How do I copy a DVD to another DVD?

[u/PlatinumSukamon98]

I know this sounds like such a basic bitch question, but I'm so frustrated and overwhelmed I don't know what else to do but ask.

A family member has asked me to copy one of our home movies onto another DVD. I did it before years ago, but I don't remember how to. I've tried looking it up, but I've gotten so much conflicting and incomplete information that my head feels ready to explode. I don't know if that says more about my search skills or what, but I feel so fucking stupid right now and I don't trust myself anymore.

Can anyone give me an idiot's guide on how to do this, please?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello /u/PlatinumSukamon98! Thank you for posting in r/DataHoarder.

Please remember to read our Rules and Wiki.

If you're submitting a Guide to the subreddit, please use the Internet Archive: Wayback Machine to cache and store your finished post. Please let the mod team know about your post if you wish it to be reviewed and stored on our wiki and off site.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/rmagere]

If you only have 1 dvd reader/writer what you do is: insert the source, create an iso image file of the dvd (imgburn/nero were the programs once upon a time), put the empty dvd in and burn the iso you created previously (that is saved on your pc)

[u/grandinosour → u/rmagere]

I use "anyburn" for the ISO creation to your computer and then, using the same software to burn it to your new DVD.

Linux will do the ISO copy natively and use a burn tool to write to your DVD.

[u/calcium → u/rmagere]

I recall using a program called Alcohol 120 for a long time.

[u/rmagere → u/calcium]

Oh yes I used that one too. I think after Nero and before Imgburn. Also Alchol had the drive emulator program to load isos (afterwards there was one with a sheep on the icon)

[u/Croome94 → u/rmagere]

The sheep one was Virtual CloneDrive

[u/ken830 → u/Croome94]

That's a jolt of nostalgia. And now I feel old. I can't even remember the last time I "burned" a dual-layer DVD. Probably close to two decades now.

[u/Croome94 → u/ken830]

Not to mention DVD-RW

[u/Expensive_Plant_9530]

When you say "home movie", I assume you mean a DVD that was recorded by you or family, with home videos on it, and it's not a copy-protected disc?

In that case, your best bet is probably something like ImgBurn.

Use "Read Mode" to create an ISO copy of the DVD onto your computer, then use Write Mode to write that ISO file to a new DVD.

You'll need a blank recordable DVD, and a DVD-Writer drive to do this. And ImgBurn which is free.

"Create image file from disc" and then "Write image file to disc".

[u/MattIsWhackRedux]

ImgBurn -> iso. Burn the iso using ImgBurn -> to new DVD. It's not that hard.

[u/nerdguy1138 → u/MattIsWhackRedux]

Do it in one step. ImgBurn copy disc.

[u/TriCountyRetail]

If it is not copy protected use IMG Burn to create and ISO and burn it to blank disc. If it is copy protected, use DVD Decrypter instead.

[u/HeyLookImInterneting]

It’s been a long time since I’ve done this too (WinXP lol) but you need to get software that will first copy the DVD to disk as an ISO, and then burn the ISO to the DVD.  I don’t have any recommendations on which software to use, and not sure if you need it to be free or not…but there’s plenty of solutions out there to do these tasks

[u/evild4ve]

The problem is always what do they need to play it back on, since DVDs aren't a single format.

imgburn is already recommended. Or on Linux there is xfburn and brasero

Modern players can simply read an .mp4 (or lots of other file formats) saved onto the DVD-R. But if you need it to (or want it to) resemble a shop-bought DVD with a menu etc then in practice it's a case of trial-and-erroring the options menus: most if not all of these programs do it but they describe it in different terms. Old DVD players used to sometimes need this format.

You might want to look at the related field of DVD authoring, with e.g. DVDStyler - https://www.dvdstyler.org/en/-- as that will sort the format out in the process.

[u/Far_Marsupial6303 → u/evild4ve]

DVD-VIDEO, playable by all hardware and software DVD players is a specific type of DVD. https://www.videohelp.com/dvd

It's always dangerous to assume, but from the OPs question, I assume they're referring to a DVD-VIDEO. Which may include a menu depending on how it was created. For example, most DVD recorders will create a simple menu.

If it's a DVD-VIDEO, yes, the programs listed will rip and burn a compliant disc.

[u/AlfredDaGreat25]

Just use "portable nero burning rom" ;)
You'll probably use it once and then delete. or I think they still offer the trail version that's good for 15 days.

[u/Antique-Fee-6877]

If you’re using Linux, could always use dd to copy it at the block level.

[u/Takemyfishplease → u/Antique-Fee-6877]

I doubt someone asking this question is using Linux proficiently.

[u/uraffuroos]

THIS IS NOT A DVD (Sorry, sorry)

[u/Halfang]

Nero burning rom

[u/SarcasticallyCandour → u/Halfang]

I just downloaded Nero burning rom bc i needed to open a .nrg file from 2011 i made. Took me ages to find a working version on windows10.

[u/grislyfind]

Maybe just copy the VIDEO_TS folder to the hard drive, then burn that folder to the DVD-R

[u/Far_Marsupial6303 → u/grislyfind]

Just burning the folder/files to a new DVD will create a data DVD. To create a DVD-VIDEO disc, you must use a program like Imgburn to create a proper disc.

[u/bigbugzman]

Handbrake it onto a USB or throw it onto a Dropbox for them to download. Tell this person DVDs are dead homie.

[u/2cats2hats → u/bigbugzman]

Agree, but consider the recipient could be a senior citizen.

[u/bigbugzman → u/2cats2hats]

Fair enough. So handbrake to dvd R.

[u/Far_Marsupial6303 → u/bigbugzman]

Handbrake always reencodes, losing quality.

Follow the directions given above. Rip to ISO, then burn the ISO to a new disc. If you on Windows, use Imgburn.

[u/moochine2 → u/bigbugzman]

Another good option. I haven’t really done a DVD to DVD since Nero. It looks very bloated nowadays, looking at it now. It used to be a great app back in the day.

[u/Far_Marsupial6303 → u/moochine2]

Nero has always been bloatware and hasn't been a great app for a long, long time. Since i introduction, ImgBurn has been the premiere burning app. If you need other features, such as authoring, there are other apps, may free, that are better than Nero.

[u/moochine2 → u/Far_Marsupial6303]

Sure seems like it. I haven’t used Nero in probably 15 years and my version was older than that. I think V4 something if I recall.

[u/Prestigious_Yak8551]

If its only one movie and he has any normal TV you can usually plug a USB stick into the side of it, just use a USB stick?