How to Convert DVD to Digital with 6 Best DVD to Digital Converters

Just want to sit on the couch and play DVD content with a finger-controlled remote control? Don't want to damage your DVD disks during daily playback? Converting DVD to digital format can help you solve this problem. In this article, we will provide you with 6 best DVD to digital converters and show you step-by-step tutorials on how to use them to help manage your content for easy playback on any phone, tablet, and other devices.

What You Need to Convert DVD to Digital

You will need to prepare some hardware and software as below to convert DVD to digital formats:

1. Your DVD disc(s).
2. A DVD drive. If your desktop or laptop computer does not have an optical drive, you will need an external DVD drive. Most software requires access to the DVD through the computer drive in order to perform the playback or ripping process.
3. A program that can convert DVD to digital.

A Quick Overview of the 6 DVD to Digital Converters

Provides the basic factors of 6 methods for converting DVD to digital, and helps you quickly choose the one that suits you the best.

6 Methods to Convert DVD to Digital Format (Tutorial)

Method 1. How to Convert DVD to Digital Fast with DVDFab DVD Ripper

DVDFab DVD Ripper is powerful and versatile software that allows you to convert DVD to digital formats with ease. It supports over 1000 output formats and has presets for popular devices, such as phones and tablets, iOS or Android, so you can enjoy your movies on any device. The software also provides advanced video editing tools for customization, such as trimming, cropping, adding subtitles, etc., allowing you to quickly create personalized, high-quality videos DVDFab DVD Ripper is the perfect solution for all your DVD conversion needs.

Step-by-step guides: how to convert DVD to digital format using DVDFab DVD Ripper

Step 1. Visit the product page and click the "Try for Free" button to download and install DVDFab DVD Ripper on your computer. Or, you can use the download options below. It is included in the DVDFab installer.

Step 2. Launch DVDFab and switch to the Ripper module. And then insert the DVD you want to convert into your PC drive. DVDFab will automatically detect and analyze the DVD.

Step 3. Once the analyzing process is complete, you will see the title (usually the longest of the DVD) on the interface. If you wish to pick another title or add more titles, click the "Choose Other Titles" to proceed.

Step 4. Click the "Choose other profile" option to choose the output format. You can select commonly used video and audio formats such as MP4, MKV, MP3, and FLAC, or those Device profiles dedicated to certain devices.

Step 5. Customize the audio tracks and subtitles. You can remove unwanted audio tracks and subtitles, trim & merge the titles, rip audio from DVD, and set output quality to standard or high quality according to your needs.

Step 6. Go to the Video Editor window for advanced video editing features. You can crop, add video effects such as brightness, contrast, saturation, and more; add text or pictures as watermarks, and external *.srt, *.ass, *.ssa or *.smi subtitles to the video; adjust audio volume and enhance human voice as well as change the playback speed to 1.25x or 2x, etc.

Step 7. Click the “Start” button to convert DVD to digital. DVDFab DVD Ripper will convert the DVD into the selected digital format.

DVDFab automatically detects and enables GPU hardware acceleration if available, so it will convert DVD to digital formats at a fast speed.

Step 8. Wait till the conversion process is complete; you can find the converted file on your computer and transfer it to your tablet or other portable device for playback.

Method 2. How to Convert DVD to Digital Free with XMedia Recode

XMedia Recode is a versatile Windows-only tool that allows you to convert DVD to digital as well as digitize unprotected Blu-rays and change the format of other video files. This software provides a variety of output formats and device profiles available, allowing you to easily select from iPhone, iPad, Xbox360, and more. It also provides basic video editing features, such as cropping, adjusting video color, and importing subtitles. If you are looking for a free DVD to digital converter, you might give Xmedia Recode a try.

Check the steps for how to convert DVD to digital free using XMedia Recode here: 

Step 1. Download and install XMedia Recode from the official website.

Step 2. Insert the DVD into your computer’s DVD drive.

Step 3. Open XMedia Recode and click "Open Disc" in the top toolbar.

Step 4. Select the DVD drive and click "OK" to open the DVD in XMedia Recode. You will see all the titles available in the source DVD.

Step 5. Select the title you wish to convert, and select the output format as MP4 or any other option you like.

Step 6. Customize any other settings, like editing characters, setting video & audio mode, etc.

Step 7. Set the output destination in the lower area; you can click on the "Browse..." button to change it.

Step 8. Press the "Encode" button on the top bar menu and initiate the conversion of DVD to digital.

Method 3. How to Convert DVD to Digital Free and in High Quality with MakeMKV

MakeMKV is a versatile and free DVD to digital converter that is available on multiple platforms. Unlike XMedia Recode, MakeMKV specializes in converting DVDs to MKV format without any loss in quality. This means that the output file will retain the same high quality as the original DVD. MakeMKV can convert copy-protected DVDs for free. This can be useful if you have a collection of DVDs to back up or watch on different devices. However, it is important to note that the resulting MKV file may be larger in size, which could be an issue for those with limited storage space.

How to digitize DVDs to MKV format for free using MakeMKV? Follow the steps here:

Step 1. Download and install MakeMKV BETA on your Windows, Mac, or Linux PC.

Step 2. Launch MakeMKV and insert the DVD into your PC drive.

Step 3. Click the "File" on the top left, select "Open disc" from the list, and then choose the drive that contains the DVD you want to digitize.

Step 4. Choose the titles, audio, and subtitles you want to include in the MKV file.

Step 5. Click the "Set output folder" button on the right to choose a save path.

Step 6. Click the "Make MKV" button on the right end to convert DVD to digital file.

Method 4. How to Convert DVD to Digital Free with HandBrake

HandBrake is another efficient and versatile DVD to digital converter that offers MP4, MKV, and WebM as output options for converting your DVDs into digital formats. Although there are only 3 formats, they are compatible with most of the players. This free tool has built-in preset lists, which make it easy for users to get started without having to worry about complex settings. Whether you're looking to convert DVD to iPad compatible format or simply want to create a digital backup of your collection, HandBrake is the perfect tool for the job, except that it can only deal with unprotected sources.

Here are the guides on how to convert DVD to digital free with HandBrake:

Step 1. Download and install HandBrake on your computer.

Step 2. Insert the DVD you wish to digitize into your DVD drive. Launch HandBrake, and select your DVD drive under Source Selection.

Step 3. Wait till HandBrake analyses the titles, and select the needed title from the "Title" list.

Step 4. Set a "Preset" and select the "Format" to MP4, MKV, or WebM in the "Summary" tab, and then adjust any other settings you want to change, such as rotating the video, adding filters, importing subtitles, etc.

Step 5. Click the "Browse" button and select the output destination.

Step 6. Click the "Start Encode" button to begin converting DVD to digital format.

Step 7. Simply wait for the process to complete and check the created file in the selected destination folder.

Method 5. How to Convert DVD to Digital Free with a Software Player - VLC media player

VLC media player is a multifunctional software player specialized in playing a variety of files, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. Surprisingly, it can also convert DVD to digital formats, including MP4, TS, OGG, and more. It works well with homemade DVDs, but for commercial DVDs, you will need to install an additional library if you want to digitize them too, as commercial DVDs are normally copy protected.

Steps for how to convert DVD to digital using VLC media player:

Step 1. Download and install VLC media player on your computer.

Step 2. Insert the DVD into your PC drive.

Step 3. Run VLC media player, click "Media" and select "Convert / Save" from the drop-down menu.

Step 4. In the "Open Media" window, switch to the "Disc" tab and select "DVD". Browse for the disc from the DVD drive, and then click "Convert / Save" to move to the next step.

Step 5. Choose a format from the "Profile" list. You can choose MP4, Webm, or TS per your preference. Click the "wrench" button to customize the video, audio, and subtitles.

Step 6. Click the "Start" button to begin the conversion and wait for it to complete.

Method 6. How to Convert DVD to Digital with VUDU's disc to digital service

VUDU’s disc to digital service allows users to convert their physical discs into digital files without a DVD drive. The process is simple: scan, convert, and watch on VUDU-enabled devices. If you only have a small collection of DVDs, VUDU is a rather useful option to convert DVD to digital. The in-home service Vudu To Go has been discontinued; however, you can still use the In Mobile Disc to Digital option to get digital copies of your DVDs through your Android or iOS phone.

How to convert DVD to digital using VUDU's Disc to Digital service from your mobile device?

Find the step information here:

Step 1. Visit http://vudu.com/disc (on your Android/iOS mobile device) and tap "Convert Disc".

Step 2. Create an account or sign in directly if you already have an account.

Step 3. Allow app permissions and make sure to get the notice “You’ve successfully allowed Disc to Digital to access” on the screen.

Step 4. Get the DVD you own and wish to digitize, scan the UPC barcode on the back of the DVD case, pay, and start to convert DVD to digital (DVD to HDX for $5 plus tax and to SD for $2 plus tax). It will take a while; wait till it completes and watch instantly.

FAQ about converting DVD to digital

Q1: I don't need the video or audio. Is there a way to extract subtitles only from a DVD?

Sure. Besides converting DVD to digital video & audio formats, you can also use DVDFab DVD Ripper to get only subtitles from DVDs. Here is how to digitize DVDs in the way you need:

Step 1. Download and run DVDFab DVD Ripper.

Step 2. Input the DVD to the drive and let DVDFab detect and load the disc as the source.

Step 3. Select the movie title, and pick the subtitle streams you want under the Subtitle tab.

Step 4. Click the "Choose other profile" window, and on the left, choose "Subtitle", and pick "SRT" as output type.

Step 5. Set the output destination on the main interface and press "Start". Wait for it to complete; you will then get the subtitles desired in the output path.

Q2: How to digitize DVDs to Plex?

You can use DVDFab DVD Ripper, MakeMKV, HandBrake, or any other methods mentioned in this article to convert DVD to digital formats like MKV and MP4 and import them to your Plex on your desktop or laptop. The Plex server can automatically detect and scan your library in the selected directory.

Conclusion

When it comes to converting your DVD to digital formats, having the right tool can make all the difference. While options like VUDU may not be suitable for large DVD collections, MakeMKV stands out as a reliable and user-friendly converter that preserves the quality of your DVDs. For those seeking more output options and customization, XMedia Recode, Handbrake, and VLC are solid choices, though they may not be ideal for commercial DVDs.

However, for a comprehensive solution that can handle both commercial and homemade DVDs with ease, DVDFab DVD Ripper is highly recommended. With its extensive range of output profiles, you can easily find the perfect format for your needs. Whether you’re looking to create digital backups or simply enjoy your movies in a more convenient way, DVDFab DVD Ripper has you covered.