How to Use Arc DVD Copy to Rip, Burn, and Protect Your Movies

Fast & Easy DVD Backups with Arc DVD Copy — Tips and Tricks

Why use Arc DVD Copy

• Speed: Typical DVD-to-DVD or DVD-to-hard-drive backups complete in 20–40 minutes.
• Simplicity: Clear, beginner-friendly interface with one-click defaults.
• Flexibility: 1:1 copies, shrink DVD-9 to DVD-5 (keep menus/feat.), split discs, or copy main movie only.

Before you start

1. Check legality: Only back up discs you own or have legal permission to copy.
2. Free space: Ensure ≥5 GB free for a single DVD rip (dual-layer needs ~8.5 GB).
3. Good media: Use branded blank DVDs (Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden) for best burn reliability.
4. Update drivers/firmware: Update your DVD burner firmware and OS drivers for compatibility.

Step-by-step backup (recommended, prescriptive)

1. Insert source DVD and launch Arc DVD Copy.
2. Select source: physical drive, mounted ISO, or DVD folder.
3. Choose mode:
   • Full Disc — copies everything (menus, extras).
   • Main Movie — faster; excludes extras.
   • Shrink D9→D5 — compresses dual-layer onto single-layer.
   • Split — split one D9 into two D5s.
4. Pick destination: blank DVD or folder/ISO on hard drive.
5. Configure options (defaults are usually fine):
   • Select audio/subtitle tracks if using Main Movie to reduce size.
   • Set temporary folder to a drive with plenty of space.
6. Start copy; monitor progress. Use Pause if needed.
7. Verify the output by playing the burned disc or mounted ISO.

Speed and quality tips

• Use the fastest reliable burn speed (often 8x or 16x); very high speeds can increase errors.
• When shrinking, prefer removing unnecessary audio/subtitle tracks first to preserve visual bitrate.
• If quality matters, choose 1:1 D9→D9 or save as ISO rather than maximum compression.
• For older/scratched discs, clean them and retry; some software (or hardware) handles scratches better.

Troubleshooting common issues

• Disc not recognized: try another drive, clean the disc, or rip to HDD first then burn.
• Burning fails: update burner firmware, try a different brand of blank DVD, lower burn speed.
• Copy hangs or crashes: change the temporary folder to another drive; ensure antivirus isn’t interfering.
• Audio/video out of sync: re-rip and choose Main Movie with correct audio track; convert using a dedicated encoder if persistent.

Advanced tips

• Archive as ISO on HDD for long-term storage and burn later as needed.
• Keep a small naming scheme: Title_Year_DiscType.iso for easy retrieval.
• Use checksums (MD5) for important archives to detect bit rot over time.
• For TV series, rip each episode to separate folders/ISOs to avoid large monolithic files.

Alternatives & when to switch

• If Arc DVD Copy lacks copy protection support for a particular disc, try tools like DVDFab or MakeMKV (for ripping to digital files).
• For macOS or broader format conversion needs, consider HandBrake (rip+transcode) after creating an ISO.

Quick checklist before backing up

• Owned disc? ✔
• Sufficient HDD space? ✔
• Blank DVDs (branded) ready? ✔
• Burner firmware updated? ✔
• Temp folder on fast drive? ✔

Closing note Use Arc DVD Copy’s defaults for the fastest, easiest backups; apply the shrink/main-movie options and the tips above when you need to save space or prioritize quality.