How to copy any DVD to one recordable DVD

How to copy any DVD to one recordable DVD

Updated June 26, 2003 Updated the DVD Shrink method to version 2.3.
Updated June 2, 2003 Updated the Instantcopy register hack(using Instant Hidden Settings Editor instead) link and the InstantCopy update.
Updated April 22, 2003 Added DVD Shrink to DVD9 to DVD5 copying methods.

This guide will explain how to copy any DVD-Video, including menus and extra materials, to a one recordable DVD(DVD+R/W or DVD-R/W) using the simpliest, fastest and cheapest tools available. It will take about 0.5 - 6 hours including burning depending how fast your computer is, how fast your DVD Drive is and what method you are going to use.

If your DVD source is under 4.38 GB (so called DVD-5), you can make an exact copy of the DVD.
But if your DVD source is over 4.38 GB(so called DVD-9), you have to reconvert it to fit on one recordable DVD-5 which means that you will lose some video quality. (Because it doesn't exists any recordable DVD-9 media.)

Quick links

Preparation - DVD-9 or DVD-5 ?
DVD5 to DVD5 using DVD Decrypter
DVD9 to DVD5 different methods/tools
DVD9 to DVD5 using InstantCopy
DVD9 to DVD5 using DVD2ONE
DVD9 to DVD5 using DVD95Copy
DVD9 to DVD5 using DVD Shrink
Problems

Guide

Preparation - DVD-9 or DVD-5 ?
How to check if the source DVD is a DVD-5 or a DVD-9.

Tools required:
DVD Decrypter (Free software).

Insert the source DVD-Video in your DVD-ROM or DVD Writer. Launch DVD Decrypter (If you have problems running DVD Decrypter read this).
1. Select Mode -> ISO -> Read
2. Select your DVD Drive.
3. Check under Number of Layers.
If it says Number of layers: 2, it is a DVD-9 disc and then it wont fit on one recordable DVD so we must reconvert it. Jump to the DVD-9 to one recordable DVD section here.
If it says Number of layers: 1, it is a DVD-5 disc and you can then copy and rip the entire DVD as an exact copy. Jump to the DVD-5 to one recordable DVD section here.

DVD-5 to one recordable DVD
How to make a exact copy of DVD-5 Video, meaning that everything will be included on the recordable DVD such as menus and extra materials and no video quality loss.

Tools required:
DVD Decrypter (Free software).

Start DVD Decrypter to rip the DVD-Video to your HD (remove the DVD encryption). (If you have problems running DVD Decrypter read this).
1. Select Mode -> ISO -> Read
2. Select your DVD Drive.
3. Under Number of Layers: it should say 1, it is a DVD-5 disc.
4. Select where to rip. You must have more free space than the size of the DVD, check the size to the right(a.).
5. Click on the DVD>HD-image to rip the DVD to your HD.

It will take about 5-20 minutes depending how fast your DVD drive is.

Now you can directly burn the image to a recordable DVD. Insert an empty DVD-R/W or DVD+R/W in your DVD Writer. In DVD DVDDecrypter:
1. Select Mode -> ISO -> Write
2. Open your created .ISO file.
3. Select your DVD Writer
4. Burn the DVD by clicking the HD>DVD-image (test on a DVD-RW or DVD+RW first).

Done.

DVD-9 to one recordable DVD methods
I will describe four different tools. With all tools can you keep everything including menus and extra materials. The first method is using InstantCopy, it is a bit slow(2-6 hours) but keeps pretty good quality and you can burn directly with it. One method using DVD2ONE that is very very fast(15-30 minutes) and one method using DVD Shrink that also is very fast(15-30 minutes), has built in dvd decrypting and it is FREE but you can't select exact output size. And the last method using DVD95Copy that is also kinda fast(30-200 minutes). All methods requires video converting and it means that you will lose some video quality. I would recommend DVD2ONE or DVD Shrink if you want to copy quickly and InstantCopy or DVD95Copy for a bit bettter quality but it is different from movie to movie so you have try yourself. If you want to preserve the best video quality you must convert to two DVD-5s with for example DVDFab(freeware) or DVDXCopy($99 but easy to use).

DVD9 to DVD5 with InstantCopy
+Good quality
+Built in burning
-Slow
-No dvd decrypting

DVD9 to DVD5 with DVD2ONE
+Very fast
-No DVD Decrypting
-No burning

DVD9 to DVD5 with DVD95Copy
+Fast
-No DVD Decrypting
-No burning

DVD9 to DVD5 with DVD Shrink
+Very fast
+Free
+Built in DVD Decrypting
-No burning
-Can't set exact size

DVD-9 to one recordable DVD using InstantCopy
How to copy a DVD-9 Video to one recordable DVD. Using this method you will keep everything but you will lose some video quality because it requires that you reconvert the DVD-9 to one recordable DVD-5. This method will take about 2-4 hours.

Tools required:
DVD Decrypter (Free software),
Pinnacle InstanstCopy (demo available, or buy it )
Instant copy update <-- Be sure to update if you haven't !!!
Instant Hidden Settings Editor (Optional)
For more detailed Instantcopy information visit mrbass Instantcopy site here (Optional)

Start DVDDecrypter to rip the DVD-Video to your HD(remove the DVD encryption). (If you have problems running DVD Decrypter read this).
1. Select Mode -> ISO -> Read
2. Select your DVD Drive.
3. Under Number of layers it should say 2, it is a DVD-9 disc.
4. Select Mode -> FILE

Rip the movie in file mode.
1. Select Edit->Select All
2. Select where to rip the files, you must have more free space than the size of the movie, check at the bottom right(a.).
3. Click on the DVD>HD-image to rip.

It will take about 5-40 minutes depending how fast your DVD drive is.

Close DVD Decrypter.

Start InstantCopy
1. Under Source choose Hard Drive and select the folder where you ripped your file and open the VIDEO_TS.IFO file.
2. Choose your DVD Writer (or Hard Drive to make a image first)
3. Click on Details
4. Under DVD -> Copy Method change to Customized size and under Preferred Destination choose DVD.
5. Hit Start to configure the output size and convert

Configure video size settings
To get the best possible video quality you should reduce the video size for all extra materials as much as possible and let the main video title have the highest possible video size. You can also deselect extra materials that you do not want to include but you must then download the Instant Hidden Settings Editor and set DVDMagic to true.

1. Under the contents you can select each video title or menu and configure its settings. To select the menu click on the Video Tracks.
2. Under the time you will see how long the title is, the main video title is the longest one the others are usually menus, trailers and other extra materials.
3. Under the Video size you can configure how much you want reduce the file size. Drag the bar to change the size. Lower all titles that are not the movie (or tv serie main titles).
4. Under Audio you can select what audio tracks to keep. If you remove many you get more size to the main movie which means better video quality.
5. Under Subtitles you can select what subtitles to keep. If you want the subtitles to work keep all subtitles or else it wont work as it should(it is a bug that may be fixed in future versions).

Before hitting start, select the main movie title and drag the video size to 4.32 GB. The Data size bar at the bottom should be green.
6. Hit start to start convert

InstantCopy will now convert your DVD-9 to one DVD-5. It will take about 1-6 hours.

Last burn the video when the insert an empy DVD popups(be sure to try on RW media first).
(If you have choosed to make an iso(destination Hard Drive) you can burn it with InstantCopy later, just launch InstantCopy and select Hard Drive under source and open the pdi image file. To burn with another tool or use Virtual Daemon, convert the pdi image file to standard iso with pdi2iso)

Done.

DVD-9 to one recordable DVD using DVD2ONE
How to copy a DVD-9 Video to one recordable DVD. Using this method you will lose some video quality because it requires that you reconvert the DVD-9 to one recordable DVD-5. It will only take about about 30-60 minutes to convert and burn it.

Tools required:
DVD Decrypter (Free software),
DVD2ONE (Trial available)
CopyToDVD (Trial available).

Start DVDDecrypter to rip the DVD-Video to your HD(remove the DVD encryption). (If you have problems running DVD Decrypter read this).
1. Select Mode -> ISO -> Read
2. Select your DVD Drive.
3. Under Number of layers it should say 2, it is a DVD-9 disc.
4. Select Mode -> FILE

It will take about 5-40 minutes depending how fast your DVD drive is.

Close DVD Decrypter.

Reconvert(transcode) with DVD2ONE.
Launch DVD2ONE
1. Choose the source where you ripped the DVD files.
2. Choose a new destination, create a new empty VIDEO_TS folder. It requires a 4.38 GB new free HD space.
3. Select Full disk under Copy Mode if you want to keep all menus and extra materials. If you only want the main movie choose movie-only under Copy Mode. If you choose movie-only you will get a bit better video quality, especially if it is very much extra materials and big menus. But if you want everything you must use Full disk.
4. Hit Next

(Optional, only if converting in movie-only copy mode)
1. Select the main movie, the part that is the longest.
2. Hit Next

1. Select which audio tracks you want to keep. If you remove many audio tracks the video quality may improve a bit.
2. Select which subtitles you want to keep.
3. Select Angle 1.
4. Hit Next to convert to one DVD.

It will take about 15-30 minutes.

Burning with CopyToDVD. It is a very simple burning tool that can burn DVD-Video.
Start CopyToDVD
1. Select File -> Write DVD Video
2. Select the video_ts.ifo file that you find where you converted your video.
Now will CopyToDVD burn the video. Try first on RW media.

(You can also use InstantDVD, Nero, Prassi PrimoDVD or RecordNow Max to burn the VIDEO_TS folder.)

Done.

DVD-9 to one recordable DVD using DVD95Copy
How to copy a DVD-9 Video to one recordable DVD. Using this method you will lose some video quality because it requires that you reconvert the DVD-9 to one recordable DVD-5. It will take about about 30-200 minutes to convert and burn it.

Tools required:
DVD Decrypter (Free software),
DVD95Copy (Trial available)
CopyToDVD (Trial available).

Start DVDDecrypter to rip the DVD-Video to your HD(remove the DVD encryption). (If you have problems running DVD Decrypter read this).
1. Select Mode -> ISO -> Read
2. Select your DVD Drive.
3. Under Number of layers it should say 2, it is a DVD-9 disc.
4. Select Mode -> FILE

Rip the main movie in file mode.
1. Select Edit->Select All
2. Select where to rip the files, you must have more free space than the size of the main movie, check at the bottom right(a.).
3. Click on the DVD>HD-image to rip.

It will take about 5-40 minutes depending how fast your DVD drive is.

Close DVD Decrypter.

Reconvert(transcode) with DVD95Copy.
Launch DVD95Copy
1. Click on open DVD and open the VIDEO_TS folder you just have ripped.
2. Select what audio tracks and subtitles track to keep. By getting rid of the other tracks you don't need, the movie doesn't need to be recompressed too much, which results in a better video quality of the movie.
3. Select a new destination. You need at least 4.38 GB free HD space.
4. Click to change between Repack extras down to: or Repack evenly. "Repack extras down to:" means that the extra materials will be be compressed with maximum compression and "Repack evenly" means that they will be compressed evenly. Choose "Repack extras down to" if you want a bit better quality on the main movie but then a bit worse quality on the extra materials.
5. Hit Start

It will take about 30-200 minutes.

(You can also use InstantDVD, Nero, Prassi PrimoDVD or RecordNow Max to burn the VIDEO_TS folder.)

Done.

DVD-9 to one recordable DVD using DVD Shrink
How to copy a DVD-9 Video to one recordable DVD. Using this method you will lose some video quality because it requires that you reconvert the DVD-9 to one recordable DVD-5. It will take about about 20-180 minutes to convert and burn it.

Tools required:
(Optional DVD Decrypter ( Free software)),
DVD Shrink 2.3 (Free software)
CopyToDVD (Trial available).

Start DVD Shrink 2.3
You can use DVD Shrink to both rip and convert directly.
1. Select Open Disc
2. Select your DVD and click OK
(1b. You can also use DVD Decrypter to first decrypt the DVD and then you choose Open Files and open the video_ts.ifo from the decrypted dvd files)

Reducing the video size, first we reduce the menus and extras video size as much as possible so we can use highest possible quality on the main video
1. Select the Extras
2. Choose maximum compression, Level 9-10 or use still pictures for maximum compression. More compression means that we can have higher quality for the main movie.
3. Select the Menus
4. Choose maximum compression. I usually use still pictures for the menus.

Now reduce the main movie size

1. Select Main movie
2. Deselect any audio tracks you don't want, leave at least one AC3 track.
3. Deselect any subtitles track you don't want
4. Select the lowest level nearest the DVDR/W 4456 MB size limit (5.). Lower level means less compression which means less video quality degration. Try use a level lower then 7-8(if it wont fit even if you select level 8-10 then I would recommend to split to two discs with another tool, but you can always try and burn on DVDRW to see how it looks like).

To start convert

1. Hit Backup!
2. Select where to save the new DVD, i usually make a VIDEO_TS folder
3. Select region free
4. If no Provider ID then add anything
5. Check so you have same free space as the size of the new DVD.
6. Hit OK.

It will take 20-120 minutes depending how fast your computer is

Done converting.

Burning with CopyToDVD. It is a very simple burning tool that can burn DVD-Video.
Start CopyToDVD
1. Select File -> Write DVD Video
2. Select the video_ts.ifo file that you find where you converted your video.
Now will CopyToDVD burn the video. Try first on RW media.

(You can also use InstantDVD, Nero, Prassi PrimoDVD or RecordNow Max to burn the VIDEO_TS folder.)

Done.

Problems

DVD Decrypter problems:
DVD Decrypter requires ASPI, you can check if you have ASPI installed by download the Adaptec ASPI and run the aspichk.exe test tool. If Adaptec ASPI do not work try ForceASPI or Nero ASPI.

Playback problems:
If you experience playback problems be sure to try different media first.

DVD-9 to one recordable DVD playback problems:
If you experience playback problems be sure to try different burning tools. Many users have reported playback problems using Nero.

The quality suck after I converted with DVD2ONE, InstantCopy or DVD95Copy?
In DVD2ONE try choose movie-only. In InstantCopy and DVD95Copy compress the extra materials as much as possible. But if you want to keep the video quality then copy the DVD-9 to two DVDs with for example DVDFab(freeware) or DVDXCopy($99 but easy to use).

View user comments or post your own comments/issues about this guide here.