Do you have a collection of DVDs at home? With a DVD ripper, you can extract the media files into digital files, which you can add to your Plex Media library to improve your entertainment experience.
A good DVD ripper for Plex should extract all the information in any DVD, including files, folders, and metadata, bypass any disc protections, and convert the files into various file formats supported by Plex.
Below is a look at some of the DVD rippers you can use with Plex, their best features, and their pros and cons.
1. MakeMKV
MakeMKV is a free DVD ripper that allows you to extract video files from DVDs and convert them into digital MKV files that you can add to your Plex library.
It also extracts audio tracks and all related metadata information from DVDs, thus helping improve your library organization.
MakeMKV is available for free. It can also be used on several platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX.
Best features:
- Preserves the original quality of the video files and audio tracks.
- Extracts and preserves folders, chapters, and meta information (audio type, track language, subtitles, etc.).
- Supports both DVDs and Blu-ray discs and can rip Blu-ray discs with BD+ and AACS encryption.
- Efficient conversion speeds.
Pros:
- It is very easy to set up and use.
- Without additional decryption tools, it can rip most discs, including protected Blu-ray discs.
- It does an excellent job of maintaining the original quality of the files on the DVDs.
- It extracts and preserves metadata information, making it easy to organize your Plex library.
- It is free (the Blu-ray ripping feature is also free in the beta version).
Cons:
- It can only rip files into MKV format.
- MKV files are large, so you might need to transcode them before moving them to your Plex library.
2. DVDFab DVD Ripper
DVDFab is another top DVD ripper you can use with your Plex media server. It allows you to convert files from DVDs and Blu-ray discs into multiple supported digital formats to add to Plex.
It also has several hardware acceleration features that allow you to rip your DVD at an impressive speed.
Best features:
- Over 1000 supported video and audio formats, including lossless conversion and high-quality compression formats.
- GPU acceleration that offers up to 50x faster ripping speeds.
- A built-in video editor to enhance your video files after ripping them.
- A cloud decryption service that supports that allows you to rip DVDs with the latest encryptions.
- AI-video enhancement feature that can upscale your video files from 480p to 1080p.
Pros:
- It supports multiple output formats, giving you plenty of options for your Plex media library.
- It is extremely fast.
- It has cool add-on features like an AI video enhancer, subtitle converter, and metadata generator.
- It has a multi-tasking mode allows you to batch-convert your DVDs into digital files.
- It is available in both free and premium versions.
Cons:
- Learning to use the ripper and all the add-on tools can take some time.
- The free version lacks most features, like hardware acceleration, and only supports MKV and MP4 output formats in 480p resolution.
3. Handbrake
Handbrake is an open-source transcoding application for ripping DVDs into digital files that can be added to the Plex library.
The application can also convert your existing digital files (and their corresponding audio files) into other formats.
Handbrake has several read-many preset output formats based on modern and popular file formats. You can also create and save your preferred output formats.
Best features:
- Ready-made presets based on output formats and resolutions, device support, and platform use (web, email, social media, etc.).
- Preset management feature to create custom presets or import them from another location.
- Subtitle editing and customized audio codecs.
- Video editing features, like orientation flip, cropping, rotating, resolution change, and border editing.
Pros:
- It is a versatile tool that you can use to rip your DVDs or transcode your digital files.
- It offers several video, audio, and subtitle editing features.
- Offers batch processing, allowing you to add several files to the queue and transcode them with a single output preset.
- It is open source, therefore, 100% completely free.
Cons:
- It can be slow, especially if you use a device without robust hardware.
- Getting used to all the features takes time, especially the custom presets.
4. WinX DVD Ripper
WinX Free DVD Ripper is another popular application for converting DVDs into digital files for the Plex media server. It has an easy-to-use interface and a simple ripping process.
WinX Free DVD Ripper supports over 350 profiles, allowing you to convert your DVDs into Plex-supported formats or formats supported by other devices.
The application can also make an uncompressed and original DVD copy on your PC.
Best features:
- Over 350 supported output formats, including MP4, MKV, and MOV.
- Hardware acceleration to optimize your DVD ripping speeds.
- AI resolution enhancer from 480p to 1080p.
- Video editing features to customize your video, audio, and subtitle files.
Pros:
- It can rip DVDs into multiple output formats.
- Has a user-friendly interface and an easy DVD-ripping process.
- It comes with hardware acceleration that offers fast ripping speeds.
- Has several cool features, such as an AI resolution enhancer, DVD backup, and video editing tools.
Cons:
- It does not support the ripping of Blu-ray discs.
- The free version has limited features.
5. Freemake DVD Ripper
Freemake DVD Ripper is another excellent option for digitizing your DVDs into digital files that you can add to your Plex library or save to your PC or cloud storage.
It has over 20 video formats, allowing you to transcode your files into formats compatible with various devices.
Freemake DVD ripper also offers hardware acceleration for improved ripping speeds. It is one of the few free DVD rippers for Plex that offers this feature.
Best features:
- It offers over 20 supported output formats, including MKV, MP4, MPEG, DVD, AVI, 3GP, and FLV.
- An inbuilt decrypting tool that extracts files from all discs, including encrypted ones.
- Video editing features to customize your video files before ripping.
- GPU acceleration for faster DVD ripping.
- Output file size limit to keep your converted files small.
Pros:
- It comes with several ready-made output formats and profiles.
- Very easy to use, and the ripping process is straightforward.
- Can rip both DVDs and Blu-ray discs.
- It comes with custom video editing tools.
- Can save videos to your local disk, USB device, or cloud or upload them directly to YouTube.
Cons:
- It is very CPU-intensive, and the application can crash if you are using an old and slow PC.
- You might need a web pack to unlock all DVD ripping and video conversion features.
6. WonderFox DVD Ripper
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WonderFox DVD Ripper is a transcoding application that can convert your DVDs into various supported formats, including AVI, MKV, WMV, MOV, and MP4.
It comes with preset output formats, but you can modify them and create new output profiles.
WonderFox DVD Ripper is available for $29.95 (a single lifetime license) or $69.95 (a family lifetime license for 3 PCs). You can also download a free, unregistered trial version of the application.
Best features:
- Ripping DVDs into multiple output formats for computers, phones, tablets, TVs, and other devices.
- Video, audio, and subtitle editing features to enhance your converted digital files.
- Video compression that reduces the size of the output files.
- Inbuilt DVD decryption tool to bypass protections and other restrictions.
Pros:
- It is very easy to use with a 3-step DVD ripping process.
- It supports several output formats for use in multiple devices.
- Offers custom output presets based on your video conversion needs.
- It can rip DVDs with encryptions like CSS, RCE, ArccOS, and Cinavia Protection
- Has an editing tool for editing your video, audio, and subtitle files.
Cons:
- It does not support Blu-ray ripping.
- The free version is only limited to 15-minute videos.
7. VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is famous for being an open-source media player. However, you can also use the application as a DVD ripper to convert your DVD files to digital for your Plex library.
To use VLC as a DVD ripper:
- Go to Media on the menu settings and scroll down to Convert/Save.
- In the pop-up Open Media window, click the Disc tab and select your disc from the available options (DVD, Blu-ray, SVCD/VCD, or audio CD).
- Select your disc location, then click Convert/Save to proceed.
- Select your desired output format and destination location, then click Start to commence the conversion process.
Best features:
- It supports several output formats, including MP4 (H.265 or H.264), Webm, and TS, and output formats for TVs, iPhones, Androids, and YouTube.
- Custom presets where you can set your desired video and audio codes and subtitles settings.
- Dump raw input feature to save your DVD to your preferred destination without transcoding the files.
Pros:
- It supports several output formats, including H.265 and H.264 MP4 codecs.
- It can rip several discs, from DVDs to Blu-rays and audio discs.
- You can create your custom output formats depending on your needs.
- VLC is free; you may already have it on your PC, thus eliminating the need to download more DVD-ripping applications.
Cons:
- The DVD ripping features, including the output formats, are limited compared to those of dedicated DVD rippers.
- The ripping process can be slow if you are using a slow PC.