DVD Rippers: What are they and what do they do?

A DVD ripper is a very basic piece of software that is often a real pain to use. Designed to read and copy the files on a DVD and place them on your hard drive, DVD rippers are often confused with other popular DVD copying software because a DVD ripper is used in the overall DVD copying process.

A DVD ripper is beneficial because once the DVD files are on your hard drive you are free to use them or manipulate them as you please. Some DVD rippers can break encryption codes, some can compress and some can image files to your hard drive. 

DVD ripper software is a stand-alone application usually found free on the Internet. However, free DVD rippers are typically difficult to use and you always need additional software to complete the copy process.

***Note, most of the popular DVD rippers available on the Internet now have been shut down in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act as their ability to circumvent DVD protections is considered illegal. They are no longer updated.*** 

The largest hurdle most DVD rippers face is their user friendliness. When a DVD ripper reads the DVD in your hard drive it is presented in a series of obscure, indescript files that can’t be played using most preinstalled media players.

Used as part of a whole DVD copy application, the DVD ripper plays a major role. Once the DVD is inserted in your DVD drive and your DVD copy software is opened, the DVD ripper locates the DVD files and begins to copy the files to a temporary folder. When the DVD ripper is finished copying, the burning process begins. When your burn is finished, the temporary folder containing your ripped copies is deleted.

DVD rippers are not designed for novices. They can be complex programs using technical jargon. The inexperienced user can quickly become frustrated, and since the software is usually free there is no technical support.

If you do not feel comfortable ripping, transferring or converting files check out TopTenREVIEWS DVD Copy Software review. The products reviewed are complete copy packages that have all facets of the process integrated into the software.