Table of Contents

I still have a shelf full of DVDs that never made it to any streaming service: niche concerts, out-of-print anime box sets, a few family videos that only exist on burned discs. The discs are getting older, some drives already refuse to read them, and I don't want to lose them to a random scratch or a dead DVD player. At the same time, I care about quality and time: I want reliable rips that work on my TV, phone, and NAS, without spending hours tweaking every single setting or fighting with copy protection that newer free tools can't handle anymore.

Anyone who has looked into DVD digitization has likely come across DVDFab DVD Ripper. It has been around for many years and is often mentioned when people discuss tools that can handle both new releases and older discs with complicated structures. In this review I will look at DVDFab DVD Ripper from that practical angle. Instead of repeating the feature list, I will focus on how it behaves on real discs, how fast it runs on common hardware, what the output quality looks like, and where it still struggles.

DVDFab DVD Ripper review

Product Positioning and Version Overview

What is DVDFab DVD Ripper

DVDFab DVD Ripper is one of the core modules in the DVDFab suite, built for converting physical DVDs to digital video files. The process is clear: it reads a disc, identifies the main movie or specific titles, and converts the content into formats suitable for modern screens, storage systems, and playback devices. This covers everything from simple MP4 files to high-quality MKV backups with multiple audio tracks and subtitles preserved.

The module focuses on flexibility. Many users rely on it when they need to move a large DVD library onto a NAS, prepare files for travel devices, or keep a digital copy of discs that are starting to show age. It handles disc structures, menus, and varying protection schemes, which is often where general media converters fail.

Platform Support and License Model

DVDFab DVD Ripper is available for both Windows and macOS. The interface and feature set are kept aligned across the two platforms, so the experience is nearly identical whether you use a desktop PC or a MacBook with an external drive.

A 30-day free trial is offered to all new users. During this period, the software allows you to convert three complete discs with unrestricted access to all advanced functions, including hardware acceleration, AI-related features, and cloud-based decryption. This trial window is long enough to test the program with different types of discs and verify that your drive, system, and workflow all behave as expected.

After the trial ends, the software switches to the licensing model provided by DVDFab, which typically includes subscription options and perpetual licenses. The paid version removes disc limits and continues to receive the latest decryption updates and feature improvements.

  Free Download
  100% Safe & Clean
  Free Download
  100% Safe & Clean

Evolution and Technical Foundations of DVDFab DVD Ripper

Major Updates

DVDFab DVD Ripper has seen steady development, with several updates that changed both the workflow and the output quality. The focus has shifted from simple disc-to-file conversion to AI-assisted enhancement, modern codecs, and richer device presets.

Date Key update Description
October 13, 2023 New video editor in DVDFab 13 Added a built-in editor in the DVD Ripper module for trimming and basic tweaks before conversion.
December 6, 2024 NVIDIA AI Enhancer Introduced AI-based conversion from DVD sources to 4K HDR10 MP4/MKV.
January 21, 2025 AV1 output support Enabled MP4/MKV AV1 SDR output and, with NVIDIA AI Enhancer, 4K AV1 HDR10.
May 10, 2025 AI Upscaler Added AI Upscaler to enhance DVD video up to 1080p or 4K with more detail.
May 29, 2025 AI HDR Upconverter Released AI HDR Upconverter to turn SDR DVD video into 1080p/4K HDR-style MP4/MKV.
August 13, 2025 Extra device presets Expanded the preset library with 100 additional device-oriented profiles.

They push DVD Ripper beyond simple backup usage into real video enhancement, and they make it easier to output in modern formats (4K, HDR10, AV1) without having to understand every technical parameter.

Core Technologies Behind DVDFab DVD Ripper

DVDFab DVD Ripper technology

Cloud Decryption Service

DVDFab uses a Cloud Decryption Service instead of packing all decryption data into the installer. The decryption rules sit on DVDFab's servers and are updated there, while the client queries the cloud when it sees a protected disc.

This has several practical effects for DVD Ripper users:

  • Faster support for new protections
  • You do not have to wait for a full software update whenever a studio changes its protection scheme. The client can pull fresh decryption data from the cloud.
  • Smaller local footprint
  • The installer does not grow endlessly with static decryption tables. This helps keep the program lean and reduces conflicts with security software.
  • More consistent title detection
  • Cloud rules can address tricky disc structures where fake titles or misleading playlists are used. That reduces the common problem of ripping the wrong "main movie" from a DVD with many bogus titles.

This system is mostly undetectable in daily use. When you insert a disc and the software is online, DVD Ripper silently talks to the cloud, decides how to handle protection, and shows you a clean list of titles to rip.

GPU-Accelerated Encoding

DVD Ripper supports NVIDIA CUDA hardware acceleration, as well as Intel Quick Sync Video on compatible processors. These technologies move encoding and part of the decoding work from the CPU to the GPU.

Key points for real ripping workflows:

  • Higher speed on long jobs: According to DVDFab's internal tests, HEVC CUDA hardware acceleration can be many times faster than pure software encoding when using supported NVIDIA cards. This becomes apparent when you process multiple discs or use heavier codecs like HEVC.
  • Lower CPU load: With GPU acceleration enabled, the CPU is less stressed, and the system stays more responsive. This matters when you want to rip in the background while doing other tasks.
  • Better match with modern codecs: As DVD Ripper adds support for HEVC and AV1, hardware acceleration helps keep encode times reasonable, especially if you are upscaling to 1080p or 4K instead of staying at native DVD resolution.

In the interface, you typically see these options in the settings and in the profile encoder choices. Enabling them is usually a matter of picking "CUDA" or "Quick Sync" where available, and letting DVD Ripper map the workload to the right hardware.

AI-Driven Quality Enhancement

The AI modules sit on top of the basic ripping pipeline and are tightly integrated with DVDFab DVD Ripper. Each module targets a different aspect of image quality.

NVIDIA AI Enhancer

This module is designed to convert SDR content to HDR10 and upscale to 4K at the same time. It uses NVIDIA’s NvTrueHDR technology on 20-series, 30-series, and 40-series GPUs to expand color range and contrast while increasing resolution. When called from DVD Ripper, it takes the decoded DVD frames and produces 4K HDR10 MP4/MKV files ready for modern HDR TVs.

AI HDR Upconverter

AI HDR Upconverter focuses on SDR-to-HDR and Dolby Vision conversion at 1080p or 4K. It adjusts color, brightness, and contrast through AI models to give SDR DVDs an HDR-style look, and it outputs in MP4 or MKV. Within DVD Ripper, this is useful when you want HDR playback but do not necessarily need full 4K upscaling from every disc.

AI Upscaler

AI Upscaler is built to upgrade resolution, including paths from standard definition all the way up to 4K and even 8K, depending on the source and profile. It enhances edge sharpness, restores texture detail, and applies noise reduction. When used inside DVDFab DVD Ripper, this module lets you take a low-bitrate or aging DVD and re-encode it as a higher-resolution file that looks more at home on a 4K display.

These three layers helps explain why DVDFab DVD Ripper behaves differently from ordinary DVD ripping software. It is not only removing protection and copying bits; it is also using dedicated hardware, and AI models to lift old DVD content into a form that better matches today's screens and codecs.

Additional Features That Matter

DVDFab DVD Ripper includes several practical functions that influence how smooth and predictable the process feels.

  • Flexible audio and subtitle handling. You can keep original multi-channel audio, convert selected tracks to AAC, or remove languages you never use. Subtitles can be passed through, embedded as soft subs, or burned into the video.
  • Metadata and file naming management. DVDFab pulls basic information from the disc and lets you apply a consistent naming pattern. When you are building a collection on a NAS or media server, having structured filenames and folders makes it easier for systems like Plex or Jellyfin to recognize titles automatically.
  • The program's task queue helps when digitizing large libraries. You can load several discs one after another, adjust profiles for each title, and let DVDFab process them in sequence.

DVDFab DVD Ripper Review: Performance & Feedback

Performance with Different Presets

Test Environment

To get a realistic view of how DVDFab DVD Ripper behaves on a modern PC, I ran a set of tests on a single, in order to see how different presets balance speed, file size, and quality in a typical DVD ripping workflow.

Source disc

  • Title: A New Hope
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Main movie size on disc: 6.71 GB

Hardware and system

  • Operating system: Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700G with Radeon Graphics
  • RAM: 32 GB
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

It is a popular mid-to-upper tier desktop with a recent NVIDIA GPU, which is a realistic match for users who plan to employ GPU acceleration and AI features.

Passthrough (Lossless)

The passthrough job serves as a baseline. It keeps the video stream intact and simply remuxes it into a new container without re-encoding.

Preset Quality label Output size Ripping time Output resolution
Passthrough Lossless 5.98 GB 2 min 720×480

Compressed H.264 and H.265 Presets

The table below shows the results for standard presets and a customized profile.

Preset Video/Audio codec Avg. speed Output size Ripping time Output resolution
Fast Speed H.264 / AAC 690 fps 1.09 GB 4 min 36 s 720×308
H.265 / AAC 430 fps 890 MB 3 min 55 s 720×308
High Quality H.264 / AAC 640 fps 3.17 GB 4 min 43 s 720×308
H.265 / AAC 750 fps 2.25 GB 5 min 39 s 720×308
Customized H.264 / AAC 740 fps 1.78 GB 4 min 18 s 720×308
H.265 / AAC 730 fps 1.33 GB 4 min 50 s 720×308

Across all presets, DVDFab DVD Ripper finished a two-hour movie in under six minutes on this hardware. That means the software is no longer the main bottleneck; once you have a recent GPU, DVD ripping becomes a short background task rather than an overnight job.

The main difference between presets is not speed, but the trade-off between file size and safety margin in image quality. Passthrough keeps a near-original copy at around 6 GB and is well suited as an on-disk master. Fast Speed profiles cut the movie down to around 1 GB on H.264 and under 1 GB on H.265 while still completing in under five minutes, which works well for everyday playback on TVs, laptops, and tablets. High Quality profiles sit at the other end of the spectrum with larger files and more bitrate headroom for users who are sensitive to artifacts.

External Ratings and User Feedback

On Trustpilot, DVDFab as a brand holds a rating around 4.6 out of 5, with the majority of reviews in the five-star range. Many of the comments that mention DVD Ripper focus on successful rips, fast performance, and responsive customer support. Users praise the ability to back up entire collections and stream them through Plex, often after many years of use across multiple versions.

Reddit discussions are more technical but still provide useful insight. Some long-time users report that they have used DVDFab for a decade or more as their main ripping tool, calling out the convenience of all-in-one DRM removal and conversion. Others compare it directly with MakeMKV, noting that DVDFab can go straight to MP4 in 15 minutes, while a MakeMKV plus third-party encoder workflow can take considerably longer.

According to external reviews, DVDFab DVD Ripper is generally regarded as quick, powerful, and ideal for huge libraries, particularly when combined with a media server.

FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide

Why does my DVD fail to load or stop during the rip?

Most loading failures come from physical issues rather than software faults. A quick disc check often solves the problem. Light scratches, fingerprints, and dust can interfere with the laser, so cleaning the disc with a soft cloth and wiping outward from the center is usually the first step.

If you use an external drive, testing another USB port or switching to a second drive can confirm whether the hardware is part of the problem.

When the disc loads but the rip stops midway or shows incomplete titles, it may be related to disc structure. In these cases, sending logs to support is helpful. You can submit them through the Support Center on the website.

Which profile should I choose for my device?

For living-room TVs, MP4 or MKV with H.264 or H.265 is the safest choice. These formats offer broad compatibility and stable playback on smart TVs, streaming boxes, and consoles. A moderate bitrate is usually enough for DVD sources, unless you prefer larger files for extra quality headroom.

Phones and tablets benefit from smaller MP4/H.264 files. These load quickly, take minimal storage, and play well across Android and iOS.

If you use a NAS or home server, MKV is often the more flexible option because it preserves multiple audio tracks and subtitles. In that setup, a single high-quality file per disc works well, and your media server can handle device-specific transcoding when needed.

Why do I see stuttering, artifacts, or audio out of sync?

Playback issues are not always caused by the rip itself. A file that stutters on one device but plays smoothly on another often points to a player or decoding limitation. Higher-bitrate H.265 files and AI-enhanced outputs can be demanding, so testing the file on another device or in a different player (such as VLC) is a good way to isolate the cause.

If the issue appears everywhere, the encoding settings may be too aggressive.

  • Using very low bitrates or combining upscaling with heavy compression can introduce visible artifacts.
  • Older systems may struggle with H.265 decoding.

Re-ripping with a moderate bitrate or switching from H.265 to H.264 usually resolves these issues. Audio drift, while less common, often disappears when the file is re-encoded without AI enhancements or with a different preset.

How do I reduce file size without losing quality?

Managing size becomes important when you have a large DVD collection. DVD material does not require extremely high bitrates to look clean, so working within a moderate range is usually enough. For most titles, H.264 around 2.5–3.5 Mbps or H.265 at a slightly lower range delivers good results. If earlier rips used much higher bitrates, re-encoding a few larger titles can free a surprising amount of space.

Another small but effective step is trimming unused elements:

  • Keep only the audio languages you actually use.
  • Remove commentary tracks or duplicate subtitles.

If your library outgrows local storage, moving the files to an external HDD or a small NAS simplifies management and reduces the risk of scattered files across different machines.

Conclusion: Is DVDFab DVD Ripper Worth It?

DVDFab DVD Ripper has grown beyond a simple DVD to digital converter. The combination of cloud-based decryption, hardware acceleration, and optional AI enhancement makes it a capable tool for anyone who wants to keep a DVD library usable in the long term.

If you are new to DVD digitization, the 30-day trial is the safest entry point, which is enough to verify whether the program fits your setup. For anyone maintaining a large DVD collection, the premium version of DVDFab DVD Ripper provides faster loading, accurate title detection, stable GPU encoding, and modern output formats.

Disclaimer: DVDFab software is intended only for creating personal backups of DVDs users legally own. It does not advocate ripping protected DVDs for commercial or unauthorized use. Please check your local DVD copyright laws before using DVDFab.