Step by step guide on how to extract and convert files from DVD to mpeg or other formats using Videolan VLC Media Player program, for example, for uploading to YouTube.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Old version of VLC
Step 1. Open DVD
Launch the VLC program and go to the File menu. Select Open Disc … A dialog box will open. Go to the Disk tab. In the Disc Type field, select DVD (not DVD (disc menu)). Enter the letter of your DVD-ROM drive in the device name field and 0 in the name field. Click OK to see if this is indeed the drive from which you want to extract information. If you only have one optical drive, the data should already be filled in correctly.
Step 2. Extracting information from the disk
If this is the drive you want, select Open Disc … again from the File menu. At the bottom of the dialog box, there should be an Advanced Options box. Select Play / Save.
Step 3. Change the settings
There should be a Settings button next to the Play / Save button. Click it. Uncheck the Play locally checkbox if it is checked (so it will not play when copied). Below this field there should be a File checkbox. Install it and in the Browse box next to it choose where you want to save the file. When entering the file name, be sure to add the.m4v extension at the end so that it will be saved as an h.264 MPEG 10 video file. Below the File field is the Encapsulation Method field, select MP4. Even lower should be the Transcoding Methods field. In it select MP4V for Video Codec and MP4A for Audio Codec. Click OK and then OK again in the next window. VLC will start copying the disc to your hard drive.
Method 2 of 2: VLC 0.9.6 and up
Step 1. Open DVD
Go to the Media menu and select Convert / Save.
Step 2. Select the Disc tab and set the Start Position to the correct Title / Chapter values
(You can find the correct Title / Chapter by previewing the disc using Media / Open Disc.) Click Convert / Save.
Step 3. Enter the file name and start copying
Select the File check box and enter a file name ending in.mpg.
Step 4. Click Get Started
It will take some time.
Advice
- Whenever you want to view a file using VLC, be sure to uncheck the Play / Save checkbox in the Open dialog, otherwise your two hours of decoding will be wasted.
- Be prepared to wait. VLC saves the movie the same way it plays it, so it will take as long as the movie is to copy. You can see how much is left at the bottom of the browse screen, where the time is shown.
Warnings
- If you stop or pause the movie at any point, the file conversion will stop and all data will be lost. To prevent this from happening, leave it constantly running.
- It is illegal to copy copyrighted material for purposes other than personal backup or fair use.