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Copying DVD

Sawday

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On my DVD recorder I have a recording of TV programme that featured my wife. I have been making several DVD copies of this to send to friends and family but it's a bit labourious and not all recipients have a DVD player. I have tried to load the recording to my Mac hard drive (as a MP4 but happy with anything that works) so I can send out as a movie file. However, only the mac in-buit DVD drive shows up in Finder/Disk Utility/Handbrake/etc rather than the DVD files so I'm foiled before I begin. Any suggestions as to how I can proceed? Screen Shot 2020-09-07 at 09.06.43.png
 
MightyGem

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Check Finder Preferences>Sidebar and see if the CD,DVD option is ticked to see it in Finder Sidebar.

Does it not mount on the Desktop when you insert it in the dvd drive?
 
MacInWin

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Why not make one more DVD, then use something like Handbrake to get it off the DVD into the Mac? I don't think you can pull it directly from the DVR to the Mac, if that is what you are trying to do.
 
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Sawday

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MightyGem said:
Check Finder Preferences>Sidebar and see if the CD,DVD option is ticked to see it in Finder Sidebar.

Does it not mount on the Desktop when you insert it in the dvd drive?
Click to expand...

This partly resolved problem. CD/DVD option was not ticked. It is now but although I can see it in Finder (with the Video_TS and VTS-01 files) , the view in Disk Utility is unchaged and just shows the drive. It does not mount on the Desktop either (although the video plays just fine.
 
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Sawday

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MacInWin said:
Why not make one more DVD, then use something like Handbrake to get it off the DVD into the Mac? I don't think you can pull it directly from the DVR to the Mac, if that is what you are trying to do.
Click to expand...

No, trying to copy the DVD not direct from DVR.
 
krs

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You mentioned you had Handbrake.
Does using that not work?
How to convert DVD's to MP4 using Handbrake
Click to expand...
  1. Open HandBrake.
  2. Click on the 'Source' button and then 'Folder'
  3. Once HandBrake has loaded the folder you will see options at the top of the window that allow you to choose a time or chapter range to convert to MP4.
  4. Click on 'Browse' under 'Destination' to select where you want to the MP4 file to be saved to.
Click to expand...
You can also use VLC to save the video as an mp4 file or use some other free conversion software
 
Last edited:
MightyGem

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As krs mentions, Handbrake is your best option to turn a dvd into a video file.
 
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Sawday

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Thanks all. Once I had CD/DVD option ticked in Finder preferences I was able to use Handbrake to create an M4V which runs perfectly ans which has now been sent to a relative in Canada where it runs perfectly also. Thank you for all you suggestions.
 

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