Film DVDs to Hard drive

[newbie-uk]

Hey! I'm a new poster....anyway, thought you huys might know how to do this.

Have just bought 500GB external Hard drive for my new imac, and I want to put my DVD collection onto it so I can watch my DVDs without having to go and get it out of the case each time.
I know of programs that convert a DVD in to the mpeg4 format, but I just wanted to create disk images of all my DVDs to stick on the Hard Drive.
Is this possible using the existing software on the map.....or do I have to buy something?

Thanks![

 

[Brize]

How about using MacTheRipper and saving the extracted files as a Disk Image using Disk Utility?

 

[Vaphoron]

Definitely use MacTheRipper, its an awesome program. I have never made disk images using Disk Utility but you can just drag the video_ts folder onto DVD Player in the dock and it will load the DVD and then you just hit play. I also use Popcorn from Roxio which allows you to save as an image and compress if you want.

 

[mpw]

I've got both MacTheRipper and Roxio's Popcorn and they work great for most DVDs. Make sure you get the latest versions and all the updates though.

There are obviously copyright laws being broken by most people using these and I'm pretty sure what you intend to do is illegal too, just to let you know.

I use these programs to copy DVDs I've bought for the kids so when ShrekII has been watched for the 100th time and trown on the floor to watch Lion King for the 101st time the scratches don't matter so much. I know what I'm doing is probably illegal but CDs & DVDs are so fragile it's a joke, I've had more problems with scratched DVDs from blockbuster than I ever had with VHS. OK so the quality is better IF they work but I'd rather have a couple of minutes ropey quality from a poorly handleed VHS than just not be able to get past a scratch 10mins into a movie on a DVD. Roll-on down-loadable movie files being the mainstream.

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

I know what I'm doing is probably illegal but .

AFAIK there`s nothing illegal in making copies of DVDs or VCD etc as long as you own the original content and intend to use the copies for personal use only. It`s the same as buying an iTune and using it on your personal iMac,iPod,Nano, PC etc simultaneously. You can make any no of copies of the media content you own. Just make sure you dont use it for anything other than personal use. Selling them will be illegal. Distributing it for free will be illegal again.

But you can sell the copy or gift it to someone as long as you make sure all the copies (including the original one) remaining with you are either transferred to the new owner or destroyed.

Ok. I may be wrong. All these facts I told you are not derived from any actual source. This is what I believe it should be. Please feel free to correct me if I m wrong.

 

[disconap]

If space isn't an issue, you can just copy the disc to the drive. DVDPlayer can read them (I believe).

Otherwise, Mac the Ripper (as mentioned) is quite good.