The Best DVD Ripper for Plex Streaming (and How-tos)

"I'm looking to rip my personal DVD collection to add to my Plex server. I'm inquiring about a good, hopefully free, DVD ripping software.

" -- A real demand from Reddit

Plex is a free media server app for you to add and stream movies, TV shows, live TV, podcasts, and all the multimedia content on virtually any device. It includes all types of media collections except the DVD collection.

Plex cannot play a disc directly, so you have to digitize your DVD or Blu-ray for Plex before you can use the Plex app to watch the DVD movies on a smart TV, game console, streaming device, or mobile device, and so on.

In the post, you'll learn the best and easiest way to rip a DVD for Plex such that you can enjoy any of your DVDs through Plex streaming.

VideoProc Converter AI - The Best DVD Ripper for Plex Server

If you want to rip DVDs for Plex, you'll need a DVD ripper. A decade ago, many users suggested using MakeMKV to make a 1:1 copy first and then using HandBrake to transcode and compress. That's because MakeMKV does not transcode. The output file size of the original MKV ripped from a movie DVD would be 4-8 GB, which is so large that it will take a lot of space.

But times are changing, and you can do two or more things on a single piece of software.

And VideoProc Converter AI is your best bet. It can convert virtually any of your DVDs to Plex supported format (MP4 H264), ISO, AVI, WMV, MKV, MOV, MP3, AAC, iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV and so on. It has all the merits of other DVD rippers. It can make a 1:1 DVD copy more speedily and flexibly than MakeMKV, reduce the file size by a compression technology that is more efficient than HandBrake, and keep the good quality. It offers more features, like AI video enhancement, video/audio conversion, quick-editing, screen recording, and video downloading, than any other DVD rippers.

Why VideoProc Converter AI Is the Best DVD Ripper for Plex

• Rip and compress a DVD to MP4 H264 that is best for plex streaming.
• 5 minutes to copy a DVD to MKV, ISO, and so on if you need a 1:1 original backup.
• Convert DVDs to HEVC, AVI, WMV, MOV, M4V, AAC, MP3, WebM, Apple TV, PS4, Xbox...
• Support movies, TV shows, copy-protected DVDs, 99-title, region-locked, slightly scratched, and any DVDs...
• Customize DVDs: merge titles, choose subtitles, rename, change resolutions, and more.
• Bonus features: convert videos/audios, crop, cut, change speed, rotate, adjust volume, add effects, etc.

Some of you might never have heard of VideoProc Converter AI and would doubt why it is the best tool for ripping movies for Plex. VideoProc Converter AI (formerly named as VideoProc) is a one-stop video processing software that not only does well in DVD ripping but also excels at other aspects.

It has received more than 4 million users and has been recommended by many famous agents over the past three years. Let’s see what other websites say about VideoProc:

Review 1: The VideoProc video converter comes at a fee but has better performance than the Handbrake converter.

Review 2: VideoProc is a comprehensive video editing tool that you can use to quickly and effortlessly edit, resize, convert, and adjust large videos, audios, DVDs, etc.

How to Rip DVDs to Plex Media Server

Step 1. Download VideoProc Converter AI.

Before ripping DVD movies for Plex, make sure you have downloaded VideoProc Converter AI by clicking on the download button above. Then install it on your Windows (Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11, 32-bit, 64-bit) or Mac (macOS High Sierra and higher).

Step 2. Insert a DVD to your PC, and click 'DVD' on the software interface.

Double-click the downloaded exe or dmg file to open VideoProc Converter AI. Hit the 'DVD' button on the main interface and go to the DVD window. Insert your DVD to your DVD-ROM, and click the 'DVD Disc' button to load the DVD.

Note: Some DVDs have many titles, but you do not need to rip all these titles. VideoProc Converter AI will analyze and select the main title for you.

Step 3. Choose one of the best formats for Plex.

Click the Video tab on the bottom, and choose MP4 (H264) as the output format for Plex streaming (recommended).

What Format Is Best for Plex

There are many media formats supported by Plex.

• Video container formats: ASF, AVI, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MPEGTS, TS, MKV, and WMV
• Video codecs (partially supported): H.264, HEVC (H.265), MPEG4, mpeg2video, msmpeg4, msmpeg4v2, msmpeg4v3, VC-1, VP9, WMV2, and WMV3
• Audio codecs (partially supported): AAC, AC3, ALAC, EAC3, FLAC, MP2, MP3, and WMAV2

What is the best video format for Plex among these formats listed on the official site?

A DVD uses a MPEG-2 codec. But HEVC and H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10) have better encoding and compression efficiency than MPEG-2. The followings are our recommendations according to your needs.

• If you want to smooth streaming: MP4 H264 (good compatibility)
• If you want to save storage: MP4 HEVC (small size, efficient compression)
• If you want to keep the original quality and multiple tracks: MKV

Step 4. Hit RUN to start ripping the DVD with full GPU acceleration.

Check 'Nvidia / Intel / AMD' under Hardware Acceleration Engine for fast ripping, and make sure it has made full use of CPU cores (supporting up to 12 CPU cores). Tap the RUN button on the bottom to start ripping the movie to Plex.

FAQ about Ripping Movies to Plex

1. How do I rip a DVD to Plex for free?

You can use HandBrake, an open-source DVD/video transcoding software, for ripping a general DVD to Plex for free:

1. Install and open HandBrake.
2. Insert a DVD into your DVD-ROM.
3. Select the DVD on HandBrake and let it scan the DVD content.
4. Choose the title you want to rip.
5. Select an output format from the several profiles listed.
6. Hit Start Encode to rip a home-made DVD to Plex for free.

Please note that HandBrake only supports some common DVDs. If you want to rip a copy-protected DVD or new movie DVD, you can count on VideoProc Converter AI. It is available for free now with a built-in 7-day full license.

2. Can Plex play DVD rips?

Although Plex cannot play DVDs directly, it can play DVD rips. You only need to convert your DVDs to MP4, MKV, or any other video format supported by Plex using VideoProc Converter AI. It enables you to convert any DVD to Plex on Mac and Windows.

3. How do I transfer movies to Plex?

1. Download and open the Plex app on your desktop.
2. Go to the home page of Plex and Click '+'.
3. On the pop-up Add Library window, choose 'Movies'.
4. Type the folder name and choose the language you want.
5. Browse your media folders and choose the folder you want to add.
6. Click 'ADD LIBRARY' to load the movies. Then you can open Plex to play and stream them.