Best free CD/DVD burners
DVD rippers let you watch movies anywhere
By
Scott Dunn
In case the urge to watch Superbad strikes while you're waiting for the bus, you can rip the DVD to your hard drive, copy the file to your phone or other handheld device, and press Play — no DVD drive required.
Of course, there's another very good reason to rip your DVDs: the discs are prone to scratches, which could render your videos unwatchable and your data inaccessible.
DVD rippers let you copy the data from a DVD to your hard disk to serve as a backup or for watching on a computer. You can then burn the data to a DVD-RW disk or, depending on the product, copy it to an iPod, iPhone, or other device.
Most of the DVD rippers I looked at are easy to use, which is good, since few — if any — have what I consider to be an adequate help system.
Although most of these products can output in a variety of formats (CloneDVD being the exception), all of them require that the source files be a DVD or a DVD ISO or IFO file. If you need a product that can convert between various video file formats, see my review of video converters from Sept. 25.
For each of these products, I tried copying a single episode of a TV show from a commercial DVD to a format that could be played on my phone.
#1: XILISOFT DVD RIPPER ULTIMATE
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$56 version
82 More info |
Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate is the best-looking of this bunch of apps. The program's attractive interface is coupled with helpful quick-start instructions in the main screen to get you off on the right foot. Select your source (DVD input) and output (file format and location), and away you go.
If you're not ripping an entire DVD, Xilisoft shows you a detailed list of the DVD's contents, complete with checkboxes you can use to select the sections you want to copy. Unfortunately, the list doesn't tell you anything about the content, though you can use the product's preview pane to check out a selected title before you rip it.
While most of the DVD rippers I tested let you split a DVD into multiple files, DVD Ripper Ultimate includes easy-to-use features for merging multiple source files into one, cropping and trimming, customizing subtitles, adding watermarks, and even applying special effects. I'm not sure why you would want your video to look like an oil painting, but at least this option is available to you in this product.
The program supports a variety of output formats (or "profiles") and even lets you tweak the settings of each.
Figure 1. DVD Ripper Ultimate's interface simplifies the recording process.
Bottom line: DVD Ripper Ultimate combines features you won't find elsewhere without sacrificing attractiveness or ease of use.
#2: CUCUSOFT ULTIMATE DVD CONVERTER
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$46 version
79 More info |
Cucusoft Ultimate DVD Converter is easier to use than any other DVD ripper I looked at, but the program lacks some of its competitors' more-sophisticated features.
Like Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate, Cucusoft Ultimate DVD Converter lists some quick-start instructions in bold type when you first launch it. But unlike the Xilisoft ripper, Ultimate DVD Converter lets you select the chapter or program you want via a preview screen, which you can navigate to from the DVD menu just as if you were watching it on your TV. Too bad none of the other products I tested had this capability.
If you prefer to work with a checklist of your disc's contents (as in Xilisoft's tool), you can go that route simply by clicking the "batch mode" button.
The Cucusoft site promises a "1-Click Mode" to help "dummies" (their word) open and operate the program in one fell swoop. However, I was unable to locate this new feature; perhaps it hasn't made it to the trial version yet.
Ultimate DVD Converter provides a variety of output format options. The program even lets you rename items directly in the menu of format choices. Some limited cropping and resizing tools are available to help you work with widescreen vs. traditional television aspect ratios.
Although not as sophisticated as the Xilisoft product, Ultimate DVD Converter has most of the features the average PC user will need for backing up and copying DVDs, and for preparing the discs' content for playback on another device.
#3: MAGIC DVD RIPPER
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$35 version
75 More info |
Magic DVD Ripper did as good a job as any of the tools I tested in converting a TV episode on DVD into a QuickTime-compatible movie. Like the other DVD rippers, the program was able to deal with region restrictions and overcome commercial copy protections. Magic DVD Ripper is easy to use and supports a handful of file-format options.
Like most of the rippers I tried, Magic DVD Ripper lets you tweak the settings of output profiles. You can manually preview a title before you output it, but you can't use the DVD's own menus to find your desired episode the way Cucusoft's Ultimate DVD Converter lets you do.
One handy feature in Magic DVD Ripper is the Backup tab in the main interface. The choices here make it one-click easy to back up an entire disk or the main movie only. You can also split a DVD-9 into two DVD-5 discs, and you're given the option to compress the output to fit on a single-layer disc.
Magic DVD Ripper lacks any cropping or resizing features but does a good job of ripping DVDs just the same.
#4: REALNETWORKS REALDVD
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$50 version
72 More info |
Real Networks recently jumped into this category with RealDVD; I tested a pre-release beta version of the program. Although RealDVD is capable of ripping copy-protected DVDs to your hard drive, it attempts to avoid legal entanglements by transferring the copy protection along with the video data. In addition, a message on the main screen warns you to use the product only for DVDs you own.
RealDVD sports a simple but attractive interface that shows the box cover of the DVDs you've ripped and links to sites where you can read reviews and rate the discs yourself.
Unlike other rippers, RealDVD gives you very little control over the process. You can copy only the entire DVD to your hard drive (not individual episodes for a disc with a TV series, for example). Nor does the program offer controls for cropping, resizing, changing the file format, and other operations. The app's three main controls are Play, Save, and Play & Save.
When it comes to parental controls, however, RealDVD provides a feature the other rippers lack. The program lets you choose a content level (based on the moving rating system of G, PG, PG-13, and so on) for playback of saved DVDs. Only someone with the parental-control password can change the show's rating.
RealDVD debuted on Sept. 30 with an introductory price of $30, but $50 is expected to be the standard price going forward. If you want to view videos on more than one PC, you can use RealDVD on up to four more computers for an additional $20.
#5: SLYSOFT CLONEDVD 2
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$42 version
67 More info |
This program is in some ways the easiest to use of all the rippers I tested. CloneDVD's wizards step you through the process of opening a DVD and selecting a title. The tool's preview pane is fast and responsive, and you can output the content you rip as DVD files, an ISO image, or a writable DVD disk.
In addition, the program's help system is far better than the equivalents in the other rippers I tested.
However, CloneDVD's interface is sometimes too friendly to actually be helpful. For example, the program's Web page promises a chapter on splitting and trimming videos, but I couldn't figure out how to do this.
Moreover, CloneDVD supports only DVD and ISO formats, so forget about using this tool to play your videos on a portable device (unless they can accommodate DVD files).
In addition, CloneDVD cannot get past common copy protection schemes such as the Content Scrambling System (CSS). Unless you have another program that can do this, don't expect to use this product with many commercial DVDs.
For 30 euros (U.S. $42), you can find a product that is just as easy to use but does a lot more.
Is all this legal? At least one of these products, Cucusoft Ultimate DVD Converter, addresses that issue head-on in its license agreement. Customers are asked to agree that they are the owner of the DVDs they rip and that they will not distribute the output files in any way.
Such disclaimers by themselves, however, are not likely to satisfy the Hollywood studios, which on Sept. 30 filed suit against Real Networks over its RealDVD product. According to a New York Times story by Brad Stone, Real has also filed its own suit, asking for a judgment that users are entitled to rip their own lawfully owned DVDs to their computers. It may take a court decision to settle the issue.
Scott Dunn is associate editor of the Windows Secrets Newsletter. He has been a contributing editor of PC World since 1992 and currently writes for the Here's How section of that magazine.
Free .ISO file burners from Microsoft
If you download a CD or DVD image as an .ISO file, perhaps for a Linux installation, you need a quick way to burn that image to a disk. CDBURN.EXE and DVDBURN.EXE are two command-line utilities that are about as simple as they come, and they're part of Microsoft's free Resource Kit tools for Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. Also check out ROBOCOPY, an incredibly powerful file copying and backup tool, in the same package.
http://tinyurl.com/6csco (microsoft.com)
The best free CD / DVD burner
CDBurnerXP Pro [1] has long been one of the best free burners around. With the release of the new version 4.0 it goes straight to the top of its class. The new version, now rebranded as "CDBurnerXP," is a total re-write. In the process they have stripped out unnecessary features and added many new ones, including support for Vista, Double layer DVDs, Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. Other features include disk-to-disk copy, bootable disk creation and the ability to create, read or burn ISO files.Not to be dismissed is the latest version of the Open Source InfraCorder [2]. Like CDBurnerXP it handles CDs and DVDs, though not Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. That aside, the feature set is similar. Nero users will find the user interface both familiar and comfortable. My only complaint is that two of the ISOs I burned with InfraCorder were unreadable. It could be just my hardware, though CDBurnerXP didn't seem to have the same problem.
I suggest you try both of these products and choose what best suits your hardware and personal burning needs. With software like this available for free, it seems hard to justify outlaying money on commercial burners.
[1] http://cdburnerxp.se Freeware, Windows 2000 -> Vista, 1.97MB
[2] http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/ Windows 2000 -> Vista, 2.6MB
How to automate your CD ripping
My review of free CD rippers in issue 129 [1] prompted regular contributor Craig Vollmar to write, "Gizmo, I agree totally with your ripper recommendations but would like to add one more product, Riptastic!. Riptastic! [2] has a "Batch Ripping Mode" feature that truly differentiates it from all other rippers. In this mode Riptastic! will automatically cycle through all of the CD/DVD drives in the computer and rip each disc. This feature, paired with multiple CD changer drives [3] allows nearly an unlimited number of discs to be ripped in an unattended fashion. This enables you to rip CDs while you are sleeping or at work! In addition to the Batch Ripping Mode feature, Riptastic! is an excellent general CD ripper with multiple audio format support, Internet CDDB support, flexible encoding and file naming options, impressive ripping speeds, advanced audio processing features, and more! Riptastic! does cost $19.95, but it is truly worth every penny, especially if you have a need for the batch ripping feature." Nice suggestion, Craig. I don't have a multi CD changer so I couldn't try the batch mode feature but I must say that Riptastic! performed very well in straight ripping, though no better than the free rippers I mentioned in my original review [1]. However, I do agree the batch mode will certainly appeal to many users. The author offers a full featured trial version good for 300 minutes of ripping so you can try before you buy. Shareware, $19.95, all Windows versions, 3.3MB.
[1] http://techsupportalert.com/issues/issue129.htm#Section_6.2
[2] http://www.riptastic.com
[3] http://www.riptastic.com/nakamichi.htm
The best free CD burning software
Locating quality freeware burning applications for this review proved challenging, even though there are plenty of contenders. My short list included: AVS Disc Creator, burnatonce, Burn to the Brim, CDBurnerXP Pro, CDR Tools Front End, CommandBurner, DeepBurner Free, Easy Burning, Express Burn, and HT Fireman CD/DVD Burner. I was also attracted to two other programs, Burn4Free and Artisan (a.k.a. Sun), but they were packaged with adware and/or spyware and were discarded. Of all the products, the most impressive was CDBurnerXP Pro [1]. It possesses all of the core features you need including an intuitive interface, the ability to author data discs, create audio CDs playable in a regular CD player, create bootable discs, copy discs, and create and burn image files (e.g. ISO). It passed every test I was able to throw at it including adding to a multi-session disc created on another drive with another burning application and creating a functional slip-streamed Windows XP installation CD! In addition to the core features, CDBurnerXP Pro also has a several additional features including: customizable boot disc options (lacking in DeepBurner), integrated cover printing utility, integrated audio player and audio, and the ability to rip audio CDs to various formats including MP3 (with CDDB lookup). Lastly, those familiar with Nero will be right at home as CDBurnerXP's interface is very much like Nero's. All up, CDBurnerXP is a good choice for both basic and advanced users. DeepBurner Free [2] is a close second to CDBurnerXP Pro. If you don't author bootable CDs or care about the additional multimedia features, then DeepBurner Free might be the one for you. It has all of the core functionality, but is a much smaller download package and has a smaller installation footprint. It also offers a portable version that can be run stand-alone from a USB drive. In addition to these products, there are several free burners that are extremely small and specialize in just one or two features. For example, Burrrn [3] is for authoring audio CDs, CreateCD [4] and CommandBurner [5] offer command line burning capabilities, DVDShrink [6] is meant for creating DVD backups, and ImgBrn [7] and ISO Recorder [8] are for burning images to disc with a couple clicks of the mouse. For general users, though, CDBurnerXP Pro or DeepBurner Free are the clear winners. Editor's note: many thanks to regular contributor Craig Vollmar for taking the time to prepare this excellent review.
[1] http://www.cdburnerxp.se/ Windows 98 and later, 11.02 MB
[2] http://www.deepburner.com/ Windows 98 and later, 2.60 MB
[3] http://www.burrrn.net/ Windows 98 and later, 2.02 MB
[4] http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/CreateCD.htm Windows XP and 2003, 63 KB
[5] http://www.commandburner.com/ Windows NT and later, 2.71 MB
[6] http://www.dvdshrink.org/ Windows 9x/2000/XP, 1.06 MB
[7] http://www.imgburn.com/ Windows 98 and later, 860 KB
[8] http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm Windows XP and 2003 (64-bit available), 320 KB
The best free CD ripping software
Over the Christmas period I started the long task of ripping my 1200 CDs to my hard disk. I knew it was a huge job and one I certainly wanted to do only once. So, before I started, I was determined made sure I did it right.
There are lots of rippers available. All media players including Windows Media Player can rip. There are also some great freebies plus a host of commercial rippers. Most will rip to WAV, MP3 and usually several other formats.
After a lot of experimentation I ended up with three rippers to evaluate in detail: CDEX [1], Exact Audio Copy [2] and AudioGrabber [3]. All are free.
If your CDs are like mine then some will be scratched or have lots of finger-marks. These can cause pops and crackles in the ripped file.
Rippers vary greatly in their ability to handle these problems. Some will simply get stuck; others will skip forward over the problem or even create a silent gap. The best programs will try repeatedly to fix the problem with no audible effects.
Of the three products I tested, one product was outstanding in its ability to handle CD imperfections. That product was Exact Audio Copy.
I'm now two thirds of the way through my ripping exercise. Of the 800 or so CDs ripped I've only had 7 tracks that EAC couldn't rip perfectly. Given the condition of some of my CDs, that's a mighty impressive performance.
EAC can rip to WAV, MP3 (using the excellent LAME encoder), OGG, FLAC and APE.
CD rippers interact strongly with your CD hardware so it's possible EAC may not work with your particular CD drive. If that's the case, try CDEX and AudioGrabber. While their performance with scratched CDs is not as good as EAC they are both outstanding freeware products.
[1] http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdexos/ (1.91MB)
[2] http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/ (1.18MB)
[3] http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/ (1.6MB)