How do I download a DVD to my iMac?

Question

Level 1

4 points

How do I download a DVD to my iMac?

I'm new at this, have not tried this before. I have a privately made DVD of a one-act play I produced this summer. I want to download it to my iMac so I can upload it to my website's server. I have not found a "download" feature under Finder or elsewhere, nor does the DVD itself indicate a download feature. Maybe the latter is the problem and the DVD will not let itself be downloaded. But I'm not sure of this. I will ask the DVD maker. But meanwhile I ask the community if anyone can tell me how to download the DVD.

JRF

iMac 10, 1, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Sep 12, 2012 7:42 AM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Sep 12, 2012 12:36 PM in response to AugPen

You'll have to find out from the site currently storing it if it's downloadable. If so, then Safari or any other browser should do the trick.

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Answer 2

Klaus1

Level 9

52,873 points

Sep 12, 2012 1:03 PM in response to AugPen

You say 'download'. Do you have the actual DVD or is this movie on a website?

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Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

155,576 points

Sep 12, 2012 1:13 PM in response to AugPen

... I want to download it to my iMac so I can upload it to my website's server.

You can copy a DVD to another DVD, and you can save the DVD image on your Mac later to be mounted and played as a DVD, but to extract video content from a DVD for the purposes of uploading it to a server is not a trivial task. The formats are completely different.

Here is a guide that may be useful to you: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=812985

Once extracted, the video can be converted to QuickTime or whatever format you desire to upload to your server.

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Answer 4

AugPen Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 12, 2012 5:10 PM in response to AugPen

Thank all of you for your questions and suggestions. I have the physical DVD, which I am trying to download to my desktop. From there I will, I hope, upload it to my website's server. Since reading your responses I have also thought of trying iTunes and iMovie (although iMovie breaks a DVD up into frames ... and I don't yet know how to put them together again!) I don't want to edit the DVD.

I have written to ask the videographer who made the DVD how to do a download. With all suggestions I will do my best.

Thank you all again!

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Answer 5

Sep 12, 2012 5:19 PM in response to AugPen

Handbrake.

Works like a charm. Look into it.

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Answer 6

AugPen Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 12, 2012 5:27 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

Thanks very much! I'll look into it!

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Answer 7

AugPen Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 12, 2012 6:47 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

I have glanced at the HandBrake website and notice it offers HandBrake 0.9.8, but also somwthing called Mac DVD Video Converter. Mac DVDRipperPro (at http://www.macdvdripperpro.com/) has also been recommended to me. Are you familiar with it?

Of all 3 is HandBrake still your preference?

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Answer 8

Sep 12, 2012 6:54 PM in response to AugPen

I've never used Mac DVD Video Converter

I looked at Mac DVDRipperPro... but was put off by the $.

I've been very happy with Handbrake. The price is right (free 🙂)... and it has plenty of options for the output of the final video format. It is a little more complex, but the built-in presets are helpful in that regard.

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Answer 9

AugPen Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 14, 2012 6:13 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

Was away for 2 days. But thanks for your continuing advice. The guy who made the video has sent me, via email, a file, which may or may not work. But everyone has given me good fallback possibilities. Once again, thanks very much!

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