# Take Audio from a DVD **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750 "2005-07-16T02:13:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/1 "2005-07-16T02:13:43Z")
I’m sure a way exists to take audio from a DVD and save it as some sort of audio-only file. What software do I need to do this? Can I save the entire soundtrack and then pull out only the things I want? I own the DVD, and I’m not planning to distribute any sound files outside my own PC. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/2 "2005-07-16T02:21:33Z")
I am sure that there is some kind of software solution to this. However, it is likely to work just as well for copyright violations, as for the fair use you propose. Thus, were I in your shoes, I would do as follows: [ol] [li]Run a cable from the speaker-out socket to a device that records audio.[/li][li]Then, take the audio you recorded, and crate an audio file of it.[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/3 "2005-07-16T02:34:58Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > I am sure that there is some kind of software solution to this. However, it is likely to work just as well for copyright violations, as for the fair use you propose. > > Thus, were I in your shoes, I would do as follows: > > [ol] > [li]Run a cable from the speaker-out socket to a device that records audio.[/li][li]Then, take the audio you recorded, and crate an audio file of it.[/li][/ol] A device that records audio _only_? What does such a device look like? I only have my one computer… Oh! You mean a _tape recorder?!_. Just kidding. But what a kludgy solution. I recoil in horror! :eek: Somebody save me! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/4 "2005-07-16T02:42:36Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > I am sure that there is some kind of software solution to this. DVD Audio Extractor. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/5 "2005-07-16T02:44:03Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > 1. Run a cable from the speaker-out socket to a device that records audio. > 2. Then, take the audio you recorded, and crate an audio file of it. That is _also_ as likely to work for copyright violations as it is for the legitimate purpose described in the OP. **633squadron** , check out [www.videohelp.com](http://www.videohelp.com) for tutorials and software you can use for this and other video conversion tasks. Most commercial DVDs are encrypted. Breaking the encryption, while easy to do and often the only way you can exercise your fair use rights, is illegal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. But if you have an unencrypted DVD (many adult DVDs, for example, are unencrypted), you can legally extract the audio by using a demultiplexing tool - search for “VOB demuxer”. This will produce a file containing the audio in whatever format it’s encoded with for the DVD, which is usually Dolby Digital (AC3) for North American DVDs. You can use a program called BeSweet to convert from that format to WAV or MP3. ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/6 "2005-07-16T02:47:34Z")
You have options. You can get a dvd ripper as most will pull off the audio as a separate file. That doesn’t mean it will be a useable form, however, so I suggest you read the tutorials at: [http://www.videohelp.com/](http://www.videohelp.com/) You could also do the computer version of the above suggestion and use an audio capture utility to grab the audio off your soundcard as the DVD plays on your system. [http://www.replay-video.com/freecorder/index.php](http://www.replay-video.com/freecorder/index.php) Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/7 "2005-07-16T02:54:33Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > That is _also_ as likely to work for copyright violations as it is for the legitimate purpose described in the OP. Well, yes. For the same reason, you could be in violation of the DMCA for owning a marker. However, you are more likely (theoretically, at least) to be legally hassled by a goon for owning software, then for owning a male/male headphone cable. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/8 "2005-07-16T03:06:16Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > However, you are more likely (theoretically, at least) to be legally hassled by a goon for owning software, then for owning a male/male headphone cable. Just don’t let Fred Phelps catch you with it. ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/9 "2005-07-16T06:34:36Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > Well, yes. For the same reason, you could be in violation of the DMCA for owning a marker. However, you are more likely (theoretically, at least) to be legally hassled by a goon for owning software, then for owning a male/male headphone cable. If the police are suffciently interested in you to be inspecting your computer, you have much bigger problems than owning a DVD ripper. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-audio-from-a-dvd/312750/10 "2005-07-16T06:54:26Z")
> [@me](#): > > Breaking the encryption, while easy to do and often the only way you can exercise your fair use rights, is illegal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. I just noticed the OP’s Location field. The DMCA is a US law… the relevant law in Poland is the EUCD.