MAKING AN EXACT COPY OF A RETAIL DVD

[Steve]

This guide will show you how to make a backup of a copy-protected DVD using AnyDVD and CloneDVD2.

 

Part 1 - Ripping The DVD

 

First off, insert the original DVD into your PC's DVD drive and fire up AnyDVD. Right-click the little fox icon in the system tray and choose "Settings...". These are the settings you should use if you want to make an exact copy of the original: -

 

Video DVD - All boxes unchecked

Settings - Select your region and check all other boxes

Subtitles - Box unchecked

CSS Key - Box unchecked

Audio CD - Check "Remove CD Digital Audio Protection" only

Drives - Check "Enable Speed Control" and select "Drive Default" from the 3 drop-down menus

Selection - Check the box next to the drive you're using to copy the DVD

Program Settings - Check "Enable AnyDVD" only

External Program - Box unchecked

Language Selection - Automatic

 

Once you've done that, hit OK.

 

Now right-click the little fox icon again and this time choose "Rip Video-DVD To Harddisk...". The source directory is the VIDEO_TS folder on the original DVD. Select a destination directory, making sure that the drive it's on has enough free space to copy the files (10GB is plenty). Leave the box to remove unreferenced and blank cells unchecked and hit Copy DVD. The files will then be copied to your hard drive. Once the task is complete, you can quit AnyDVD and remove the original DVD from the drive. You should now have a folder called VIDEO_TS on your hard drive containing all of the DVD files.

 

Part 2 - Transcoding & Burning The Copy

 

Insert a blank DVD into your burner and fire up CloneDVD2. Press the "Copy DVD Titles" button and on the next screen, hit the browse button (top right) and browse to the VIDEO_TS folder on your hard drive. Check the box next to "Preserve menus", then check each box in the "Video titles:" section and hit "Next", then on the following screen hit "Next" again. On the final screen, make sure the "DVD writer" button is pushed in, type in a volume label (optional), set the location of the temporary directory (if it needs changing), then check the box next to "Delete temporary video files after writing". Now all you need to do is hit "Go!", then sit back and wait. The DVD files will be transcoded and burned.

 

Using this method you'll get an exact copy (almost**) of the original DVD. All audio tracks, menus, extras etc. will be included in the copy. If you want to customise the DVD and remove certain elements, it's easy enough to do with CloneDVD2.

 

**Most retail DVDs are dual layer, so they can contain up to twice as much information as a regular single layer DVDR. When you copy a DVD using the above method, the DVD files are compressed to fit on a normal 4.7GB blank, so some quality will be lost. To be fair, it's barely noticeable. Obviously if you choose to use dual layer blanks, this isn't an issue.

[rygon]

cheers steve ive got a few dvds i want to "back up"

[Steve]

Haha. It's always important to keep a backup mate.

 

BTW, it's worth skipping step one to see if the DVD is copy-protected. If it's not, the process is even easier, because you don't need to use AnyDVD. If it is, CloneDVD2 will tell you it can't be copied, and in that case you will have to use AnyDVD to remove the copy-protection.

[Guest Broken Sword]

I just use DVDshrink with Nero, but that's not an exact copy (strictly speaking).