Copying DVD to Network Drive

[Chris Parks]

I have a large number of DVD's I would like to copy to a network drive instead of using the discs. There are three files on the disc, Audio TS, Video TS and INI desktop, if I copy those files to the drive how do I make those files act like the DVD does when inserted. I would like to be able to play the files from the drive to a TV hooked up to the network but I may be asking too much??

[Myk Rian]

All you need are the video files.
Read this page. http://lifehacker.com/5809765/how-to-rip-a-dvd-to-your-computer

[Chuck Wintle]

I have a large number of DVD's I would like to copy to a network drive instead of using the discs. There are three files on the disc, Audio TS, Video TS and INI desktop, if I copy those files to the drive how do I make those files act like the DVD does when inserted. I would like to be able to play the files from the drive to a TV hooked up to the network but I may be asking too much??

you may need to use makemkv to rip the dvd's, once ripped they can be stored and watched on the computer.

[M Toupin]

Many ways to get there. If you want to keep all the original functions like the original DVD with all the extras and cc the best way is to make an ISO disk image file. Most all DVD/CD burners can handle the job and many video players such as VLC can play the files correctly. InfraRecorder works great and it's open source so there's no cost. ISO files will give you all the original quality of the DVD, the down side is ISO files are big, like 4-8gb for an average movie. If storage isn't a problem this will give you the best quality.

The other option is to rip the DVD to a file type such as avi, mp4, mkv etc. The up side is formats like MP4 incorporate compression which significantly reduces the file size. For example, a move which would be 8gb ISO is a 1.7gb mp4 with the settings I use. The down side is you loose some quality depending on the level of compression you decide on. The file also is just the movie, no extras etc like a ISO. The up side is significant storage reductions though. There's lot of programs that will rip DVD's I use Handbrake which is also open source, though others will work just as well or have more options. File types and compression schemes are a whole can of worms... everyone has an opinion but at the end of the day, if you go that route, only you can decide what quality you want and what looks acceptable to you. Long ago I ripped all my DVDs to mp4 began using XBMC (now Kodi) as a media center.

Mike

[Bill Huber]

I think that ripping the DVD is the best way to go, I have been ripping some movies for my grand kids and putting them on a tablet so they can watch them in the car on trips.
I use a program called Magic DVD Ripper and put them in an MPG4 format, that way they would just fine on a smart phone or the tablet. Most of the movies I rip are averaging around 500mb in size, I have 30 of them right now on their tablet for a total of 16gb.
http://www.magicdvdripper.com/

It is not a free program but when I was looking and trying different programs it was the easiest to use and did just what I wanted it to do. There are a bunch of different ones out there and I would say just Google, "DVD Ripper" and do the trial version of some of the different ones.

[Peter Stahl]

Good Thread, I've been thinking about doing this but haven't attempted it yet. Lots of great info on this site besides Woodworking stuff. :)