How to copy a DVD
This 2 part guide will show you how to copy a DVD to your computer or to another disc.
There are many reasons you might want to copy a DVD, maybe you have a DVD of your son’s soccer game or a wedding DVD and want to copy it for friends/family. Or lets face it maybe you’ve rented a movie and may want to watch it again without the extra cost. These two scenario’s throw up a different issue. Protection.
You can pretty much assume that with any home authored DVD there will be no protection on the disc and it will usually be burnt on a standard 4.7GB disc. The latter may differ nowadays with the drop in price of dual layer discs and burners. If the disc has no protection and you have a blank disc of the same capacity then a straight forward copy can be completed using burning software such as Ahead’s Nero Burning Rom or Toast on the Mac.
However, that would be no guide would it. So I’m going to assume that the disc is protected and/or you do not have a blank disc (or do not have one the correct size). This part of the guide will address getting the files onto the PC.
Step 1 - Download this great free program that will enable you to rip your dvd to the PC hard drive. - DVD Decrypter
Step 2 - Install DVD Decrypter by following the on screen prompts. Once complete, start the program.
Step 3 - Insert your DVD into your PC. You will be met with the following screen:
A - Gives you some information on the region and protection.
B - Shows the DVD files on the DVD.
C - Shows the destination where the files will be ripped/copied. (Click the folder icon to choose a different directory).
D - Click this button to start ripping the files to the hard drive.
Step 4 - Now the files are on your hard drive and if you have a suitable disc you can burn away.
In the 2nd part of this guide I will address the issue of resizing the image files to fit a dual layer disc onto a standard 4.7GB DVD.
Tags: , Copy a DVD, dvd, DVD Decrypter, How to
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Great Guide For the Beginner Thanks !!
May 17th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Nice guide, I had a problem with image files, I’ll be waiting your next post
May 17th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Thanks for the software link, I have been looking for a program to burn dvd’s.
May 18th, 2008 at 4:30 am
waow.. nice.. I’ve been looking for this guide for so long.. now I found it…
May 18th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Nice info! thanks for share!
May 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Glad you all liked it. I’m just about to start the 2nd part. Is there anything you guys want covering?
May 20th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Well Done!
Thank you for sharing!
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
It’s quite useful for me.
May 25th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
nice guide indeed. thanks!
May 26th, 2008 at 10:04 am
There is one more that i used before but its not free DVD copy box. This would let you copy the DVDs from any format to another and on to your hard drive. You can then burn the DVD from your hard drive into a disk that is needed by you.
May 27th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Still technically illegal, innit?
May 27th, 2008 at 7:40 am
@ Matthew - That depends on the dvd you are copying. If its a home made wedding/birthday dvd then there is no issue at all.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:17 am
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