How To Convert DVD to Digital (MP4/AVI/MKV)

When you have piles of movie DVDs as your disc collection at home, have you ever worried about if one or some of these discs will go unplayable due to the fading of the dyeing layer, scratches on the surface, or bending?

When some precious memories are stored on the DVD, like the video of a wedding, anniversary, graduation, etc., or you have some pretty rare movie or music DVDs, don’t save them on the disc anymore.

Convert the DVD to digital and save DVD files on hard drives, cloud, phones, or any device you want. In this case, you will never have to worry about losing the clips anymore as it’s perfectly backed up. Also, later when your family or friends ask for the video, you can easily share the DVD content via simple clicks.

In today’s post, we will see 5 methods to convert a DVD into digital files. You can pick up one that fits you well and start your conversion at home. Also, if you have no idea which digital format to choose, we will tell you how to pick one suitable format for your DVD movies.

Method 1: Convert DVD to Digital with Tipard DVD Ripper

To digitize a DVD at home, you will need the processional Tipard DVD Ripper. This program saves you from complex interfaces and usage. With the program installed on your computer, converting your DVD to digital is just child’s play that can be done with a few clicks in minutes.

The quality of this converter is never easy though. While converting your DVD to digital, there are 500+ digital formats available including MP4, MKV, AVI, and WMV. You can transfer, save, and play the digital movie on any device.

Moreover, this converter offers a great range of video enhancement for the output files. For instance:

• SD to HD: You can upgrade the 480i DVD movie to excellent frames in 720P and 1080P.
• 2D to 3D: Make the 2D DVD movies into 3D digital files and watch 3D movies at home.
• Customize: Modify hue, brightness, contrast, and other effects of the video and select the preferred soundtrack and subtitle tracks.

Download the converter and let’s turn your DVD into digital files.

Steps to Convert DVD to Digital with Tipard

Step 1

First thing first, pop the DVD into the disk drive of your computer and launch the DVD converter.

Step 2

On the converter’s interface, click Load DVD to start uploading the disk content to the program.

Step 3

When the upload is complete, you will see the main title stored on the DVD, and if you long for the whole list of titles, click Full Title List and check all the existing clips.

Step 4

Choose the audio and subtitles for each clip. Then, to set the format as AVI, you may go to Rip All to: and choose a digital from the pane, and select Same as Source for lossless conversion or 720P (or even 1080P) to enhance the video.

Step 5

You may check the Merge into one file option to convert all the DVD clips into a single digital file. Then, decide on the destination folder for the output or just use the default one.

Step 6

When all parameters are set, hit Rip All to initiate the DVD-to-digital conversion. When the process is complete, click Open Output Folder to preview the digital file.

Method 2: Convert DVD to Digital with Leawo DVD Ripper

There’s DRM protection on commercial DVDs. This is the kind of technology that manufacturers install on DVDs to protect the copyright from piracy. When individuals want to copy (or convert) the content from a DVD bought from stores, the DRM methods will come into force and stop unauthorized duplicates.

However, the DRM is not a Herculean task. There are converters to decrypt the DRM methods like Tipard from Method 1 and Leawo Prof. Media that we are about to introduce.

• Whether you need to convert the DVD to digital with the original or optimized quality
• Remove the DRM protection of commercial DVDs
• Set up the desired preferences for the output video format

Leawo DVD Ripper is always the initial choice you can take into consideration. DVDs from Disney, Redbox, Netflix, Sony, or any other manufacturers are all decryptable when Leawo is there to help.

Insert the disc, run Leawo, and boom. Your DVD will be converted to digital files easily.

Steps to Convert DVD to Digital with Leawo

Step 1

Download and install the DVD to digital converter. Launch the program on your computer and click on the DVD Ripper tab.

Step 2

Insert the target DVD and let Leawo detect the disc. Then, hit Add DVD and choose to add the DVD to Leawo.

Leawo will give you three options to convert the DVD:

• Main Movie: Convert all DVD clips into one digital file
• Full Movie: Convert only the main DVD movie into digital
• Custom Mode: Select DVD clips and convert into digital

Click OK to allow Leawo to continue scanning and analyzing the DVD content.

Step 3

After that, you can select the desired audio track and subtitle for the output file. Then enter the Profile panel and choose the MP4, MP3, or other file formats. Moreover, you can also tweak the resolution, frame rate, audio codec, and more others.

Step 4

You need to set a directory under the Save to box to contain the output files. If you are satisfied with the output video, you can click the Convert button to start converting DVDs to digital formats. After that, you can transfer the DVD contents to other devices.

Method 3: Convert DVD to Digital with VLC Media Player

There are free DVD to digital converters as well like VLC.

To many’s surprise, this media player software can not only play media files and disc content on a computer but also serve as a DVD converter to turn DVDs into digital videos.

However, since it’s not a professional DVD converter tool, you may find its conversion less satisfying. Cases in point:

There’s no decryption method on VLC, which means you can’t convert commercial DVDs with VLC.

Also, there’s less video enhancement to VLC. The frame rate, resolution, and other properties of the output digital files can only be default settings.

Though VLC has limited features for DVD conversion, this is an open-source program that welcomes third-party plugins. If you’re fond of challenges, open this app and start to make it powerful.

Steps to Convert DVD to Digital with VLC

Step 1

Launch VLC and hit Convert from the menu bar. Choose the Convert/Save feature.

A new window named Open Media is now displayed.

Step 2

On this window, go to the Disc tab. And keep the default DVD and No disc menu options. VLC will convert the DVD into digital without the menu.

Then, locate the Browse button and hit it to choose the target DVD for the conversion

For the setup, focus on these:

• Title and Chapter: Decide target video segment(s) to convert
• Audio track and Subtitle: Choose the preferred sound and subtitle track

Step 3

Hit the arrow on the Play button and choose Convert for further setup.

Next up, hit the Profile button on the new window to select the output format. Lastly, select a destination on your computer to save the digital file. Hit Start and VLC will start to convert the DVD to the target folder.

Method 4: Convert DVD to Digital with Handbrake

Besides VLC, Handbrake is also freeware for DVD conversion. Handbrake is an FFmpeg-based DVD-to-digital converter. It will help you convert DVDs into limited digital formats (MP4 & MKV only) with the original quality using a Windows, Mac, and even Linux computer.

Though it can’t convert copy-protected DVDs just like VLC and has limited output formats, this program is 100% free and open-source. You can upgrade the program to another level by adding third-party plugins and codecs. After the upgrade, Handbrake will be able to convert copy-protected DVDs and even Blu-rays into unlimited digital formats.

Also, this freeware has many flexible presets for users to decide the properties of the output DVD files. To begin with, you’re available to audio track, and subtitles, which are both normal. Encoders and frame rate as well as the audio effect (surround sound) that are all rare effects for other converters will be found on Handbrake.

Download the program and start to convert your DVD to digital with multiple customized presets for free!

Steps to Convert DVD to Digital with Handbrake

Step 1

Launch Handbrake on your computer and select the target DVD under the Source Selection tab.

Step 2

Next, Handbrake will analyze this DVD and display all possible options. You need to complete the setup for the digital file:

• Title/Angles/Range: The target clip for conversion
• Presets: Speed, output resolution, and audio effect
• Formats: MKV or MP4
• Save As: Where the output digital files are saved on the PC

Step 3

After you finish selecting the above options, click on Start Encode. Handbrake will start to convert your DVD to digital files on your computer.

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