Yes, a DVD burning question.

[Mitchapalooza]

Before anyone says it, yes, I searched the hell out of the forums and Google before posting this. Also, sorry if this is not the correct forum, this is the only one it seems to fit with. So here it is. I need to know if it is possible to copy a commercial DVD using only Disk Utility. A friend of mine told me that I could do it without using Handbrake or MTR by using Disk Utility and DL DVDs. So after wasting two DVDs, I'm now wondering if this is true. I have read a few guides on the web and watched a video on YouTube explaining the process. All of these sources say the exact same thing as my friend. I've followed the processes perfectly, but the output I get does not play in any DVD players in the house (which I'm aware that not all DVD players support some DL discs), nor will it play in either of my PCs or my MBP.

So, after saying all that, I just want to know if it is possible without Handbrake and MTR? Like I said, several guides claim it can be done, and my friend said that that's the only way he copies movies (and he's the kind of guy that doesn't lie about stuff as far as I know).

I am fully aware that it is unlawful to copy commercial DVDs for distribution or anything other than private use. This is one of the reasons I would rather use Disk Utility. From what I understand, it copies everything (including any encryptions). All I want are legitimate backup copies of my DVDs and I would prefer to do it the easiest way possible as I do not have the money for burning software like Toast right now. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[spinnerlys]

Disk Utility won't work with copy protected video DVDs.

There is MTR and RipIt for that, Handbrake only converts MPEG-2 DVD video and other formats to something else, like an .avi (Xvid, ...) or .mp4 (.h264).

To duplicate commercial video DVDs you need a rip software to remove the copy protection scheme and then can use a software called Burn (free) to burn the ripped DVD to a DL-DVD.

 

[Mitchapalooza]

I haven't heard of Burn yet. Thanks I'll check that out. I don't know what my friend was thinking, maybe he smokes crack. Thanks for the help.

 

[spice weasel]

Could you use Disk Utility to make a disk image of a Fairmount mounted commercial DVD? Never tried it, since I just use MTR. Just wondering.

 

[Primejimbo]

So what are the steps I need to do to "back up" a movie onto another DVD? I read this and not sure what steps to start with and so on.

Thanks

 

[Mitchapalooza]

Not really sure, if you find out let me know. I still can't get it to work.

So what are the steps I need to do to "back up" a movie onto another DVD? I read this and not sure what steps to start with and so on.

Thanks

 

[spinnerlys]

So what are the steps I need to do to "back up" a movie onto another DVD? I read this and not sure what steps to start with and so on.

Thanks

Not really sure, if you find out let me know. I still can't get it to work.

Two ways.

A

1. Put DVD into drive.
2. Open a rip software like MacTheRipper or RipIt and rip/copy the DVD to your HDD.
3. Use a DVD burning software like Toast or Burn to burn the DVD contents (Video_TS folder) to another appropriate DVD (single layer - 4.7GB, dual layer - 8.x GB).


B

1. Put DVD into drive.
2. Use Disk Utility to make an image of the DVD (it will not work with copy protected DVDs, thats why the steps in A are there.

3. Use Disk Utility to burn the image to appropriate DVD (single layer - 4.7GB, dual layer - 8.x GB).


Or C, use a search engine like MRoogle, as there are many threads around here discussing the issue.

Also: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/making_dvd_copies.html via a search engine.

 

[Mitchapalooza]

Yeah, I've actually already tried all that. For whatever reason, whenever I try to burn the Video_TS folder using Burn I one of two things happens: It won't burn and I get an error message saying "there was a problem authoring DVD." Or, it goes through the entire burn process and at the end I get some other sort of error. I can't remember what that error message is though.

 

[Mitchapalooza]

Ok, so it turns out that the discs I was able to burn actually do work, but only on my Mac. None of the discs I've burned will play on my home DVD player nor can I play them on a PC. I tried using my work PC the other day and all it shows when I pop the disc in is an empty DVD, no files show. When I pop it into my Mac, it shows just like it does when I insert the original.

I'm guessing I'm not burning in the right format? What format do I need to burn the discs in? I've tried burning a couple of different ways. I tried burning using Burn and I select DVD-video and it won't play. I've also tried burning as a data disc in DVD (UDF) setting. I even tried burning a Master DVD with Disk Utility and none of them work except for on my Mac. What's going wrong?

Edit:
Oh yeah, when I pop the disc into a normal DVD player it just says that there is no video or audio data.