Kids want the library to go digital. External drives have gotten really cheap, I should be able to get a lot of movies onto 2 TB.

What is the easiest way to do this? Not afraid of spending $30 or so on a good application that works well, and free is good, but ease of use most important.

Thanks!

I use Handbrake for DVD's. It works 75% of the time, it can't get through the DRM on some DVD's so your millage may vary.

CD's I use Sony Music Center, I'm sure there is something better but it does a good job of getting MP3's at 320 kbps and it's tagging / album art seems to be better than itunes. iTunes or Windows Media Center will also rip CD's to MP3.

Another option you may think about is Vudu's disc to digital. It will let you buy the digital streaming version of a movie you own on disc for a discount (2 dollars for blurays, 2 dollars for SD dvds, 5 dollars for HD dvds). These movies are generally movies anywhere compatible so you'd have access on most of the streaming services and devices. Obviously it can get expensive and its up in the air the long term implications of owning something digitally but the convince of streaming can make it worth it.

https://www.vudu.com/content/in_home_disc_to_digital.html

I used MakeMKV and Handbrake to digitize my entire collection. Was super easy. Only had one or two discs that I just couldn't get anything off of but that was more due to damaged disc (thanks kids) than the software.

Handbrake and MakeMKV for DVD rips, iTunes for CDs.

Wildmen03 said:

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Handbrake and MakeMKV for DVD rips, iTunes for CDs.

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Do these work for blu-ray?

BusterAg said:

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Wildmen03 said:

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Handbrake and MakeMKV for DVD rips, iTunes for CDs.

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Do these work for blu-ray?

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Depends on the protection of the disk, and if you have a Blu-ray drive but both of these programs can handle HD and UHD content.

Pretty ill informed on this topic, but I have a lot of DVDs that I would like to rip. Once ripped, can you just put them on a USB drive of some sort and plug it into your TV and away you go? Or, does there also need to be some sort of program to sort and play the files once ripped?

Silky Johnston said:

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Pretty ill informed on this topic, but I have a lot of DVDs that I would like to rip. Once ripped, can you just put them on a USB drive of some sort and plug it into your TV and away you go? Or, does there also need to be some sort of program to sort and play the files once ripped?

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I would like to understand this as well. Can you just take the ripped movie file and upload to a streaming service? iTunes? Movies Anywhere?

I think the most common answer used to be host them locally, run Plex Server and access via Plex Client... not sure what the latest methods might be.

hurricanejake02 said:

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I think the most common answer used to be host them locally, run Plex Server and access via Plex Client... not sure what the latest methods might be.

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This is the easiest method. File name as the movie, the Plex server will pull the metadata to make it look like Netflix.

Kodi is another option.

MakeMKV and Handbrake should work for the vast majority of Blu-ray's and DVDs.

I use Handbrake to rip my DVDs. I put the MP4s onto an external hard disk and I installed Plex media server on the attached computer. Every TV in the house has a Roku connected with the Plex client installed. From the Plex client, anyone can watch the movies I've previously ripped.

https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/#plex-app

A Raspberry Pi 4 makes a nice Plex server.

You will likely need a program like Plex. Most TV's cannot read a video file. I use WinDVD to rip mine, and have only had few that don't work.

Edit to add, if you use WinDVD make sure you turn on Forced Subtitles if are burning a movie Auth subtitles, I had to redo several.

Does Plex require a network or WIFI connection? Looking for something that I can run without internet. Would be used at the lake house where there is no internet and sometimes spotty Verizon coverage.

Requires a local network, but not internet access to play giles. Internet would be needed to download metadata.

You will need a device capable of playing the file, if you want to take the file to the cabin and play it on the TV you will need something that can play the file. You may be able to use your phone, a tablet, or a computer, but you will not be able to simple plug a usb drive with the file on it into the tv.