In an ever-evolving world, where everything from nature to technology seems to change and evolve, it is safe to say that the future holds many changes that we might not assume. From the technical aspect, we have changed our entertainment source from cassettes to video-on-demand services. Cassettes have now become fossils, and we are assuming that sooner or later, DVDs will follow the same path. Only a small portion of the population use DVDs, so it is appropriate to assume that it will either get replaced with something better or vanish completely.
If you are one such person who is still relying on DVDs, then it’s time that you rip the content and save it for lifetime use. It is better to rip the DVDs in a hard drive as it will allow you to cast the content via streaming services or watch the data on a laptop or tablet. You can enjoy the contents even when they become history. But you have to follow a few reliable methods and steps to get the contents out of the DVDs. Use our guide to extract an entire DVD on your hard drive.
First things first, you have to find a DVD ripping software that can cost up to $100, but there are plenty of free and useful apps as well that will do the job without hurting your pockets. One such app is Handbrake – an open-source video transcoder that can convert video from nearly any format. It supports Mac, Windows, and Linux.
If you are trying to rip a store-bought DVD, note that it has copy protection for anti-piracy. To crack this copy protection, you will need a copy of ‘libdvdcss.dll.’ you can easily find it on the VLC Player website in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. After downloading this file, move it to Handbrake’s installation folder, and the default path is C:\Program Files\Handbrake. It will enable Handbrake to read and rip the DVD. Now, you can finally follow the ripping steps:
Scan the DVD
Before launching the software, open your computer’s or laptop’s CD tray, and insert the DVD you want to rip. After closing the tray, open Handbrake. The app will show you the Source Selection panel on the left-hand side of the screen. Now, you have to make a selection to use the app any further. We’d recommend you to make your choice and give a double-click on the DVD icon. You can ignore the File and Folder. Then, the Handbrake app will take a little time to scan the content on your DVD. Note that you might get to see an error message if you haven’t installed the libdvdcss.dll correctly. If the process goes smoothly, you will be directed to the Settings screen.
Choose Your Content
The Handbrake app allows you to select the content you want to rip from the DVD by making some adjustments in the Source Settings. Most DVDs include the director’s cut, deleted scenes, special features, etc. contents in them, so you can choose to remove those while ripping the DVD. To do so, you have to select the Title. If you have a whole TV series on the DVD, you need to save each episode individually. Some DVDs can be broken into chapters and angles, which you can adjust while ripping. Adjusting the Chapters and Angles will let you retain the contents in the associated drop-down boxes. You can tweak settings as per your requirements.
Choose the Folder and Quality
Now, you have to decide the folder for the contents you have ripped off the DVD. If you use a streaming player, then you can add the DVD to your library. Other than that, it is your choice where you want the content. You can also use an external hard drive to secure the DVD. Using the Browse option, you can choose the folder you want to use. After choosing the destination, give an appropriate name to the file to find it easily.
From the right-hand side of the screen, you can choose Presets to change the quality of your rip. Handbrake offers a bunch of generic and device-specific presets. By scrolling down the list of available options, you can make your choice. But remember that better quality will consume more space and time to rip the DVD to the desired folder.
Choose Your Audio and Subtitles
You will see the Picture, Filters, Video, Audio, Subtitles, and Chapters tab at the bottom of the window. Picture, Filters, Video will be determined by the presets you chose, but you can customize the settings according to your preferences. Do not ignore the Audio and Subtitles tab as it will let you choose the dubs and subtitles you want onto your rip. The fewer dubs and subtitles you include, the smaller your file will become. Use the subtitles tab to choose the subtitle files you want to copy or burn them into the DVD or leave them as a standalone subtitle file.
Rip Your DVD
After making the appropriate settings, click on Start Encode. This process will take a while, depending on the settings (such as length and quality video) you have made. Then, click on the Activity Log to monitor the progress.
Incorporate all the methods and steps mentioned above to have a smooth and easy DVD ripping experience.
Mia Watson is an avid technical blogger, a magazine contributor, a publisher of guides at Blogs Book, and a professional cyber security analyst. Through her writing, she aims to educate people about the dangers and threats lurking in the digital world. Visit My Site, webgeeks.uk.com
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