Putting video from a DVD onto a hard drive - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

AndrewL. · 2012-07-09, 01:07 PM

How do I get a DVD video (recorded DVD's, not movie discs) onto my PC's hard drive as a video file?

sleemo · 2012-07-10, 07:16 AM

DVD Shrink has always worked for me.

AndrewL. · 2012-07-11, 02:54 PM

DVDShrink? Isn't that for compressing video files to fit the vid onto a DVD disk?

Anyways, I actually figured out how to do it. I just drag the file off the disc into my videos folder.

But...that was a "plus" format DVD. Will my PC's DVD drive be able to play "minus" disks (which I need to be able to get the 16:9 format videos from my old Digital-8 camcorder) even if it may not be able to actually burn them?

AndrewL. · 2012-07-12, 03:13 AM

My worst fear came true tonight when I tried to play my recorded DVD-R video on my PC drive. This is especially irksome when I read that almost all DVD drives nowadays are compatible with DVD-R. Does anyone know how much DVD-R/RW drives cost?

Or could a computer shop transfer 16:9 non-file videos via some other media for me?

snorlax · 2012-07-12, 08:22 AM

If your DVD drive can "see" the files on your DVD-R disk, DVD shrink can make a perfect copy on your HD drive. It's shrinking ablilities are optional. As you said all DVD drives available today (and for the past few years) are +R and -R compatible so I doubt you need a new drive.

classicsat · 2012-07-12, 08:36 AM

PC drives, at least SATA are cheap, $20 last I priced them. They are basic CD/DVD reader/writer drives, and read and write all CD, DVD -, and DVD + formats. Pay a little more and you can get a lightscribe capable drive.

AndrewL. · 2012-07-12, 10:32 AM

My drive can't play the disk at all. It simply shows the disk as a blank DVD-ROM and Windows displays "Add files to disc" or something similar.

If drives only start at $20, it would be no big deal to replace it. But my PC is a laptop. Would replacing it even be possible? My laptop is an Asus X53Z.

Footballer · 2012-07-12, 10:35 AM

If the recorded DVD was not finalized it may not play in any device.

james99 · 2012-07-12, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleemo

DVD Shrink has always worked for me.

Ditto, been using for years.

AndrewL. · 2012-07-12, 12:51 PM

Quote:

If the recorded DVD was not finalized it may not play in any device.

Including the recorder the disk was made on? It played on there.

57 · 2012-07-12, 01:55 PM

It'll play there because you can still add programming until finalize.

snorlax · 2012-07-12, 03:11 PM

The drive that made the disk puts a temporary TOC (table of contents) file on the disk so it can be read and added to. That TOC is not seen by a standard DVD playback drive and MAY not be seen by another DVD writer depending on the brand. The finalization process creates the final TOC and puts it on the disk in a standard location where it can be seen by all players.

AndrewL. · 2012-07-13, 10:15 PM

I guess that applies to DVD-R disks only?

Another thing I've been wondering, would it be better buy good VHS and firewire/DV cards instead of using a DVD recorder to capture VHS and 8mm videos? I have a StarTech SVID2USB2 capture card now but it doesn't do a good job I find.

AndrewL. · 2012-07-17, 09:05 PM

Anyone?

sleemo · 2012-07-20, 06:54 AM

It's not because it's a DVD-R, it's the recording device. It's not finalizing the disc. Look at this Google search to help you read your disc.

Get a firewire card to capture 8mm tapes. VHS doesn't have firewire support, you'll need a capture device like your StarTech, but one that doesn't suck. Try Hauppauge.

2012-07-09, 01:07 PM	#1
AndrewL. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 140	Putting video from a DVD onto a hard drive How do I get a DVD video (recorded DVD's, not movie discs) onto my PC's hard drive as a video file?

2012-07-12, 03:13 AM	#4
AndrewL. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 140	My worst fear came true tonight when I tried to play my recorded DVD-R video on my PC drive. This is especially irksome when I read that almost all DVD drives nowadays are compatible with DVD-R. Does anyone know how much DVD-R/RW drives cost? Or could a computer shop transfer 16:9 non-file videos via some other media for me? Last edited by 57; 2012-07-12 at 09:56 AM. Reason: Language

2012-07-12, 08:22 AM	#5
snorlax Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Thornhill, Ontario Posts: 391	If your DVD drive can "see" the files on your DVD-R disk, DVD shrink can make a perfect copy on your HD drive. It's shrinking ablilities are optional. As you said all DVD drives available today (and for the past few years) are +R and -R compatible so I doubt you need a new drive. __________________ Rogers Employee. My posts should not be considered as coming from an authorized corporate source.

2012-07-12, 01:55 PM	#11
57 Moderator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Toronto, Rogers, 8300HD, eHDD, Panasonic TCP65S1, Denon AVR4310Ci; 8300HD, eHDD & Sony KDL40W3000 Posts: 50,297	It'll play there because you can still add programming until finalize. __________________ 57's Home Theatre (Latest equipment & photos) 57's Optimization Services (Home Theatre Optimization)

2012-07-12, 03:11 PM	#12
snorlax Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Thornhill, Ontario Posts: 391	The drive that made the disk puts a temporary TOC (table of contents) file on the disk so it can be read and added to. That TOC is not seen by a standard DVD playback drive and MAY not be seen by another DVD writer depending on the brand. The finalization process creates the final TOC and puts it on the disk in a standard location where it can be seen by all players. __________________ Rogers Employee. My posts should not be considered as coming from an authorized corporate source.

2012-07-10, 07:16 AM	#2
sleemo Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The Scarb Posts: 2,781	DVD Shrink has always worked for me.

2012-07-11, 02:54 PM	#3
AndrewL. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 140	DVDShrink? Isn't that for compressing video files to fit the vid onto a DVD disk? Anyways, I actually figured out how to do it. I just drag the file off the disc into my videos folder. But...that was a "plus" format DVD. Will my PC's DVD drive be able to play "minus" disks (which I need to be able to get the 16:9 format videos from my old Digital-8 camcorder) even if it may not be able to actually burn them?

2012-07-12, 08:36 AM	#6
classicsat Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kincardine ON. Posts: 3,942	PC drives, at least SATA are cheap, $20 last I priced them. They are basic CD/DVD reader/writer drives, and read and write all CD, DVD -, and DVD + formats. Pay a little more and you can get a lightscribe capable drive.

2012-07-12, 10:32 AM	#7
AndrewL. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 140	My drive can't play the disk at all. It simply shows the disk as a blank DVD-ROM and Windows displays "Add files to disc" or something similar. If drives only start at $20, it would be no big deal to replace it. But my PC is a laptop. Would replacing it even be possible? My laptop is an Asus X53Z.

2012-07-12, 10:35 AM	#8
Footballer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 81	If the recorded DVD was not finalized it may not play in any device.

2012-07-13, 10:15 PM	#13
AndrewL. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 140	I guess that applies to DVD-R disks only? Another thing I've been wondering, would it be better buy good VHS and firewire/DV cards instead of using a DVD recorder to capture VHS and 8mm videos? I have a StarTech SVID2USB2 capture card now but it doesn't do a good job I find.

2012-07-17, 09:05 PM	#14
AndrewL. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 140	Anyone?

2012-07-20, 06:54 AM	#15
sleemo Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The Scarb Posts: 2,781	It's not because it's a DVD-R, it's the recording device. It's not finalizing the disc. Look at this Google search to help you read your disc. Get a firewire card to capture 8mm tapes. VHS doesn't have firewire support, you'll need a capture device like your StarTech, but one that doesn't suck. Try Hauppauge.

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