Want to make backups of all your dvd movies with 100% free software?

You can!

All you need is a Windows machine, lots of free gigabytes, a dvd writer and lots of time.

This software may be old, but it's free, it works on any XP+DVD machine and is an (so far) unbeatable combination!


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Step 1: The ripping process.

To rip a dvd download and install RipIt4Me 1.7.1.0 and DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0.
Follow the built-in instructions and proceed ripping the dvd.
(Time: about half an hour*)

This will work with even the latest dvd movies if you follow the instructions carefully!

Step 2: The shrinking process.

To reduce the output of step 1 to an acceptable size (4.5 Gigs DVD writable) you use DVD Shrink.
(Time: about two hours*)


Step 3: Writing the backup

Use BurnAware Free Edition to write the ouput of step 2.
(Time: about half an hour*)

Step 4: Divx/xVid.

Need Xvid avi instead of DVD format? Use the output of step 2 with AutoGK.
(Time : about three hours*)


Step 5: Portable players.

Need to play your movies on your favourite portable MP4 player? Use the output of step 4 with MediaCoder.
(Time: about half an hour*)

*: Time duration depends on hardware and the used settings.


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Tips:

Tips for step 1: Check if you can enhance the ripping speed of your dvd writer by using alternative firmware.

Tips for step 2: Perform deep analysis and use maximum sharpness. It takes longer, but looks better.

Tips for step 3: Use verify or use DVD+RW discs if you're not sure it will work.

Tips for step 4: AutoGK standard uses only xVid. Players like VLC player work perfectly with the xVid format. Your Xbox 360 or PS3 also can handle xVid. Please for the love of all that is holy read the documentation. Experiment with the CTRL-F9 options. If you feed AutoGK a lot of different movies it can batch-process them for you overnight, even with automatic shutdown of your system.

Tips for step 5: MediaCoder can do a LOT. If you want the maximum potential of MediaCoder, install FireFox and read all the documentation carefully.

General tips: Experiment, but read the manuals/instructions! If the download links do not work, use Google dammit!

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To all who reply: I *know* there is other software than the above.

@THE C. : This is a thread about how to use free software, and not a comparison of freeware vs. payware. For the latter there's a thread here in the copy DVD Movie forum, and where in future you should address the above comments.

Any further off-topic posts will be deleted.

There are alternatives to the programs Mr. Belvedere has listed in his post. They aren't necessarily better, simply other choices.

1. Ripping.
DVDFab HD Decrypter is free and still being updated. This program can rip to files or an ISO, and you have the option to just rip the main movie if you prefer.

2. Compression.
DVDRebuilder has both a free version and a commercial one. Output can be better than DVDShrink, especially on large dvds that need a lot of compression. There are several options on which encoder to use, including a very well respected mpeg2 encoder called HC and even a transcoder called ReJig. DVDShrink will be faster in general however.

3. Writing the backup
One of the best tools available now for burning dvds is ImgBurn. Read the guides at the ImgBurn forum for burning dvd video.

4. Divx/Xvid
My first choice would also be AutoGK, but there is a free alternative here as well. The celtic-druid version of Fair Use Wizard is fully functional and free to use. You must work from a disk or disk image though.

5. Portable players
I won't pretend to know a great deal about this, but Videora is a free video conversion program for Ipods.

Apologies to Mr. Belvedere in advance if these additions are unwelcome, but I personally would choose a couple of these first for working with dvds, and felt they should be mentioned to anyone new to this process.

My main goal if this thread is to offer 100% free products that leave your system mostly intact (= no registry clutter), very small in file size and small in memory usage. In other words: maximum potential with minimum effort. (Which usually automatically generates ease of use)

I don't mind recommendations, but i know different products have different very loyal fans and can cause a forum thread to transform in an evil fight between fans.

I know your recommended products work, but i'm also pretty sure the original post gives a more easy learning process for newcomers. All products show the process in detail, yet do not require much input from the person who uses them. This is essential for the newbie who is keen to learn what exactly goes on when he/she is processing the dvd.

Although i know this product exists, i personally don't like it very much. I get the impression that the RipIt4Me and DVDDecrypter combination is faster and more detailed. Dunno for sure, because i think DVDDecrypter and DVDFab have the same author.

DVDShrink can also be started as many times as you want. You could start up 20 DVDShrink programs and process 20 different dvd video files at the same time on your computer while you are sleeping. (Remember you would also need 20 times 4.5 GB free harddisk space!). Personally i don't recommend using more than 5 x DVD Shrink at the same time if you have a normal computer.

Take a peek at MediaCoder as well if you haven't yet, it's really really awesome. Very small product with lots of options.

Hmmm... I'm fairly sure this isn't right. LIGHTNING UK! and Fengtao are one and the same..?

Interesting how peoples' impressions differ on using the same tools. I have rarely used RipIt4Me, and always found it slow compared to DVDFab HD Decrypter, and extremely slow compared to my usual process of AnyDVD + ripper of choice. AnyDVD doesn't belong in this discussion of course.

And imkidd57 is right about the authors, unless that was a very subtle jab at Fengtao.

I have used MediaCoder in the past, though it has been quite a while back, and found it inferior to the commercial programs I use. But I don't encode for portables, so it may be perfectly acceptable for that use. Always good to hear about free programs in any case, since many people come here for recommendations for free alternatives.

While not wanting to start any kind of program war...i'm inclined to agree with the above statement, as that too has been my experience. I also have found many newer movies have more encryption than RI4M can handle.

I have yet to find a movie i can't rip with DvdFab HD Decrypter.

Most newer movies i implement the following:

DvdFab Hd Decrypter > FixVts > Dvd Shrink > ImgBurn.

All freeware, and DvdFab is updated often.

Just MHO.

EDIT: Spelling.

These are guidelines I found a while ago for Dvd Shrink courtesy of jellybean. Less than 65% = Maximum Smooth, 65 - 80% = Smooth, 80 - 90% = Default Sharp & 90 - 99.9% = Maximum Sharp. There is also a program that you can use for multi batching with Dvd Shrink, it's called MultiShrink.

Googling not withstanding, yer link is to a page that doesn't work for me.

This however did, http://www.download.com/BurnAware-Fr...-10784718.html
T

Nothing against the program mentioned Charlie, but you could give ImgBurn a shot.

ImgBurn

@ Mr. Belveder
I like your guide (I might not agree with all your choices, but that's a different story).
Again, I like your guide, it's straightforward, easy to understand. I think that it's specially useful for those guys that are beginning and don't know how (or don't want) to research.

Nope, honest mistake. No jabs whatsoever.

Another addendum:

If DVDShrink failed to recompress the dvd to an acceptable size (usually huge DTS tracks), then just process it despite the warning.

Then do another DVD Shrink over the processed files!

Ripit4ME, DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, BurnAware, AutoGK.
and MediaCoder.

Very nice collection of free software , and anybody running XP shouldn't be with out

Very well done and very well put together Mr B

I mostly likely will as the burnaware site seemed to have shutoff downloads, and lined out their cnet link.


T

Here is the link for Burnaware's home page all the links work, the free version does not do near what you can with Imgburn.
http://www.glorylogic.com/

Well, It must be me. I just went there and tried again using firefox and no download. I did notice that he put a notice of update 26feb08 there and cnet is still lined thru....

Think we'd better move to an imgburn topic afore we're roped hogtied and branded......

T somewhere in Knee vA duh

@CharlieTunafish: your earlier 'c|net' link worked for me, both with FF and IE. As you imply though; probably we have enough links now in this thread for Burnaware ...

Let's revisit Mr B's aims:

BurnAware Free Edition features:

Absolutely FREE. No spyware, no adware, no banners
Writes to all CD/DVD media types including Blu-Ray (BD-R/BD-RE)
Writes discs from disc images
Writes DVDs from DVD-Video files (We only need this!)

ImgBurn looks allright as well. It's smaller (1.4 mb compared to 4.4 mb) and it seems it can handle more than BurnAware Free can. I'm not sure about the user friendliness and ease of use though.


Does someone have any other ideas how to reduce the amount of steps in the dvd backup process?

The interface on the latest version of Imgburn could not be any easier. Here is the link to dvd shrink that allows direct burning to Imgburn this will save a step.
http://www.dvdplusvideo.com/DVD_Shrink_3_2_b_w_IB.zip

The above guide by Mr. Belvedere is a very solid one but, I personally don't care for Ripit4ME (i find it way too slow)or BurnAware not as feature rich app as I would like it to be.
I am in no way saying that they are not good apps , I just don't care for them.

I have been doing DVD movies with Shrink for years (one of the best Programs out there).I Used DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0.,then move on to DvdFab HD Decrypter (it supports riping all the new Copy protections), FixVTS and I out put all my movies in ISo from shrink so I can burn them with ImgBurn.
AutoGK and /or MediaCoder is what i use for my Divx/xVid needs.

the above has worked Quite well for me.

I just stated the above as an alternative.

Just a bit off topic : Ashampoo Burning Studio 6.6 just when Freeware.
You can Pick it up @ C-net Downloads:

http://www.download.com/Ashampoo-Burning-S....html?tag=lst-2


Enjoy...