Originally posted on February 29, 2004 @ 10:02 pm
You paid a lot for your DVDs. Make sure you never need to buy another copy.
Step 1: Decrypt the DVD
Production companies encrypt DVDs, so you’ll need to decrypt the video files before you can do anything else. Insert the DVD into your DVD drive and run an application called DVD Decrypter. It will decrypt (go figure) and store the disc’s video object (VOB) files to your hard drive. You’re going to need at least 10GB of free hard-drive space per DVD.
Download DVD Decrypter (762KB)
Step 2: Shrink the DVD
Store-bought DVD movies use dual-layered discs to store twice as much information as home-burned DVDs. You’ll need to shrink the VOB files you just decrypted so they can fit on a single DVD-R or DVD+R disc. Using an application called DVD Shrink, select the features, scenes, and compression rate for your final DVD backup. Click the Backup button to begin the burn.
Step 3: Burn your DVD
Assuming you have a DVD-burning application installed, the burning process should begin when you click the Backup button from Step 2. If you still need burning software, I recommend Nero and Pinnacle Instant Copy.