How to copy DVD to Video File

In this section you're going to learn how to save DVD's to small video files on your computer. The advantage of this is that you can backup your entire collection on your computer (if there's enough free space). It also might be useful if you don't have a DVD drive on your laptop and want to take some movies with you. You can simply make the video files from the movies, put them on your laptop, and your ready to go.

Software Needed:

DVD Decrypter - Click Here to Download and Install

DVDx - Click Here to Download and Install

Decrypting your DVD

Tip: The information ripped from DVD’s takes up a large amount of your hard drive (Usually around 7-9 GB). After you have made your video file backup, you should go back and delete the movie off your hard drive. If you rip a lot of DVD's and don't delete the DVD files when you are done using them, you will quickly fill up your hard drive which can lead to slow computer performance and many other problems.

First, put the DVD you want to rip into your DVD drive. When you do this, your DVD Player software may load automatically or windows will ask which program you want to use to play the DVD. Either way, close any windows or programs that start when you insert the DVD.

Now run DVD Decrypter and you should see something similar to this (There's a log window also but it's not important). Make sure "Mode" is set to IFO because you will get a different screen if it is not.

If it asks for a region code, do your best to select the correct one. Most the time it will be "USA" if you are in the US but in some cases it's not.

All you really have to do now is click the little Picture of a DVD and an arrow pointing to a hard drive in the lower left corner.

On the right are the various parts of the DVD. They are automatically selected for you. I suggest you leave these alone and rip the whole DVD. If you want, you can pick and choose what to rip but it's hard to tell what's what at this point.

Another part you should understand is Destination. This is the location on your hard drive where the files will be sent when you rip them. You shouldn't have to mess with this, just take a look at where it's going so you can find it later. If you do decide to send the files somewhere else, all you have to do is click the little folder to the right and select a location.

Understanding that stuff may help you but most likely all you need to know is to click the button in the lower left corner and then wait a little while until it's done.

After you click the button you will see a window like this:

Sometimes is will get an error on a specific file if the disc is scratched badly, you can either try to fix/clean the disc and try again or just skip the file and hope it's not one you will need. To skip the file after an error just click the little red button in the lower right corner and you will be prompted with some options including "Skip File."

Other than that, just wait because it will take a little while (anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour). When it finishes, you have successfully ripped the contents of the DVD. Now close DVD Decrypter and move on to the next section.

Making a XviD File

Now that you have decrypted the DVD and copied it to your hard drive, open DVDx and you should see this:

First click "File" the "Open IFO" and find the folder where DVD Decrypter put the files. They should be in a folder called "Video TS" or something similar. You will see a list of files, it's usually the file with the number 1. Also it's almost always the biggest file. So you can put your mouse over each file for a few seconds to see which is the largest then choose that one. Once you choose a file and click OK you will see something like this:

If it's the correct file you should be able to find the correct length under Program Chain Index. As you can see above the file I choose is 1 hour and 37 minutes long. Your's should be the length of the movie you are burning. If it's not, click the little arrow next to the length and see if you see it there. If it's not there try another file. Keep looking until you find one that's the correct length.

Now look at the picture above and set your like mine. It may be different under Audio and you should have selected the correct length under Index, but other than that, do everything like I did and click OK.

You will a warning or two, just click OK and you will see something like this:

Now click the Output Settings button indicated by the circle and arrow and you will see something similar to this:

First select AVI (DivX,YUV,....) like you see above. Then in my picture where you see XviD MPEG-4 Codec, select the same in yours. Now click "Pass 1 setting" and you will see this:

Set that window up like mine and click OK, then you will see this again:

It's very important you click "Whole" every time you do this or you won't get the entire movie. Other than that, set everything like I did and click Apply.

Now you will see this again:

Click the "Select Destination" button as indicated above and you will see this:

Now click Browse and pick a file name and location for the video file you are making, then click OK and click the Encode button (the red circle, furthest to the right). Just wait until it is done, then your video file will be in the Destination you selected.

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