DVD Tips: DVD Definition, the Uses of DVDs, DVD advantages & disadvantages, DVD to Digital, etc

In this guide, we will show you what is DVD, DVD advantages and disadvantages, uses of DVD, types of DVD, etc. as well as how to rip/copy DVD to digital MKV, MOV, AVI, WMV and more on Mac/PC for free storing and streaming. 

DVD Definition and the Main Uses of DVDs:

What is DVD? Short for digital versatile disc or digital video disc, DVD is a digital optical disc storage format developed by Panasonic, Philips, Sony and Toshiba in 1995. Serving as an optical disc storage medium, DVD can store any kind of digital data (movie data, games, software installation packages, etc) and has higher storage capacity than compact discs. DVD adopts MPEG-2 file compression standard. The layers in the DVD are made by polycarbonate plastic.

DVD Formats:

DVD can be categorized in different ways based on their applications as blow.

DVD-ROM: read only and cannot be written.

DVD-R: able to record any type of data. A DVD-R is used to archive files you want to keep, transfer files between PCs and send large files to friends. A standard DVD-R can hold up to 4.7 GB of data and a dual layer DVD-R is able to hold 8.5 GB data.  Note: DVD-R is the most compatible format that can be read by all DVD players. The unique drawback of DVD-R is that it only can be written at once.

DVD-RW: can be read, written, erased and rewritten.

DVD-Video: designed for full-length a movie that is compatible with television set.

DVD-RAM: the writeable version.

DVD-Audio: a CD-replacement format. 

DVD Types and Capacity:

4.7 GB DVD: single-sided & single-layer (common)

8.5 GB DVD: single-sided & double-layer

9.4 GB DVD: double-sided & single-layer

17.08 GB DVD: double-sided & double-layer (rare)

The advantages and disadvantages of DVD comparing with CD:

Advantages of DVDs:

* The audio quality is superier to CD due to the application of DTS and Dolby Digital technology.

* The image quality is much better than CD.

* A DVD can store more data than a CD thanks to the smaller size of the pits and bumps and the high density of the tracks in the DVDs.

* DVDs are mass produces now so that they are cheap.

* DVD drives can read CDs.

Disadvantages of DVD:

* Fragile. DVD is easy to be damaged, broken and scratched.

* DVD doesn’t work in CD drives.

* First-generation DVD players and drives can’t read DVD-RAM discs.

* DVD has built-in copy protections like CSS, RCE, Sony ARccOS, Disney new protection, Region Code, etc.

Though DVD is easy to carry, user should spend much time to figure out a safe way to keep DVDs from scratched, damaged, broken or even getting lost. In fact, the simplest way to solve this problem is using a high quality DVD ripper to rip/copy DVD to digital formats like MP4, AVI, MKV, WMV and more for storing on computer hard drive or directly streaming on iPhone iPad Android. Thus, you can access your DVD content at anytime anyplace.

How to Copy/Rip DVD to Digital MP4 AVI MOV MKV for Easily Storing and Replaying

To effortlessly digitize DVD to MKV, MOV, FLV, AVI, iPhone, iPad and more, you can turn to a full-featured DVD ripper like MacX DVD Ripper Pro. This DVD ripper for Mac/Win is capable of copying and converting DVD disc to digital MP4 AVI MOV MKV VOB MPEG-2 ISO image, etc. major video and audio formats so as to playback on iPhone iPad Samsung Android or save on computer hard drive. It can painlessly deal with all kinds of DVDs including new DVD, 99-title DVD, damaged & unplayable DVD, etc. World’s no.1 fast speed and original quality reserved. Now, follow the below step-by-step guide to copy DVD to MP4, MKV, MOV, etc.

         

Ahead of DVD to digital conversion, you should download this DVD ripper on your Mac computer (El Capitan/macOS Sierra included); if you are a Windows user, you ought to download the Windows version (Win 10/8/7 supported).

Step 1: Fire up this DVD to MP4 MKV MOV converter and insert DVD to your computer DVD drive. Click "DVD Disc" to load DVD contents.  

Step 2: Choose the output video format as you like, you can convert DVD to MP4, DVD to MOV, DVD to FLV, DVD to iPhone, DVD to iPad, etc. 

Step 3: Hitting “Browse” button to choose an output folder to save output files and tap “RUN” button to start to convert DVD disc to digital video format.