Earlier in the week we asked you to tell us which DVD ripping tool you thought was the best. You definitely responded, and many of you pointed out that you use a combination of these tools to get.
You’ve got a bunch of DVDs sitting around your house, but you can’t even remember when you last saw your DVD player, and your laptop doesn’t even have a disc drive anymore. It’s time to modernize your collection. Here, we’ll show you how to rip your DVDs to your computer using the swiss army knife of video conversion tools: Handbrake.
Step Zero: Install Handbrake and libdvdcss So You Can Decrypt DVDs
The main tool we’ll be using to rip DVDs is called Handbrake, which you can download here. Out of the box, Handbrake can rip any DVD that isn’t copy protected…but almost all DVDs you buy in the store are copy protected. Getting around this is a weirdly gray area legally, so applications like Handbrake can’t legally include the software needed to decrypt copy protected DVDs. You can, however, download it separately—as long as you’re just using this to watch a movie on your computer and not starting a bootlegging business, we promise we won’t tell on you.
We’ll be using a free DVD playback library called libdvdcss. This will let Handbrake read your encrypted DVDs and rip them to your computer. The process is a little different for Windows and Mac users, so we’ll go through each one individually. Note that you don’t have to do this every time you rip a DVD—once libdvdcss is installed, you can skip to Step One each time you rip a new disc.
How to Install libdvdcss on Windows
First, you’ll need to download libdvdcss to your computer. For 32-bit versions of Windows, download this version. 64-bit users should download this version. If you aren’t sure which version of Windows you have, check out this article.
Copy the .dll file to your Handbrake program folder. If you used the default installation settings, this should be in C:Program FilesHandbrake.
After this, Handbrake will be able to read your encrypted DVDs.
How to Install libdvdcss on macOS
Installing libdvdcss is a little more complicated on macOS, because El Capitan introduced a security feature called System Integrity Protection that won’t let you install libdvdcss without a little help. If you’re on Yosemite or older, you can download the libdvdcss package file here and double-click it to install it.
RELATED:How to Install Packages with Homebrew for OS X
However, if you’re on El Capitan or newer, we’re going to use a command line tool called Homebrew to get it. If you’re not familiar with Homebrew, check out our guide on how to install it here. Fortunately, it only takes a few Terminal commands to install Homebrew if you haven’t already. Once you’re done, come back here.
To install libdvdcss, press Command+Space and search for Terminal to launch a command line window. Then, type in
brew install libdvdcss
and hit enter.Homebrew will download and install the libdvdcss library. Once you’re back at the command prompt, the library will be installed.
Once this is finished, Handbrake should be able to read all of your encrypted DVDs.
Step One: Open Your DVD in Handbrake
Once you’ve installed libdvdcss, it’s time to get ripping. Open Handbrake and choose your DVD drive from the sidebar that appears.
Handbrake will take a moment to scan the titles on your DVD. Wait until this process is finished. It should only take a moment. If libdvdcss wasn’t installed incorrectly, you’ll see an error saying that the disc can’t be read here instead.
Don’t be scared by Handbrake’s complex window—most of this should be pretty simple. Once your DVD is open, head to the “Title” dropdown box and choose which title you want to rip. By default, Handbrake will choose the movie, but if you want to rip any special features or deleted scenes, you can change the target you want to rip here. You can also change which chapters you want to rip, if you only want part of the movie.
Under Destination, click Browse to pick where you want to place the movie after you’ve ripped it.
Step Two: Choose Your Quality Preset
Next, you’ll need to decide the quality of your output file. The higher quality the movie, the more space it will take on your hard drive. If you’re technical, you can use the Picture, Video, and Audio tabs to adjust these settings, but most people only need to click one thing: a Preset.
Along the right side of the Handbrake window, you’ll see a selection of Presets (if you don’t see it, drag the corner of Handbrake’s window and expand it until you do). There are presets for nearly anything you could need: Apple TV, Android phones, PlayStation, and lots more. If you’re watching on your computer, use one of the “General” presets—“Fast” and “Very Fast” will be low quality but small in size, while “HQ” and “Super HQ” will have higher quality but take up more space.
If you’re ripping a DVD sold in the US, choose the 480p preset. European DVDs are usually 576p. Don’t choose larger presets like 720p or 1080p for DVDs—they won’t make your video look any better, they’ll just make the file bigger.
Step Three: Start Ripping!
Once you’ve chosen your Title and Preset, click Start Encode at the top of the window. Then, grab a snack.
You’ll see a progress bar along the bottom that will let you know how much time you have left in the rip. Higher quality rips will take longer, so you’ll want to let your computer run for a while.
Once the rip is done, you should be able to double-click on it to watch it! Or, if you’re using a movie library program like Plex, go ahead and add the movie to your library.
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Home >Resources >DVD >Top 8 Best Free DVD Decrypters For Windows and Mac
Summary: There are some free DVD decrypters for you to decrypt DVDs freely. In this article we are listing some of the most popular and free DVD decrypters that you need either for Windows or Mac OS.
The Most Complete Multimedia Backup Solutions
As the world’s most complete multimedia backup solution package, DVDFab 11 offers four major modules, Copy, Ripper, Video Converter and Creator, and a bunch of other useful utility tools with amazing features. DVD encryption is a way to protect copyrighted DVD data from illegal copying and viewing. An encrypted DVD can’t be played on every player. A DVD player should employ some sort of decryption technology to play those encrypted discs. Encryption scrambles data on a DVD disc. So DVD players see that data as unrecognizable and hence they can’t play. Well it is pretty legal to remove DVD encryptions in most countries for personal use. So, if you have such a DVD then you will be requiring a DVD decrypter tool.
A DVD decrypter tool can be a DVD copy and ripping software. Not all copying and ripping software support encryption removal. And people often look for free DVD decrypters. So, in this article we are listing some of the most popular and free DVD decrypters that you need either for Windows 10 or Mac OS.
Top 8 Best Free DVD Decrypters For Windows and Mac
1. DVDFab HD Decrypter
DVDFab HD Decrypter is the stripped and freeware version of DVD Copy which misses a lot of useful features. Though it misses the pro features still it is good for decrypting and copying DVDs. DVDFab HD Decrypter is the best and free DVD decryption software available to download for Mac and Windows 10. Here’s a list of its two main functions below.
Full Disc: The ‘Full Disc’ function lets you copy the entire DVD disc to a folder. If you want to make an ISO or burn a blank DVD then you have to install ImgBurn as DVDFab burning engine isn’t available for HD Decrypter. Works with physical DVD disc, ISO, and folder.
Main Movie: Only copy the main movie and skip other videos. You also have options to ‘Choose Other Titles’ and select multiple DVD chapters for copying and save them as an ISO, folder, or burn to a blank DVD disc. Only one title can be selected at a time in ‘Main Movie’. It also works with ISOs and folders.
To select ImgBurn as the burning engine. Follow the steps below.
· Download and install ImgBurn.
· Open DVDFab 10 software and click the ‘Settings’ icon just before the window minimize button. From here select ‘Common Settings’.
· Click the ‘Drives’ tab on the top and then click ‘DVD Write’ on the left. Then under ‘Burning Engine’ select ‘ImgBurn and click ‘OK’. Go back to the main program window and click the ‘Copy’.
· Insert a copy protected DVD disc in to the DVD drive and load it in the program.
· Click the ‘Copy Mode Switcher’ button and either select ‘Full Disc’ or ‘Main Movie’. Please go above to know about these two functions.
· You are allowed to select audio language, subtitles, and chapters in ‘Main Movie’ copy mode but not in ‘Full Disc’ mode.
· If you want to burn a blank DVD then click the ‘Save to’ button and select your DVD ROM. Once HD Decrypter finishes decrypting it will ask for a blank DVD to burn using the ImgBurn burning engine.
· You can also save the encrypted DVD as ISO (ImgBurn only) and a folder.
This software is able to decrypt and copy DVDs without any difficulties! |
2. WinX DVD Ripper Free Edition
WinX DVD is another useful DVD decrypter software for Mac and Windows. It claims to be the only DVD ripper software that can rip a DVD in 5 minutes. This DVD ripper can directly convert your disc to popular video formats like MP4 which can be played by a number of media players. Apart from physical discs it supports ISOs, folders, damaged discs, 99-title discs and Japanese DVDs. This ripping software also lets you save the DVD as an ISO.
3. DVDSmith Movie Backup
DVDSmith Movie Backup is a free DVD decrypter software for Windows 10 and Mac. It is an intuitive software which can decrypt encrypted DVDs and create a folder out of these discs. The DVD folder so created can be played by a number of media players like VLC and MPC. DVDSmith Movie Backup has following features.
Copy Encrypted DVD to Hard Drive
With DVDSmith you can copy protected DVDs as a folder on your hard drive. You have two disc copy modes ‘Full Disc’ and ‘Main Movie’. If you want to copy the entire DVD disc with all videos, chapters, and titles then use the full disc copy mode. If you want to copy only the longest title then choose the main movie copy. It copies DVDs in 1:1 lossless ratio. The DVD folder is a nice option as a backup because unlike a DVD it never gets scratched or stops working.
Remove a Number of DVD Encryptions
Though DVDSmith is a freeware DVD decrypter but it has support for newer DVD encryptions. It can remove DVD copy protections like CSS, RCE, APS, UOPs, etc.
4. DVDShrink
DVDShrink is a freeware DVD ripper software which is available for Windows 10. It was last updated in 2005 but who cares if it is still serving the purpose. This freeware DVD decrypter is good at making shrunk copies of dual layer DVD which has a size of around 8.5GB. It shrinks a DVD9 to fit in a DVD5 so it is obvious that there will be some sort of video quality loss but it is good for remove certain DVD encryptions for free. It uses DeCSS decryption algorithm but it is unable to remove newer encryptions like AES. It can read DVD folders and ISOs to along with physical discs. If you are going to install this software then only install either of the final versions which are 3.2.0.15 (English) and 3.2.0.16 (German). Any other versions are total scams and may contain malware so be careful while downloading.
5. DVD Decrypter
DVD Decrypter is another freeware DVD decryption software which was last updated in 2005. It hasn’t been updated since a long time but it can still work on a Windows PC. This software can remove CSS (Content Scrambling System) based encryption but doesn’t support newer encryptions like XProtect. It can also copy a DVD ISO to a disc and makes a disc region free. It also removes Macrovision Content Protection. Macrovision asked the DVD decrypter developers to cease its development. And a case filed against it in a US court led to a decision which states that copying DVDs for personal use is legal but distribution of such software is illegal. This led to the permanent development closure for this software. But you can still use it for personal use legally. Please only download the latest stable release which has the version number 3.5.4.0. Other versions may be scams or malware.
6. Freemake Video Converter
According to its official website, Freemake Video Converter is able to rip unprotected DVDs with or without subtitles. And it can burn up to 40 hours of footage to a DVD disc. For output formats, it gives you two options, namely save as DVD folder or an ISO file. Besides, it claims that it can transform M2TS files from Blu-ray discs. Now this program can be supported by Win 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, and XP.
7. Aura DVD Copy
You can use this program to copy DVD disc to your hard drive or burn a DVD disc by copying your computer ISO files. It’s smart, light and with an intuitive main interface that makes it easy to use and understand.
According to its official website, due to its constant attention to the market updates, its upgrade is very frequent in an effort to adapt to the changes. That is to say, it can rip almost any DVD in the markets and you don’t have to worry about the protections of the DVDs. Also, its after sale service is also very considerate, and any customer will have a 30 days’ money back guarantee. Now it’s available for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7.
8. Any DVD Shrink
Any DVD Shrink is renowned for its compatibility with a couple of devices. You can use it to copy DVD to DVD R/RW discs or make a backup of DVDs on your hard drive. Also, it claims to be able to shrink any DVD video (up to 9.4GB) on to your DVDR disc (4.7GB or 8.5GB) with no loss of content or quality.
In particular, it clones the DVDs with its all extra items including menus, trailers, language tracks, subtitles. As for such protections as CSS, RC, RCE AND UOPs, it will remove them as the first thing when coping DVDs. And, it breaks the barriers of regions, and you can freely copy any videos despite their different regions.
Conclusion
When you want a free DVD decrypter then options are pretty limited, because there are mostly paid software for this category. But in this article we listed top 5 best DVD decrpyters which not only decrypt a DVD but also let you copy or rip it. These software programs provide a nice way to back up your encrypted DVDs to your computer hard drive, external hard drive or even USB storage.
DVDFab DVD Ripper for Mac
1. Convert DVDs to MP4, MKV, and etc., to watch on PCs, portable & mobile devices
2. Extract DVD audios to AAC, MP3, and etc., to listen on iPod, or other music players
3. Customize the audio & video parameters to meet specific needs from different users
4. Edit the output videos like cropping, trimming, adding text/image watermark, and etc.
DVDFab DVD Copy2. Extract DVD audios to AAC, MP3, and etc., to listen on iPod, or other music players
3. Customize the audio & video parameters to meet specific needs from different users
4. Edit the output videos like cropping, trimming, adding text/image watermark, and etc.
Copy any DVDs to DVD discs/folders/ISO files
DVDFab DVD RipperRip DVDs to various video/audio formats
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- DVD Converter SoftwareHere are fast and full-featured DVD converters we selected to help you convert DVD to video easily and quickly.
- How to Copy DVD to USB Flash Drive Easily and Quickly?This article lists several ways to copy DVD to USB. And if you want to copy DVD to USB at a fast speed, you can choose DVDFab DVD Copy/Ripper.
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