Can I use a DVD in a superdrive on a MacBook Air and then transfer visuals to an iPad via Sidecar/other?
iPad Air 3, iPadOS 16
Commercial DVD video is usually copyright protected - and cannot be “copied” to other media or devices. You may be able to find a commercial transcoding App with which you can convert media to other file types - but you’ll need to research this for yourself.
pandora130 wrote:
Not ripped DVDs but genuine ones I bought a while ago.
In order to upload a movie and stream it to an iPad, you would need to do what is called “ripping” it. That means taking the data off of the DVD and converting it to a digital file. Yes, it’s what people who pirate DVDs do (did) before burning that file to a new, blank DVD and selling it. Which is what I believe you’re referring to.
Because the people who own the rights to movies were so concerned about that type of pirating, they lobbied for a law to be passed to make it illegal to break the encryption on a DVD, a necessary first step in ripping it. Therefore, even though you legally purchased the DVD, you do not have the legal right to do what you want. I’m not saying I agree with the law (Digital Millennium Copyright Act).
iOS/iPadOS fundamentally does not support connection of any optical media drives - including the Apple SuperDrive As such, direct access to optical media (CD, DVD, BD) is not possible.
You’ll need to access this optical media using another computer, such as PC or Mac.
Hello, I didn't explain very well what I want to do, which is not to copy a DVD, but to watch it in realtime on my iPad, and that ought to be no different to watching it on my MacBook. Reason being that the connector from the player to my Mac sticks out of the side of my MacBook, and is at risk of being knocked and damaged unless both are on a large flat surface, but if I were able to watch the DVD playing via the Apple USB Superdrive on my iPad via the sidecar or other facility - the same as using both a computer monitor and an iPad in what is called mirroring, then no risk of damage. How can I do that, does anyone know? ie use my iPad as the monitor.
Oh dear, sad news. Not a direct connection, as running through a MacBook, but thanks for your answer. It would be good if Apple would make a Bluetooth Superdrive, if the speed wouldn't be affected. I note that Netflix allows downloading onto an iPad via their app for watching later, so in legal terms, it should be possible.
It is NOT that it is or is not possible, but simply that Apple will NOT allow this with iOS/iPadOS devices.
Apple stopped including all spinning drives and spinnng disc media in all their computers long ago.
Apple, begrudingly, offered a optional purchase, externallly connected SuperDrive for those who still wanted to use optical media with Macs.
Apple, simply, isn't allowing this with iOS/iPadOS devices, since their inception.
Simply put, do not expect Apple to allow spinning optical media drive access to iOS/iPadOS, any time soon.
Sorry.
Thank you. Final question: is there a bluetooth adapter that I could connect to the SuperDrive, to then be able to connect wirelessly to watch DVDs on my iPad, or would its 'streaming speed' only be good enough for sound rather than sound and vision?
Not ripped DVDs but genuine ones I bought a while ago. A shame, because a non-ripped DVD is of a better quality than those sharks at Netflix are putting out - unless you pay their premium, and would also be accessible when staying in holiday cottages away from reliable internet! Thanks for good answer.
Is there perhaps a route via The Cloud - upload movie and stream to iPad - in the same way that photos are available on all devices?
No to both questions.
Apple does not allow commercial, Motion Picture Industry movies, from personal ripped DVD content from disc, to be save to iCloud.
That is what Apple's AppleTV app and boxes and the iTunes store is for.
To rent/purchase movies and TV shows to be either streamed over an Apple device or downloaded and saved to the device, either temporarily for rented movies or TV shows OR permanently for purchased movies and TV shows.
Those are your only options.
Sorry & Best of Luck to You!
DVD to MacBook Air to iPad?
