Extracting DVD Audio Tracks

I have several educational DVD's that I would like to extract the audio track and convert them to mp3 audio files. I would then burn them to a CD so they could be played in my trucks CD player. I'm looking for recommendations on how to best do this. I don't know if the DVD's are copy protected but I suspect they are because the purchase price was hundreds of dollars per set of 8+ disks.

The file format extensions on the DVD's are:

BUP
IFO
VOB

They are grouped, Lesson 1, Lesson 2, etc.

The VOB files are the largest size, with none larger than 1,048,404 KB. I've Googled the task in various ways but suffer from information overload. The free stuff seems to just be a carrier for computer malware. Ideally the solution would take less time that just playing the DVD's and re-recording the audio.

The VOB files are actually .mpeg with some extra data for the DVD. Sometimes you can open them in player if you rename them .mpg but if you want to do it right and assuming no copy protection you can use VOB2MPG,

The only trouble with that software, the last time I used it just ripped whole disc into one file.

If they are copyrighted I can't allow those types of discussions here.

I'm a bit naive on the legality of extracting the audio tracks from the DVDs I purchased so I called the studio that created them. Here's what they said, if I own the equipment to extract the audio files from the DVDs they have no problem with me doing so, IF it is for my own use. They also don't have a problem with me coping the DVDs IF the copy is for my own use.

Since my request for having the audio track of a DVD is a common request they sell it via electronic download. Price was reasonable. It's a three part course, each on two DVDs. The audio download was $15 total. That's what I did. Choice of mp3 or mpeg4 formats.

Yanche wrote:I'm a bit naive on the legality of extracting the audio tracks from the DVDs ...

Firstly there is nothing that addresses making copies of videos (or the audio tracks on them) you purchased. For example it's written right in copyright law you're legally entitled to make backups of software you have purchased. You're legally entitled to make copies of audio tracks you own, that's been addressed in the Audio Home Recording Act. You're legally entitled to time shift video (VHS, TIVO etc), that was addressed in the Beta Max case... Making copies of digital video has never been brought before a court and won't be unless the DMCA is changed. General copyright law is Irrelevant when copy protection enters the picture.

The DMCA simply makes it illegal to circumvent copy protection. It doesn't address the content itself. That rule applies to software, video, audio or anything else that is copyrighted material using a copyright protection scheme. Since you need to break the law to obtain a copy the legality of that copy is moot point. Ironic but if that DVD has copy protection and they said you can copy it they are suggesting you break the law.

OK. I downloaded the purchased mp3 files, formatted a CD, copied the files to it, and "closed" the CD. It plays in my computer but not in my new GM single CD factory audio system. Owners manual says it plays MP3/WMA files. What's that? All my files have mp3 file extensions. Manual talks about creating a folder structure. Says play lists must have .m3u extension. What's that? This is all new to me.

A CD "audio disc"*** has specifications for format and structure. When you use your burning program to create an "Audio CD" it will meet these specifications and format and should play in any CD player. The software will take care of the conversion for you. However a 4 minute track is like 30MB.

When you burn as MP3/WMA you're creating a data disc. Those audio formats is compressed and you can fit many more hours on a CD but it's only going to play on CD players designed to play it. There's no specifications but usually just burning it as a data disc is all that is needed but you'll have to check the manual for he device on exactly what it expects.

***While on the topic you might see "Audio CD's" in the store but they are no different than regular CD with some minor exceptions. They have a tax applied which goes directly to the MPAA which is why they cost more. Standalone CD recorders also have this tax applied and will reject any disc without the "Audio CD" mark. This tax on the discs and recorders is why they aren't made in mass quantities. Unless you have standalone CD recorder it's pointless to buy such discs.

A .m3u file or playlist is simply a list of audio resources. For example if you put 100 songs on a CD you might want to specify the order they play in. Any software player could create one of these lists for you.

This particular one is generated randomly:

http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/list/randomlist.m3u

Code: Select all

http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/fuse.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/I_lie_to_me_you_lie_to_me.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/optimism.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/faker.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/the_angry_song.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/my_dream.wma

http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/thank_you.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/hidden_track.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/climb_high_enough.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/1_9_6.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/shoulders_of_fate.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/target_you.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/how_do_you_do.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/frustration.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/feel_the_sun.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/she_knows.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/last_time_again.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/efforts.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/the_empire.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/round_the bar.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/na_na_na.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/no_friends.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/the_worm_and_the_toad.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/bad_joe.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/my_luck.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/last_kick.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/blindfold.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/primitive.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/old.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/content.wma
http://www.40lbhead.com/headradio/wma/stick.wma


Let's say if your truck had internet connected device. You could just plug the list in and start plying that right now. In the case of putting it on CD you'd have relative paths similar to this:

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40lbhead/my_luck.wma
40lbhead/last_kick.wma
40lbhead/blindfold.wma
40lbhead/primitive.wma
Someotherband/somesong.wma