Rip Protected Dvd Mac Free
Apr 19, 2021 Part 1: MacX DVD Ripper Free - 100% Free to Rip Protected DVD on macOS. Handbrake can rip CSS-protected DVDs on Mac with VLC's 'libraries' called libdvdcss. But to download libdvdcss on Mac can be a hard nut for El Capitan or newer, if without the command line tool Homebrew. Nov 20, 2020 Steps to Rip (Protected) DVDs with Handbrake on Windows (10) or Mac Note: The process for ripping a DVD on Windows and Mac is virtually the same. Here I will take the Windows process for example to show you how to decrypt and rip DVDs using Handbrake.
You have got a shelf full of DVDs and the disks just sit there until they're needed but only found the movies are hard to find or even can't be read anymore. If you're in this situation, the best way againt DVD damage or for convenient management is ripping. Fortunately, there are many programs out there that can do the job. Here, we'll show you how to rip DVDs with Handbrake for further storing on your hard drive, or you can also upload them to Google drive, Dropbox, Plex, etc. This ensures that even if your DVD gets damaged, your movies are still somewhere safe.
Preparation - Install Handbrake and libdvdcss for Ripping Protected DVDs
Out of the box, Handbrake can rip any DVD that isn't copy protected…but almost all DVDs you purchase in the store are copy protected. And that's why an alert box with 'HandBrake does not support the removal of copy-protection from DVD discs' will show up if it is a commercial DVD. Luckily, it's easy to get Handbrake deal with encrypted DVDs and rip them to your computer if you download and install the free DVD playback library called libdvdcss.
The process is a little different for Windows and Mac users, so we'll go through each one individually. Note that you don't have to do this every time you rip a DVD - once libdvdcss is installed, you can skip to Step One each time you rip a new disc.
How to Install libdvdcss on Mac
The security protocols on macOS prevent you from installing the library file using an installer. Thankfully, there is a very easy way to do it using Terminal and an add-on called Homebrew.
1. Open Terminal on the Mac.
2. Copy and paste the text below into the Terminal window and press Return
/usr/bin/ruby -e '$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)'
3. You will be prompted to click Return and type in your administrator password.
4. The process will also download and install some portions of Apple's Xcode developer software. Approve this when the pop-up prompts you to do so.
5. Once the process is complete and you see the normal prompt, copy and paste the code below into the Terminal window and press Return .
6. Once complete, close the Terminal window and you're ready to begin.
brew install libdvdcss
How to Install libdvdcss on Windows
Download the library file from here, then navigate to your downloads folder and copy and paste the file into your C:/Program Files/Handbrake directory. It should look like the image below.
After this, Handbrake will be able to read your encrypted DVDs.
Steps to Rip (Protected) DVDs with Handbrake on Windows (10) or Mac
Note: The process for ripping a DVD on Windows and Mac is virtually the same. Here I will take the Windows process for example to show you how to decrypt and rip DVDs using Handbrake.
Step 1. Open Your DVD in Handbrake
Insert the DVD into the DVD drive on your computer. Open Handbrake and choose your DVD drive from the sidebar that appears.
Handbrake will take a moment to scan the titles on your DVD. Wait until this process is finished. It should only take a moment. If libdvdcss wasn't installed incorrectly, you'll see an error saying that the disc can't be read here instead.
Once your DVD is open, head to the Title dropdown box and choose which title you want to rip. By default, Handbrake will choose the movie, but if you want to rip any special features or deleted scenes, you can change the target you want to rip here. You can also change which chapters you want to rip, if you only want part of the movie.
Under Destination, click Browse to pick where you want to place the movie after you've ripped it.
Step 2. Choose Your Quality Preset
Next, you'll need to decide the quality of your output file. The higher quality the movie, the more space it will take on your hard drive. If you're technical, you can use the Picture, Video, and Audio tabs to adjust these settings, but most people only need to click one thing: a Preset.
Along the right side of the Handbrake window, you'll see a selection of Presets (if you don't see it, drag the corner of Handbrake's window and expand it until you do). There are presets for nearly anything you could need: Apple TV, Android phones, PlayStation, and lots more. If you're watching on your computer, use one of the 'General' presets - 'Fast' and 'Very Fast' will be low quality but small in size, while 'HQ' and 'Super HQ' will have higher quality but take up more space.
If you're ripping a DVD sold in the US, choose the 480p preset. European DVDs are usually 576p. Don't choose larger presets like 720p or 1080p for DVDs—they won't make your video look any better, they'll just make the file bigger.
Step 3. Start Ripping Protected DVD using Handbrake
Once you've chosen your Title and Preset, click Start Encode at the top of the window. Then, grab a snack.
You'll see a progress bar along the bottom that will let you know how much time you have left in the rip. Higher quality rips will take longer, so you'll want to let your computer run for a while.
Once the rip is done, you should be able to double-click on it to watch it! Or, if you're using a movie library program like Plex, Emby or Rodi, just add the movie to your library for enjoyment.
Best Handbrake Alternative for Solve Handbrake Won't Rip a DVD
Installing libdvdcss can solve part of the problems, what you can do when Handbrake won't rip a DVD? In fact, there are many reasons that you cannot rip DVD using Handbrake. It may be caused by the DVD corruption or damaging; or strictly DVD copy protection (like Disney DVDs, Lionsgate movies, Beachbody workout DVDs, or BBC DVDs); or overloaded CPU; or unsupported subtitles and so on. Another disadvantage of Handbrake is it can't rip DVD to other popular video formats other than MKV and MP4 (M4V) and its output video codecs are limited to H.264, H.265 and MPEG4.
To steer by all the above can't rip DVD with Handbrake troubles, it's time to try some possible alternatives. Below is going to introduce one of best Handbrake alternatives in market today named DumboFab DVD Ripper. The program is a fast, clean, smooth and extremely user-friendly DVD ripping tool for both Windows (Windows 10 included) and Mac users. Let's see what this most powerful Handbrake alternative can do to fix unable to rip DVD with Handbrake problem for good.
- • Support removing all DVD copy-protections including DVD CSS, region code, RCE, Sony ArccOS, UOPs, Disney X-project DRM, etc., and constantly update to support newest DVDs.
- • Easily rip DVD to MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, WMV, H.264, HEVC, etc. digital video formats
- • Offer a number of handy preset profiles for smartphones, tablets, gaming systems, smart TVs and more.
- • Freely adjust output video/audio parameters, including change resolution, codec, bit rate, frame rate, aspect ratio, etc. to fit different requirements.
- • Simple edit: cut, crop, merge, rotate, flip videos; add effect, add subtitles, text/image watermark to videos, etc.
- • 2 DVD backup modes are provided, including copy main title to a single MPEG2 file with 5 minutes or copy the entire disc with everything kept in the original disc.
- • DVD ripping speed is ultra fast with help of hardware acceleration powered by Intel, NVIDIA and AMD, and an hour and a half DVD movie can be ripped in about 10 minutes (also depend on computer hardware).
- • 100% clean and safe. No ads, malware or virus at all. Smooth and stable.
※ For macOS 10.14 or lower, you can also download 32-bit installer here.
3 Steps to Rip Any Protected DVD with Best Handbrake Alternative on Windows (10) or Mac
Step 1: Input the DVD disc to DVD-ROM. Launch DumboFab DVD Ripper and click the Load DVD button to import the original DVDs you want to put into Plex.
Step 2: From 'Fomrat' drop-down list, you can select the output video format for the ripping DVD movie. Numerous video/audio formats and 400+ optimized device profiles are provided.
Step 3: Click 'Browse' to set a destination folder to store the ripped DVD movie video, and hit 'Convert' button to start converting DVD to digital copy at a superfast speed with best Handbrake alternative.
With the rapid rise of streaming services, it’s time to digitalize your DVD collections. By doing so, you will be able to play your DVD movies on iPhone, iPad, Samsung Tablets, or any other portable devices and put them on the cloud. Moreover, ripping DVDs to media files can save your room space. This article points out the tips you should consider, and lists the top 5 free DVD ripper for Mac, together with the best alternative to free ones.
Best DVD Ripper for Mac (Support DRM-ed DVD)
Use Cisdem Video Converter- the powerful DVD ripping software for Mac to:
- Rip movie DVD to MP4/HD MP4/HEVC MP4, MOV, AVI MKV, M4V, etc.
- Extract audio from DVD to MP3, AAC, AC3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, etc.
- Convert DVDs to optimized presets for iPhone, iPad, HUAWEI, MI, PS4, etc.
- Rip DVD/DVD folder/ISO to digital formats
- Remove DVD copy protection like Region Code, CSS, etc.
- Convert video & audio files between 300+ digital formats
- Download videos from 1000+ websites, YouTube.com included
- Edit (trim, crop, apply effects, etc.) and merge DVD videos
- Advanced settings to change the output file codec, quality, bitrate, etc.
- Preview DVD movies via built-in video player
- 30X faster speed
- >> 4 Tips to Choose the Best Free DVD Ripper for Mac
- >> Top 5 Best Free DVD Ripper for Mac
- >> Where Free DVD Ripping Software for Mac Fall Short?
- >> Perfect Alternative- The Robust yet Simple DVD Ripper for Mac
4 Tips to Choose the Best Free DVD Ripper for Mac
There is a vast variety of free DVD ripper software on the market. Each of them has a common advantage, which is to help you rip DVD for free. But it's not enough, and more aspects you should take into consideration while choosing a free DVD ripper for Mac. I've sorted out several tips below for your reference.
1. DVD Ripping Speed - DVD videos are usually in large sizes and need to spend some time to convert. Using a super-fast free Mac DVD ripper will save you a lot of time.
2. The Output Quality - To enjoy the high-definition video is of great pleasure. Or else, not only your eyes may get hurt, but also the annoying jumpy and mosaics will also bother you.
3. Supported Format - The output format compatible with your digital player device is another point you should take in. The more output options, the better the DVD ripper.
4. Additional Customization Features- It will be the icing on the cake if a free DVD ripper lets you configure the output parameters and edit DVD videos before ripping them out.
Top 5 Best Free DVD Rippers for Mac
#1 HandBrake
OS Platform: Mac OS X 10.11 or later
HandBrake is an open-source video transcoder. It's the most welcomed free DVD ripper for Mac and Windows. The app was produced by Eric Petit and originally designed for ripping movies from DVD.
Today, Handbrake allows you to rip non-protected DVDs, Blu-ray to MP4, MKV, and universal device presets like iPhone, iPod, Apple TV (2/3), Android Tablet, etc. But this free Mac DVD ripper can only output MP4 or MKV video files. If you wish to make the ripped video compatible with other formats such as AVI, MOV, MPEG, MP3, etc., HandBrake can't help.
Its ripping speed depends on the files upload. For a small file, it won’t take too long. For a large one, it maybe takes a long time. The final quality is not bad. If you are not hurrying to get your converted video, you could take it.
#2 MacX DVD Ripper Mac Free Edition
OS Platform: Mac OS X 10.6 or above
MacX offers a free DVD ripper for Mac users. The free version can rip DVD movies to MP4, MOV, M4V, MP3, AAC, AC3, Apple TV, and iTunes.
But Compares with its paid version, it's unable to back up & rip the latest copy-protected DVDs for free, and rip DVDs for some hot devices, like iPad Pro, iPhone (11/Pro/Max), Android, Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC, PS4, etc.
If you can bear the limited output formats and unsatisfying speed, this Mac DVD ripper free is a decent option. Anyway, it can meet your basic DVD ripping necessary.
Note: MacX seems to have given up upgrading and promoting DVD Ripper Mac Free Edition. The download link on its official website has been replaced by MacX DVD Ripper Pro (the paid program). To download the free version, you are able to find it on some app download sites like softonic.com, download3k.com, etc.
#3 ffmpegX
OS Platform: OS X 10.7 to 10.14 (OS X 10.3 to 10.7 version available on official site)
ffmpegX is an open resource free DVD ripper for Mac. It was first to run on Linux, and later it can be compiled under most operating systems, including Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, AmigaOS.
ffmpegX is a very experimental and developer-driven project. It supports the most popular formats except HD video. Based on the customers' review, its output quality is not too bad. The components mpeg2enc (mpeg-2 encoder and multiplexer), mencorder (mpeg-4 encoder with subtitles support), myplayer are not distributed with ffmpegX and must be self-installed.
This free DVD ripping software for Mac has not been updated for over 10 years. When you start encoding, it's prone to failure. Meanwhile, ffmpegX doesn't recognize a DVD disk device, just a DVD folder & VOB file, and can't remove any DVD decryption.
#4 MacTheRipper
OS Platform: Mac OS X 10.8 or higher
MTR (named MacTheRipper) is the Mac’s oldest and smartest DVD - backup application, now greater than ever. The speed of the MTR is ok. It merely takes a few minutes to rip a small DVD.
However, this free DVD ripper for Mac is unstable, especially on Sierra, High Sierra version, and later versions. It may be crashing, shut down by itself, or failure to launch. And the output quality will not as good as you think.
Note: MacTheRipper is no longer free currently. For example version 5.0.0.5 is a paid upgrade. Licensed owners of version 4.3 who donated within the last 365 days can upgrade for free. But for those who donated more than 365 days ago should upgrade for $10. The last free version is MacTheRipper 2.6.6, which only supports Mac OS X 10.6 Leopard or older.
#5 VLC
OS Platform: Mac OS X 10.7.5 or above
VLC, coming from a non-profit organization composed of volunteers, is dedicated to the development and promotion of open-source multimedia solutions. It can also run on Windows, Android, and Ubuntu. The initial function of this free DVD ripper for Mac is to play media files in various formats and resolutions. Through improvements, VLC began to support audio and video transcoding to help you convert videos and DVDs.
However, VLC free Mac DVD ripper can't process multiple videos, DVD folders, or ISO images in batches and won’t defeat any kind of DRM. And you have to accept the fact that the video ripped by VLC will cause quality degradation.
Note: If you agree with its concept and its effort in developing VLC, don't forget to donate $5.00 on its page.
Where Free DVD Ripping Software for Mac Fall Short?
From the above introductions, we can judge that the free DVD ripper for Mac has obvious shortcomings, for example:
- Can't retain high-quality output
- The speed is not always fast
- Limited output formats and profiles
- No further video editing feature
- Can't rip DRM encrypted DVDs, like Handbrake and VLC
- Stop update, like MacX DVD Ripper Mac Free Edition
- Not free in the new versions, such as MacTheRipper
- Difficult for the novice, such as FFmpeg
It seems that no free Mac DVD ripper meets the criteria mentioned in part 1, but paid one does. Therefore, you are better off using the commercial and effective DVD ripper instead.
Perfect Alternative- The Robust yet Simple DVD Ripper for Mac
Cisdem Video Converter is the best alternative to the free DVD ripper Mac. It's a highly interactive program that delivers lossless ripping of media content at an ultra-fast speed and obtains high-quality possible results. It provides a free trial version for you to test its performance before purchasing. The trial version can rip the first 5 minutes of the DVD. If your DVD video is less than 5 minutes, it will convert half of the content.
Best DVD Ripper for Mac
- Rip general or copyrighted DVD to mainstream video/audio formats
- Rip movie or music DVD to ready-made presets for all popular devices
- Adjust the frame rate, resolution, bit rate, etc. of DVD video
- Edit DVD video with trimming, cropping, subtitles, watermarks, and more
- Convert digital video from one format to another
- Download videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and other 1000+ sites
- Rip DVDs, convert & download videos in batches
- Crisp and easy-to-use interface
- Available on OS X 10.10 or higher, including macOS Big Sur
How to Rip DVD via the Best Alternative to Free DVD Ripper for Mac:
Step 1. Launch Cisdem Video Converter
After installation, run the software. You will see 3 tabs for different functions. The second tab is for DVD ripping.
Step 2. Import DVD videos
Insert your DVD into the Mac slot. Its icon will appear in the sidebar of the Finder app. Then you have two ways to add the DVD disc:
- Straightly drag the DVD or VIDEO-TS folder to the interface of Cisdem Mac DVD ripper.
- Navigate to 'File' > 'Add DVD' in the menu bar to import your DVD content.
Step 3. Configure output profiles
Click the format icon to open the output file panel. All the output formats have been already divided into various categories. For example, if you desire to play the DVD movie on your iPhone, you can go to 'Apple Device' > 'iPhone', and choose your phone model. Or select the universal format- MP4, just head over to 'General Video' > 'MP4 Video'.
Free Dvd Ripper For Windows 10
For getting better video/audio quality, click icon to open a window, and tweak the output parameter settings.
Step 4. Choose titles and languages
A DVD movie may contain multiple titles, audio languages, and subtitle languages. You can manually choose what you want.
Step 5. Rip DVD to digital files
Hit button at the lower right corner to begin ripping your DVD to MP4, Apple TV, or other formats.
Pro tip: edit your DVD videos
Click button to find your ripped videos. Drag-n-drop them to the “convert” interface.
Rip Dvd Mac Free
Click button, and you'll able to edit the DVD movies by rotating, adding 3D effects, and external subtitles & audio.
Bottom line
How To Rip A Protected Dvd On Mac
These are the 5 free DVD rippers for Mac and alternative. If you only want to rip DVD to a common-used format without editing feature, I recommend Handbrake, MacX DVD Ripper Mac Free Edition, and VLC for beginners. For users who are using OS X 10.6 or lower, MacTheRipper 2.6.6 and ffmpegX are nice options. To make everything easy and efficient, an all-in-one DVD ripping software for Mac like Cisdem Video Converter is the best choice, which can rip copy-protected DVDs as well.