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copy dvd to external hard drive

How do I copy a video from a DVD-r onto an external hard drive?

It won't simply drag accross.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 3.06 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo with 4GB

Posted on Feb 8, 2013 10:24 AM

Reply
15 replies

Feb 9, 2013 4:41 AM in response to ssls6

Thanks but I revealed the folder inside the DVD and tried to dragit to the external drive and it just springs back.


I then opened disc utility, selected Superdrive. There doesn't seem to be an option to change the file into an iso (I'm afraid I don't understand the term). The image format offers me read-only, compressed, read/write or DVD/CD Master. I've tried all 4 and get an error message -61 which seems to mean it doesn't like the dmg fomat?


How do I change the file on the DVD-R into an iso to copy onto the hard drive?User uploaded file

This is the error message I get

User uploaded file

Feb 9, 2013 5:19 AM in response to Klaus1

Thanks Klaus 1.

I realise that my Seagate Back Up drive needs to be configured for Mac. I've gone into Time Machine and it is now able to copy the file by the method you suggested, drag and drop the file.

It's underway as we speak.

So next step will be to connect the Seagate drive to my TV and see if I can play my home movie. Fingers crossed.

My idea is to copy my home movie dvds accross to the Seagate drive and have that plugged into the tv so we can chose a home movie to view whenever we want without having to dig out the dvd and without running the risk of damaging the dvd and losing the content.

I will let you know.

Feb 9, 2013 5:20 AM in response to Klaus1

Save it to the desktop. Then once there, then try to move it to the drive.


To Duplicate a CD or DVD - Open "Disk Utility" on the computer, found by clicking finder in the dock, selecting applications then the utilities folder. You should see Disk Utility in the utilities folder. When disk utility is open, you will see the words "disk utility" beside the apple, at the end of this top menu bar, you should see "help". Click on "help" and select "disk utility help". In the window that opens, search out the words "duplicate CD or DVD" in the top right search engine of this window.


- see this article - - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2059. and this one for info on how to burn it - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2087.

Feb 9, 2013 6:52 AM in response to KarenSelena

Slow progress. The file copies accross to the external drive but the tv won't display it. It seems the file type is being changed. By using Get Into I can see that the file on the dvd-r is in Universal Disk Format (UDF) but when copied accross to the external hard drive it changes.

This is the list, now from my trash, of the files I've copied so far onto the external hard drive. The tv powers up the external hard drive from the tv USB conector but just displays "No signal".

User uploaded file

I'm now trying copying from the DVD-r into iMovie and then by using Share exporting to the external hard drive. A long process showing around 2 hours in time remaining and, as yet, the external drive hasn't started up.

Feb 9, 2013 7:07 AM in response to doverrog

A video DVD is not the same as a data DVD. You can't copy the individual files or folders on the DVD to a HD and expect a DVD player to play the copy.


I image it will be the same with the TV it will not recognize what you are copying to your HD. Without knowing the TV and what formats it is looking for, etc there is no way to advise you as the method to use for this.


I can say there are basically two options


1: you keep the video DVD as a video DVD even when you copy it to the HD. This usually involves winding up with a .img file. A .img file is like a package of the audio and video files that make up the video DVD.


2: would be to rip the DVD using software that takes the video DVD and turns the video into data files that a computer a (and some TV's and DVD players) can deal with.

Feb 9, 2013 8:32 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

Thanks Frank.

The movie project is still copying into the external hard drive so I don't know yet what it will end up as.

If it fails, how do I copy it as .img file?

Or taking your second option, what software would I use to turn the video file on the dvd into a type of data file you describe?

I have got Toast Titanium 10 which offers some options but I can't see one which might do what you suggest.

User uploaded file


The TV I'm using is a Sony KDL40W5500 LCD TV with what looks like a standard USB port.

Feb 9, 2013 9:19 AM in response to doverrog

I'm not sure it pays to continue with any of this until you know what format the TV is looking for when a disk is plugged into the USB port. Until you know that you're just guessing and likely wasting your time.


There should be something in the use manual you got with the TV as for what formats it will play or look online.


Once you know the format then you can figure out what you need to do to the DVD's to get to that format.


One other thing if the DVD's in question are commercial and it turns out you need to rip them then that cannot be discussed here as the hosts don;t allow conversations about DVD ripping here because of legal concerns.


regards

Feb 9, 2013 11:57 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

I've just found this from the Sony site -

User uploaded file

It seems as though the TV will only read MPEG1 and the files going onto the external hard drive are either .mov or MPEG4 so it seems the tv is simply too old to read them. I play the dvd-rs via my dvd recorder/player which can obviously read them ok in the universal format. I just don't seem to able to copy that format though.

The dvd recordings are my own Home Movies so no copywrite issues.

Feb 21, 2013 4:34 AM in response to doverrog

Managed to get home movie to show on the TV by reconfiguring the external drive to MSDOS FAT, however the picture isn't full screen and the tv says that screen formatting is not available when inputting via USB.

I've started another thread about MSDOS and NTFS as I understand that newer TVs use NTFS which my iMac doesn't offer as an option in the Disc Utility even though I have upgraded to OS X 10.8.2

Thanlks for your help guys.

Jun 11, 2014 6:56 PM in response to doverrog

Updated answer for Mac (iOS 10.9) Mavericks:


How to copy/duplicate/burn master DVD from internal burner to an external burner


Method 1 Instructions (Good if you only need one copy) —

  1. Insert master into your Mac's internal DVD burner
  2. Insert a blank DVD into your connected external DVD burner
  3. Open Finder, select your computer (Example: My MacBook Pro)
  4. Right-click (Option+Click) <name of your master DVD> to see its drop-down menu options
  5. Select ‘Burn “<name of master DVD>” to Disc…’ from drop-down menu
  6. Rename disc (if you want) and choose burn speed then click Burn button
  7. Drives will start working and you'll get a 'Percent Complete' progress bar


Method 2 Instructions (Good if you need multiple copies / faster in the long run and less chance of errors) —

  1. Insert master into your Mac's internal DVD burner
  2. Open Disk Utility and select <name of your master DVD>
  3. Select New Image icon to create .dmg file
  4. Name image to Save As:, choose location, under Image Format: select read-only then click Save
  5. Once finished, Right-click (Option+Click) <name of disk image> to see its drop-down menu options
  6. Select ‘Burn “<name of disk image>” to Disc…’ from drop-down menu
  7. Rename disc (if you want) and choose burn speed then click Burn button
  8. Drives will start working and you'll get a 'Percent Complete' progress bar


User uploaded file

copy dvd to external hard drive

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