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What files to view from a DVD on to Mac?

P

Peter Franks

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Can anyone help me here, I have some programmes on DVDs that I've recorded from television onto a recordable DVD player. I want to be able to copy those files on to the MBP and view without having to use the DVDs.

When I put the DVD in the MBP, copy the files on to the Mac, there are loads of TS folders, audio etc., but other movie files I have on my MBP are just ONE single 'avi 'mkv or 'wmv files, and I can't seem to be able to get the ones from the DVD in the same one file format.

They're not pre recorded DVDs, they're just stuff I've recorded from the telly. Anyone have any idea please?
 
Thank you, I can play them on the MBP with the DVD in machine, all be it a pain, but this will convert to AVI or MKV etc? There is nothing I can drag and drop from the files that are already on the DVD presumably without having to convert?
 
Peter Franks said:
There is nothing I can drag and drop from the files that are already on the DVD presumably without having to convert?
Click to expand...

No. You're asking what the difference is between ripping and copying. This article covers that very topic.

Dave Braine said:
Try Handbrake. That will give you mp4 files from dvds.
Click to expand...

Same thing. Handbrake is also ripping the media. Some prefer the individual files. I prefer when they are packaged up in a .dvdmedia grouping and are playable with the DVD player app.
 
Thanks guys, so does that mean I can get an MP4 solo file from Handbrake but not from RipIt? Didn't they pull Handbrake, or is it still useable for this?
 
Put the contents of the dvd in a folder - perhaps named after the show.
Drag the folder onto DVD Player. It'll play.
 
So it has to be a folder, I can't then put on a USB and plug into a telly like you can with the single files?
 
sbuntin said:
Put the contents of the dvd in a folder - perhaps named after the show. Drag the folder onto DVD Player. It'll play.
Click to expand...

Whoa. If a DVD's videos could be played simply by moving them into a folder, then why does every single DVD conversion utility rip the DVD before moving the files? Why go through the massive computation and programming expense if it's unnecessary? Why would any conversion programs even exist at all?

This answer doesn't pass the smell test.
 
What files to view from a DVD on to Mac?

You have a point. Although I'm talking DVDs that I made, and I think that's what he's referring to, not shop bought which are probably not so easily done.
 
dyt1983 said:
Handbrake works fine for creating MP4 files and is still available and has a recent update.



Based on what you're saying, I think you're probably wanting to convert your DVDs to single files (you mentioned AVI and MKV, and MP4 is also a similar container). From the MP4 you can store them elsewhere, save them to USB flash drives, or view them on your phone, tablet, or most recent TVs and DVD/BD players.



An added bonus is that using H.264 will improve the file size from the MPEG2 DVD format.
Click to expand...


Yes that's exactly right. Is Handbrake fairly idiot proof? I heard it was ditched few years ago. I'll give it a go. There isn't loads of bloated software and one of those ones that changes your search engine even when we tick no type thing is it?
 
First, I'm going to restrict my commentary to the use case presented: Home-recorded DVDs on a commercial "VCR-like" DVD recorder or DVD camcorder on DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. I am *NOT* going to cover Hollywood-release commercial movie DVDs bought from a store.

Recordings from these type of devices record DVD-standard MPEG-2 codec video in to a standard folder format.

Apple DVD Player can play these "folders" just fine - just drag the contents of the DVD to a folder.

Likewise, Apple DVD Player can play a disc image of the DVD, created with OS X-standard Disk Utility.

Both of these methods produce "perfect DVD copies" - with menu systems and all. In addition to that, it takes essentially only the amount of time to copy the data off the DVD (so you're limited ONLY by the speed of your DVD drive.)

But both of these options produce files/folders that are fairly large compared to other compression methods. Modern codecs like AVC (also called H.264) or even the older MPEG-4, or the newer H.265, can compress a video down to 1/4 the size of MPEG-2, with no perceptible loss in quality.

That is where utilities like Handbrake excel. They read the raw video off the DVD's folder structure, and convert it to a more highly-compressed single .m4v file. This file cannot be read by Apple DVD Player, and doesn't have the DVD menu structure, but it takes a lot less space. (Generally 1/4 the size.) This takes more time, as you're limited not just by the speed of the DVD drive, but by how fast your computer can transcode the file.

But if you're just wanting to "watch the content that's on my DVD without the DVD in the drive," Handbrake or similar are a great option.

And yes, Handbrake has gotten a lot better in recent years. The latest versions even take advantage of Intel's "QuickSync" technology in its latest CPUs to make the transcoding process *MUCH* faster. (For example, using 16 CPU threads (8 physical cores and 8 virtual "HyperThreading" cores,) on a dual-socket, quad-core-per-socket Xeon 5500-series workstation gets me about 15-30 frames per second transcoding 1080p video. But using a dual core Core i3 4000-series with QuickSync, it gets 80-100 frames per second.)
 
Anonymous Freak said:
First, I'm going to restrict my commentary to the use case presented: Home-recorded DVDs on a commercial "VCR-like" DVD recorder or DVD camcorder on DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. I am *NOT* going to cover Hollywood-release commercial movie DVDs bought from a store.

Recordings from these type of devices record DVD-standard MPEG-2 codec video in to a standard folder format.

Apple DVD Player can play these "folders" just fine - just drag the contents of the DVD to a folder.

Likewise, Apple DVD Player can play a disc image of the DVD, created with OS X-standard Disk Utility.

Both of these methods produce "perfect DVD copies" - with menu systems and all. In addition to that, it takes essentially only the amount of time to copy the data off the DVD (so you're limited ONLY by the speed of your DVD drive.)

But both of these options produce files/folders that are fairly large compared to other compression methods. Modern codecs like AVC (also called H.264) or even the older MPEG-4, or the newer H.265, can compress a video down to 1/4 the size of MPEG-2, with no perceptible loss in quality.

That is where utilities like Handbrake excel. They read the raw video off the DVD's folder structure, and convert it to a more highly-compressed single .m4v file. This file cannot be read by Apple DVD Player, and doesn't have the DVD menu structure, but it takes a lot less space. (Generally 1/4 the size.) This takes more time, as you're limited not just by the speed of the DVD drive, but by how fast your computer can transcode the file.

But if you're just wanting to "watch the content that's on my DVD without the DVD in the drive," Handbrake or similar are a great option.

And yes, Handbrake has gotten a lot better in recent years. The latest versions even take advantage of Intel's "QuickSync" technology in its latest CPUs to make the transcoding process *MUCH* faster. (For example, using 16 CPU threads (8 physical cores and 8 virtual "HyperThreading" cores,) on a dual-socket, quad-core-per-socket Xeon 5500-series workstation gets me about 15-30 frames per second transcoding 1080p video. But using a dual core Core i3 4000-series with QuickSync, it gets 80-100 frames per second.)
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, and yes, it's all home recorded DVDs, no pre recorded, so hopefully it will copy into 1 file which is what I'm after.

dyt1983 said:
Yes, it's fairly idiot-proof. If you have multiple scenes/recordings on one DVD, it can break those down into separate files. It is fairly lightweight and sparse, and has no adware/malware associated with it if you get it from the official site. It basically is a GUI front end to open-source video encoder software.
Click to expand...

Was going to ask about the discs with several shows on so that's also very handy, thanks again
 
What is this m4v file, it calls it an MP4 on the drop down on Handbrake, but I have MP4 files on my USB stick which show up and this one doesn't.

When I converted this show from the DVD on to Handbrake and used the MP4 setting, (as it was either that or MKV, and I assumed it used less space than MKV), I then put on the USB and the file isn't even visible when I plugged it into the telly. Any ideas on that one? Total mystery, and that telly plays every file I've ever thrown at it. It shows when I plug into the MBP though.

Any tips on all those settings that I have no idea what any mean in Handbrake, constant quality, variable framerate, constant framerate, encoder options, video codec etc? I'm getting a lined screen in some parts and feel sure it's something to do with the settings

P.S. Is it normal for an 1 hour 30 minute DVD conversion on handbrake which took about 10 minutes to convert, to use over 50% of the MBP battery?
 
Last edited:
thanks, is MKV better or worse quality than MP4, or AVI, and that codec 264 or 265, and MPEG 4 is not worth worrying about?

In all honesty, I have read bits and pieces but it means nothing to me because you can either compute that stuff or you can't.. 😎 I can't

Any idea why it puts another copy of the file in your iTunes folder in a folder called 'Home Movies' as well? Seems bit unnecessary as it's already in downloads
 
dyt1983 said:
MP4 and MKV have nothing to do with quality. They are containers. If we use an analogy to food, MP4 and MKV are food containers. That's why they share the same name, "containers". 😀

H.264 and H.265 are like the quality of the contents.

While the container is important because you need compatible equipment to open it, the contents are also important. For instance, if your container is a can (MKV), and your TV doesn't have a compatible can opener, then it can't get to the goodies. And let's say H.265 is milk, but your TV is lactose intolerant, then it better stick with water (H.264).

So just use MP4 and H.264. Like I wrote, if you just select the proper preset... that's all you need to do.



I've no idea. I just set it to save to my desktop.
Click to expand...

Yeh, it did save one to my desktop, and it also put one in iTunes folders. Only by pure accident I found it in that iTunes folder the following day... I'd never had known under normal circumstances

Thanks loads for your help, and your easy to understand analogy, even for a technophobe like myself, to be able to comprehend!....
 
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