DVD Copying for Dummies

DVD copying can be confusing to some individuals while others don't seem to be bothered by it. If you are one of those people that need a little extra help. Here are a couple of steps that you can follow on your way to making perfect DVD copies.

***Note: According to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 it is illegal to copy DVDs with embedded encryptions or protections. You should only use DVD copy software to copy or author DVDs that you personally own the copyright to like home videos or amateur movies.***

DVD Copying Basics

Getting set up to copy a DVD is not as simple as buying a software product and a pack of disks. You must make sure that you have an appropriate burner for the job, the correct media (discs) and a software product suited to your needs and preferences. For those of you who have never copied a DVD before, this page illustrates the DVD copy process and will help select the right tools to get the job done.

Overview of the DVD copying software

First, you'll insert your original DVD into a DVD reader on your computer. The DVD copy software then rips (or transfers the DVD files) the entire DVD to your hard drive. Next, the copy software converts the hard drive copy of your ripped DVD file to a format that will allow the data to be burned (or copied) onto a blank DVD or set of CDs. (CDs containing video are called VCDs–Video Compact Disks, or SVCDs–Super Video Compact Disks. They are still popular and often used in Asia and the Middle East.) You direct the software to burn the video on the device of your choice-either a DVD burner or a CD burner. However, your particular hardware, recording disks and copy software must be compatible with one another to accomplish this task. Since several choices are available, you should carefully review your options.

Select DVD copying software

Research the features of the different software products to find one that matches your preferences and needs, including the requirements of your computer. In addition to the Side-by-Side comparisons on the home page of this website, each product we've evaluated contains a separate review page with in-depth comments about product features and performance. Pay attention to comments about the user-friendliness also; you'll want software with a good help document as well as telephone or online support if you are new to DVD copying. If you are unfamiliar with the terms commonly used in DVD copying, consult the Feature Definitions page.

Choose your burner and disk

Before you purchase software, determine if you will be making copies on a DVD burner or a CD burner. You'll need a DVD drive to read your original DVD, but you don't necessarily need a DVD burner as the destination device for your new copy; a CD burner works too. CDs hold less data, so in order to copy large files to CD you must either sacrifice resolution/quality or use up several CDs. Typically, the data from 7 CDs can fit onto a single DVD. The advantage of using your CD burner to produce DVD copies is cost–many computers already have a CD burner installed, and recordable CDs are cheaper than recordable DVDs. Also, many home DVD players now support playing video CDs. But most people prefer the simplicity of single disk, high resolution copies that the DVD medium allows and consider these results worth the investment in a DVD burner–especially since the price of DVD burners has dropped significantly. There are several different formats of recordable disks available. You'll typically see both DVD-R and DVD+R writable disks. For more information on disk types, read Which is Better, DVD- R or DVD+R? Why so many formats? Competing manufacturers develop the disks in different formats and the hardware to support them. Eventually, one DVD format will probably dominate the market, as has occurred with CDs. Be aware that if you buy a DVD+R burner you must use DVD+R disks; the requirement is the same with DVD-R burners and disks. Consumers make the common mistake of believing all DVD disks are supported by all burners. If you want to pay a little more, you can purchase a DVD writer that allows you to copy in both DVD+R or DVD-R formats.

Meeting minimum system requirements

In addition to considering your burner needs, determine if the processing power of your PC is sufficient (speed, RAM, storage space). Even if your system meets minimum requirements, DVD copying is a resource-intensive chore for your computer, so a more powerful machine will greatly enhance your copy performance. Each product we review lists the minimum requirements for your computer on the Product Details pages. Copying DVDs isn't hard, you just have to make sure that you have the pieces necessary to make it work.

How Does DVD Copy Software Work?
DVD copy software performs a variety of functions, including DVD copying (also known as ripping, cloning or duplicating), DVD converting and DVD burning. The best DVD copy software can work with a wide range of formats including those utilized by online video sharing sites and those compatible with portable devices like iPods, Zunes and PSPs. DVD burning functions are also usually PAL and NTSC compatible and can burn to a variety of disk types including single and dual layer disks, so the burned disk can play on PC DVD players and standard DVD players.

As mentioned, DVD copy software fulfills a wide range of DVD software needs, from DVD ripping to DVD burning. Here is a brief overview of DVD copy programs’ major functions:

DVD Copying
DVD copy software is often also referred to as DVD ripping software. Essentially a DVD ripper copies a DVD to your hard drive for viewing, storing, converting or burning. The best DVD rippers make perfect 1:1 copies without quality loss. Most DVD rippers also support advanced functions like selective copying, compression and DVD decryption.

DVD Converting
DVDs can be converted into a number of formats that perform various functions and work with several types of technology. With the growing popularity of portable devices like video iPod, PSP and Zune, DVD converting software is in higher demand. The most common DVD conversion formats include DVD to AVI, DVD to MPEG, DVD to PSP, DVD to WMV and DVD to 3GP. The best DVD converting software can convert DVDs into numerous formats, including DVD to DVD.

DVD Burning
DVD copy software contains DVD burning tools. The DVD burning elements of DVD copy software can take multimedia files such as home movies, slide shows, data files, video files and other video entertainment and burn them to a DVD. The best DVD software can burn to a variety of disk types including DVD+/-RW, DVD+/-R DL, DVD+/-R and even CDs.

On this site, you'll find articles, recent news stories and comprehensive reviews—all designed to help you make an informed decision on which DVD Copy Software is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS, we do the research so you don't have to.™

What to Look for in DVD Copy Software
DVD copy software should perform all major DVD software functions including DVD copying (also known as DVD ripping), DVD format conversion and DVD burning. The best DVD copy software works with popular video formats including those used by popular video cameras, online video sharing sites and portable devices. Advanced DVD copy software can also rip other types of DVDs including data DVDs, DVD games, photo disks and slide shows, home movies and films.