI is still pretty good or XVID/DIVX though.

 

Hi Vicious, Great post THANKS!

Vicious, I can watch my AVI's (XviD & DivX) on my DVD Player ... but I don't think my Philips dvd player would be able playback .MP4 made x264!!!

Q: Can you watch .MP4 made with x264 on your TV? If so, How?

Thanks,

G!

 

It does maintain Video & Audio Quality but obviously all conversion software will have a loss in quality but i think that xilisoft does it the as close to original quality as you can get and ive tried most.

 

If you do a 'how to' can you put the link in this thread, I'd be interested in reading it. Your last post is good I'll have to try dvdfab 5.

 

I've always used Clone DVD its simple to use. But its not free =(

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=4125682

Here's something that would work. But you'd have to buy an external hard drive along with it.

 

x264 is pretty new, I doubt a stand alone can decode it and many of the encoding options you can use with it are considered "high profile" meaning you need a good decoder like ffdshow.

I am ripping them to my HDD and going to stream them or play them on my HTPC. I am not burning them to dvd for stand alone use.

That WD Media Player is awesome. I built my HTPC for $350 so that thing for $129 is much cheaper but of course more limited in what it can do so to each his own.

 

Hi Harper ... THANKS! That is really neat ... and not a Bad price!

G!

 

Hi Vicious,

I use my Philips DVP5982 to watch my AVIs via the USB in the front of the unit. I can hook up any size External Hard Drive to it and watch directly from it ... as long as the HD is formatted as FAT32 and it is Powered Externally ... since the USB in the Philips dvd player does not have enough juice to drive the externals ... even a 2.5" external hard drive MUST have it's own external power.

I can also use a USB flash drive and watch AVIs from it ... but for USB Thumbdrive to work it will only allow up to 5GB and less of AVIs ... I suppose due to Power issue to drive the flash drive.

Vicious can you tell me what did you use to build your HTPC ... and may be even post some Pics ...

Thanks,

G!

 

Sure

Its thread is here: http://forum.desktopreview.com/showthread.php?t=235647

2w of power draw in sleep mode and 60w of power when in use I am very happy with its power draw.

Unlike the WD Player this can be updated as codecs come out, work as a server, browse the internet, play photo & music, games, ect. Im still working out a few kinks with WMC to play my anime subtitles but other than that its perfect.

I'll just use the mouse and play those files in MPC for now.

That wireless keyboard & mouse for $20 was great. I almost want one for my desktop now because its nice to work on the computer while lounging on the bed.

 

Hi Vicious,

Thanks for the URL to your Thread in DesktopReview ... But, I can NOT see any of your JPGs !?!?!

Are your JPGs tagged to somewhere like PhotoBucket or something? Could you repost them in NBR ... so they don't disappear!

Or, if the problem is on my side then ... what in the world can I do!?!?

Thanks!

EDIT: Hi Vicious ... JPGs are now Visible ... THANKS!

G!

 

I use a few different areas xs.to is the best one right now I think. I use high res photo's NBR does not let me have them very big so thats why I only host my small files here.

My desktop build is posted over there too.

Im working with MediaCoder today the last of the chain of programs to find the best encoding program. AviDemux is the best when it works but I have had a handfull of dvd's that I can not get the sound to sync with. I guess I could still encode the video with it and then go back and use anothe program to fix the audio but I do prefer to do it all in one shot.

So far MediaCoder looks ok but not quite as robust.

AutoGK is still the best in terms of super easy to use. It has 100% perfect results on every video I have tried and its all auto. Just problem is that xvid/divx is all it supports x264 is so much better.

 

Hi Cat ...

Q1: What "tool" did you ever decide to use!?!?

Q2: What Format did you decide to use for your Archive?

Q3: Why did you decide on Matroska .mkv?

G!