How to Rip DVDs with VLC Media Player: A Comprehensive Guide

VLC Media Player is renowned for its versatility, playing virtually any media file you throw at it. But did you know it can also rip DVDs? Yes, this free and open-source powerhouse can convert your physical DVD collection into digital files, making them easier to store, access, and enjoy on various devices. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of the process, ensuring you can successfully rip DVDs using VLC Media Player.

Why Rip DVDs?

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s quickly explore why you might want to rip your DVDs:

• Digital Convenience: Access your movies and shows on any device without needing the physical disc or a DVD player.
• Preservation: Physical discs can degrade over time. Ripping ensures your content is safely backed up.
• Portability: Take your movie collection on the go, on your laptop, tablet, or phone.
• Organization: Manage your media library with ease, categorizing and labeling your digital files.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• VLC Media Player: Download the latest version of VLC from the official website (www.videolan.org). It’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• DVD Drive: Your computer must have a working DVD drive. Most laptops and desktops come with one, but you may need an external USB DVD drive if your computer lacks one.
• DVD: Of course, you’ll need the DVD you want to rip.
• Storage Space: Ensure you have sufficient storage space on your hard drive or an external drive to accommodate the converted video files. DVD rips can range from a few gigabytes to several gigabytes, depending on the video’s length and quality.

Step-by-Step Guide: Ripping DVDs with VLC

Now, let’s get to the main event: ripping DVDs using VLC. Follow these detailed steps carefully:

Step 1: Insert the DVD

Begin by placing the DVD you want to rip into your computer’s DVD drive. Allow the drive to load the disc, and in most cases, the computer will recognize it automatically.

Step 2: Launch VLC Media Player

Open VLC Media Player on your computer. You can do this by finding it in your applications list or using the search function within your operating system.

Step 3: Navigate to the Convert/Save Option

Once VLC is running, navigate to the “Media” menu at the top of the VLC window. Click on it and then select “Convert / Save…” or press Ctrl + R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + O (macOS). This action will open the “Open Media” dialog box.

Step 4: Choose the Disk Tab and Select Your DVD

In the “Open Media” window, select the “Disc” tab. Here, you’ll need to configure a few settings related to your DVD source:

• Disc Device: Make sure the correct drive letter or device name of your DVD drive is selected. If you only have one DVD drive, it should be automatically detected. If not, use the dropdown menu to choose the right one.
• Disc Type: Usually, it will correctly detect the disc as a DVD. But, if it’s not, you can select DVD, Blu-ray, or any other option from the dropdown. For this tutorial, we’re using DVD.
• Disc Menu: By default, VLC will try to read the disc menu. Leave this option selected. This might not always be ideal if you want to just rip a specific title or chapter directly, but is a good starting point. If it gives you problems, you can later try disabling it and selecting a specific title.
• Title: The DVD might have multiple videos, such as the main movie, extras, or trailers. Here, you can select a specific title to rip. If you are not sure, start with the longest title, as usually this is the main movie. You can always try a different title if you selected the wrong one.
• Chapter: If the title is divided into chapters, you can optionally specify the chapter number to rip. This is useful for ripping parts of movies or TV series episodes. If you want to rip the entire title, leave it untouched.
• Audio Track: Some DVDs might have multiple audio tracks, such as different languages or commentary tracks. You can select your desired audio track in the dropdown.
• Subtitles: If your DVD has subtitles, you can also select the desired subtitle track from the dropdown.

Step 5: Begin the Conversion Process

Once you’ve configured the options in the “Disc” tab, click the “Convert / Save” button at the bottom of the “Open Media” dialog box. This will bring up the “Convert” dialog box.

Step 6: Configure Conversion Settings

In the “Convert” dialog box, you’ll see several options to customize the conversion process:

• Profile: This section lets you choose the output format for your ripped video file. VLC provides various preset profiles for different devices and purposes. Some of the most common profiles are:
• Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4): A good balance between quality and file size, suitable for most devices and uses. It is a standard widely supported video format.
• Video – H.265 + MP3 (MP4): Offers better quality at a smaller file size compared to H.264, but may not be compatible with all older devices. Also widely supported.
• Video – MPEG-4: Older format, it’s less efficient.
• Video – Theora + Vorbis (OGG): An open and free format. Less compatible than MP4.
• Video – WMV (WMV): Windows Media format, widely supported by Windows systems.
• Audio – MP3: If you only want to extract the audio from the DVD.

For most use cases, selecting Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4) is recommended for general purposes due to its good balance of compatibility and file size/quality.

• Destination: Click the “Browse” button next to the destination file field. This allows you to select a folder on your computer and name the output file. Make sure to choose a location that you will remember and that has sufficient storage space. The file extension will automatically be added according to the selected profile. (E.g., .mp4, .mov, .mkv).
• Edit Profile (Optional): If you need more control over the conversion, you can click the wrench icon next to the profile dropdown menu. This opens a more advanced interface where you can modify settings such as resolution, bitrate, frame rate, audio and video codecs, etc. But, for most users, the preset profiles should be sufficient.
• Display the output: If you check this box, the player will start playing the video after the transcoding finishes.

Step 7: Start the Ripping Process

After you’ve selected the profile and set the destination folder and file name, click the “Start” button in the “Convert” dialog box. VLC will now begin converting the DVD to your chosen file format. The time it takes will depend on the length of the video, the selected output settings, and your computer’s processing power.

Step 8: Monitor Progress

You can monitor the progress of the ripping process in the main VLC window, where the playback progress bar will show the percentage completed. Be patient and let VLC work, especially when ripping longer videos. Do not close the VLC during ripping.

Step 9: Access the Ripped File

Once the ripping process is complete, VLC will usually give a little notification and the playback progress bar will be at 100%. The converted video file will be saved at the location you selected in Step 6. You can now access and play your ripped video file using any compatible video player, including VLC itself!

Important Notes and Considerations

• Copyright: Be aware of copyright laws in your region. Ripping DVDs you own for personal use is often legal, but sharing or distributing ripped content may violate copyright laws. Always respect intellectual property rights.
• DVD Protection: Some DVDs are protected with copy protection mechanisms that can prevent them from being ripped. VLC’s built-in ripping features may not bypass all of these protections, so ripping may fail. You may need to seek out dedicated DVD ripping software for particularly stubborn copy protections.
• Quality Loss: While VLC does a good job, converting video may slightly reduce the quality of the original. If you require perfect copies, specialized software designed for lossless ripping might be a better option.
• Troubleshooting: If you encounter issues while ripping, make sure your DVD drive is functioning correctly, your DVD is clean and undamaged, and that you have enough storage space. You may need to try different profiles or disable the DVD menu function in VLC. Sometimes, changing the title being ripped might help bypass some protection. Check VLC logs for more info.
• Multiple Titles: If you want to rip multiple titles on a DVD, you will need to repeat the process for each title. You can choose titles individually in the “Disc” tab.
• Audio/Subtitles Languages: Be sure to select the correct audio/subtitle tracks you want to be included in the final video.
• Software Updates: Keep your VLC Media Player up-to-date to ensure you have the latest features and bug fixes, as well as the best compatibility with new releases and protection methods used in commercial DVDs.

Beyond Basic Ripping

VLC offers a few more advanced options that you can explore:

• Deinterlacing: If you encounter video that looks jagged, try the deinterlacing filter by selecting “Filters” in the “Edit Profile” window and select a deinterlace method.
• Video Filters: You can adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, and other video settings using filters.
• Audio Filters: Adjust audio gain, equalizer settings, etc.

Alternative DVD Ripping Software

While VLC can handle most DVD ripping, there are other software options available if you need more features or cannot rip a particular DVD with VLC. Some alternatives to consider include:

• HandBrake: Another free and open-source option known for its advanced features and efficient video compression.
• MakeMKV: Designed to create lossless MKV files from DVDs and Blu-rays, great for backing up discs without sacrificing quality.
• WinX DVD Ripper Platinum: A commercial option with advanced copy protection removal and a user-friendly interface.
• DVDFab: Another feature-rich commercial option with robust DVD and Blu-ray ripping capabilities.

Conclusion

Ripping DVDs with VLC Media Player is a cost-effective and convenient way to convert your physical collection to digital files, offering easier access, preservation, and portability. While it may not be as feature-rich or powerful as dedicated ripping software, VLC is a reliable option for basic DVD ripping. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully digitize your DVD library with ease and start enjoying your movies and shows anytime, anywhere. Remember to respect copyright laws and always rip your personal owned media for private use. Enjoy your digitized library!