You may even get the software to launch automatically just by putting a DVD into your computer's DVD drive. Freemake is a name synonymous with powerful, high quality freeware, and Freemake Video Converter doesn't let the side down. Its free DVD ripper boasts a clean, clear interface that we found to be a joy to use during our tests, and you're never left feeling in any doubt about what you're meant to do.

Connect the USB cable to your laptop's USB port. You'll most likely find this rectangle-shaped port on either side of your laptop. Another possible way for finding the software is to open the Windows search bar and type in "movies" or "DVD" and see what results pop up. The pre-installed software is likely, though not guaranteed, to appear. As with other programs, there are a number of presets ready for you to choose from, but you can also manually tailor each ripping session if you prefer. If you're working with ISO images or disc folders, it's possible to queue up multiple encoding jobs to run consecutively to save having to be around when each finishes. The sheer level of control makes HandBrake well worth a try. WinX DVD Ripper can be used to rip directly from DVDs, but it also works with ISO images, and folders of DVD files. During testing, we found it to be an utter delight to use with an easy-to-understand interface that shouldn't feel intimidating to even beginner users.

If it's your first time ripping DVDs, user-friendliness is top priority so choose a ripping program that's incredibly simple to use. That's without sacrificing features that will come in handy. Ready-made profiles will be useful, as are different available video formats. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. Plug the cable into your DVD external drive. Some external drives might ship with a USB cord attached, but if not, you will need to plug in a USB cable to your external drive. You can find a plethora of USB DVD drives at any electronics retailer. How to watch UFC 294 live stream — Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2, start time, odds, full card, full fights If you've used free DVD ripping software before, MakeMKV might look a little familiar – it bears more than a passing resemblance to DVD Decrypter. As well as handling DVDs, the program, is also capable of ripping Blu-ray discs, and the process works in exactly the same way in each case (although it's worth noting that Blu-ray ripping is only be free while the program is in beta).

For example, it can be useful if you want to extract the video files from a disc and maintain their original formats when transferring them to your hard drive. You're then free to import the files into another program for further work if you want, or just use your favorite DVD software to watch the videos without the need for a disc to be inserted. In Windows Media Player, you can play audio CDs, data CDs, and data DVDs that contain music or video files (also known as media CDs). You can also play video CDs (VCDs), which are similar to DVDs, although the video quality isn't as high. Being able to crop and trim videos, choose which audio and subtitle streams should be included, and adjust settings such as resolution and frame rate are not always on hand. So, if you need these functionalities, make sure they are available as well. How we test free DVD rippers If VLC hasn't identified your DVD, you may have to point out where the disc drive is. You can do that using by pressing browse in the "Disc Selection" section of the pop-up menu and selecting your computers DVD drive from the drive options on the left of the File Explorer window. How to play DVDs in Windows 10 using Microsoft's paid software Step four: In the new pop-up menu, under "Disc Selection," choose DVD and press Play at the bottom.Unfortunately, although it doesn't contain extra bundled software, the latest version of Freemake Video Converter adds a watermark to ripped videos. If you can live with that, it's one of the most convenient DVD rippers around. Note: If you start to play a DVD or VCD in the Player Library, the Player automatically switches to Now Playing mode. For the very best output, we found that you need to manually work through quite a number of settings. However, with a little patience and some practice, the results mean that it really is worthwhile. Typically, the disc will start playing automatically. If it doesn't play, or if you want to play a disc that is already inserted, open Windows Media Player, and then, in the Player Library, select the disc name in the navigation pane.

Ensure that both connections are secure. A stretched cable could cause interruptions in your audio or video output, so make sure the cables between the DVD Player and the video capture card and between the capture card and your laptop aren't pulled too tightly. Connect the HDMI cable from your DVD Player into the capture card. This might be labeled "HDMI Out" on your DVD Player and "HDMI IN" on the video capture card. Test the connection. Put a DVD in the DVD player and start watching. If your sound or audio is off, you might have issues with your ports/cables. If this is the case, try using different cables. Here at musicMagpie, we’ll recycle your old DVDs responsibly and put them through a refurbishment process whilst making you extra cash - it’s smart for you smart for the planet!Once you've identified the software that came pre-installed, you should easily be able to play your DVDs. How to play DVDs in Windows 10 with free software While it is among the best free DVD ripper out there, we did find the free portion to be rather limited during testing, allowing you to rip discs in Full Disc or Main Movie modes only. This means that the free version is nowhere near as versatile as the other programs we've covered here, but it still has its place. These are generally the cheaper option to buying a video capture card so you can use your TV's DVD player with your laptop. You'll buy a portable external drive that only works with a computer and can't be connected directly to a TV. If you have a DVD drive and a compatible DVD decoder installed on your computer, you can use Windows Media Player to play a DVD-Video disc—this is the type of DVD that movies are distributed on. If you encounter an error indicating that you are missing a DVD decoder, select Web Help in the error message dialog box to determine how to obtain a decoder. To play a CD or DVD

If you previously selected Rip CD automatically on the Rip Music tab in the Options dialog box or on the Rip settings menu, a CD will immediately begin ripping after you insert it into the drive.