Have you ever worried about losing your cherished Blu-ray collection due to scratches, damage, or the inevitable wear and tear of physical media? Or perhaps you've been frustrated by the limitations imposed by DRM protections, preventing you from enjoying your movies on different devices? If so, you're not alone. Many Blu-ray enthusiasts are turning to backup solutions to safeguard their collections and regain control over their media. In this article, we'll explore everything you need to know about using MakeMKV for Blu-ray backups, including how to create and burn these backups for future use.

Part 1. Why Do We Need to Backup Blu-ray

1.1 Preserving the Longevity of Your Media

Blu-ray discs, while durable, are not invincible. They can become scratched, damaged, or lost, which can result in the loss of valuable media. Backing up your Blu-ray collection provides a safeguard against such risks, ensuring that your media remains accessible even if the original disc is compromised.

1.2 Avoiding DRM Restrictions

Blu-ray discs often come with Digital Rights Management (DRM) protections like Advanced Access Content System (AACS), which can restrict how you use and access your media. By creating a backup, you can remove these restrictions, allowing you to enjoy your media without limitations. This is particularly useful if you want to watch your content on different devices or use it in conjunction with media players that may not support the original Blu-ray format.

1.3 Convenience and Accessibility

A backup of your Blu-ray collection means that you no longer need to physically handle your discs every time you want to watch a movie. Instead, you can access your media directly from a hard drive or network storage, making it much more convenient. Additionally, a digital backup allows you to stream your media to different devices within your home, further enhancing accessibility.

1.4 Protecting Against Format Obsolescence

As technology continues to advance, physical media formats may become obsolete. By creating digital backups of your Blu-ray discs, you can future-proof your collection. In the event that Blu-ray players become scarce or outdated, you will still have access to your media in a more universally compatible digital format.

Part 2. How to Backup Blu-ray with MakeMKV

MakeMKV is a versatile tool that not only allows you to convert Blu-ray discs to MKV files but also offers a straightforward method for backing up entire Blu-ray discs. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use MakeMKV’s backup function.

1. How to backup Blu-ray

Before you start backing up your Blu-ray disc, you need to download and install MakeMKV(https://makemkv.com/) on your computer. MakeMKV is available for Windows and macOS, and the installation process is very simple. Once installed, launch the program.

Step 1: Insert the Blu-ray Disc

Insert the Blu-ray disc you wish to back up into your Blu-ray drive, ensuring that your drive is compatible with Blu-ray discs, as not all drives support this format. Once the disc is inserted, MakeMKV will automatically recognize it. In the MakeMKV interface, select the “Backup” option to initiate the process. You’ll be prompted to choose a destination folder for saving the backup. Be sure to select a location with sufficient storage space, as Blu-ray backups can be quite large, often exceeding 30GB.

Step 2: Decrypt and Backup the Blu-ray

MakeMKV will begin the process of decrypting the Blu-ray disc and backing up its contents to the destination folder. This process can take some time, depending on the size of the disc and the speed of your computer and Blu-ray drive. MakeMKV will remove the AACS protection during this process, ensuring that the backup is free from DRM restrictions.

2. How to create ISO from BDMV folder

We can use the free tool ImgBurn to create Blu-ray ISO. ImgBurn is a versatile and lightweight disc-burning software designed for creating and managing disc images, such as ISO files, as well as burning data to CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. It supports a wide range of formats and provides detailed control over the burning process, making it a popular choice for both beginners and advanced users. With ImgBurn, you can easily create backups of your media, write images to disc, and verify the integrity of burned data. Its straightforward interface and powerful features make it an essential tool for anyone working with physical media.

Step 1: Select Module

After opening the software, select the "Create image file from files/folders" tab.

Step 2: Set up and make

In the ISO creation window, start by adding the Blu-ray's "BDMV" and "CERTIFICATE" folders. Next, go to the "Options" tab on the right and set the "File System" option to "UDF", and choose "2.50" for the "UDF Revision" option. Then, specify the output path where the ISO file will be saved. Finally, click the button located in the lower left to begin the ISO creation process.

3. How to burn Blu-ray folder to disc

We can also use ImgBurn to burn Blu-ray folders to disc.

Step 1: Select Module

After opening the software, select the "Write files/folders to disc" tab.

Step 2: Set up and burn

In the disc writing window, begin by adding the Blu-ray disc's "BDMV" and "CERTIFICATE" folders. Then, navigate to the "Options" tab on the right, set the "File System" to "UDF," and choose "2.50" for the "UDF Revision" option. Next, specify the output path where the ISO file will be saved. Lastly, click the button in the lower left corner to initiate the ISO creation process.

Part 3. How to Burn the MKV File Generated by MakeMKV to Blu-ray

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator is a comprehensive tool designed to convert MKV files ripped by MakeMKV back into Blu-ray discs, offering an array of features that make it an ideal choice for both casual users and advanced media enthusiasts. One of its standout capabilities is the support for multiple audio tracks and subtitles, ensuring that all language options and special features from the original media are preserved. This software also provides over 20 customizable menu templates, allowing users to create personalized and professional-looking Blu-ray menus.

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator supports both transcoding and passthrough working modes. The transcoding mode allows for converting video files into different formats or adjusting quality settings, while the passthrough mode retains the original quality without re-encoding. This flexibility ensures that users can balance between file size and quality according to their needs.

Additionally, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator excels in maintaining high-quality audio, supporting formats like EAC3, TrueHD (Dolby Atmos), DTS HD Master, and Blu-ray PCM. Whether you’re looking to create a BDMV folder, generate an ISO file, or burn directly to a disc, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator offers robust output options, making it a versatile solution for all your Blu-ray creation needs.

Key Features of Yuhan Blu-ray Creator

• Burn MKV videos and other popular format videos to Blu-ray.
• Support automatic chapter import and custom chapters.
• Retain EAC3, TrueHD(Dolby Atmos), DTS HD Master, Blu-ray PCM high quality audio.
• Support HDR video without color washout.
• Support GPU accelerated video encoding.
• Support pass-through and transcoding processing modes.
• Support three outputs: BDMV folder, ISO image and burn to disc.
• Provide more than 20 disk menu templates and many customization options.
• Available for Windows and Mac (version 10.15 and above).

Steps to Burn MKV to Blu-ray with Yuhan Blu-ray Creator

Before we start, we need to download and install Yuhan Blu-ray Creator. If your computer is Windows, please click the red button below to download the Windows version, and if your computer is Mac, click the blue button below to download the Mac version.

Step 1: Add MKV files

After launching Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, start by selecting the "Blu-ray" tab at the top of the interface to ensure you are set up to create a Blu-ray disc. To import MKV files, click the "Add Video" button, or simply drag and drop your MKV files directly into the main interface for quick and easy addition. Unlike other Blu-ray authoring software, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator allows you to select multiple audio tracks and subtitles, giving you the flexibility to choose which audio tracks and subtitles will be available in the disc menu for playback.

Step 2: Set up video (optional)

Click the Edit icon located on the right side of the loaded video entry to open the video settings dialog box. In this window, you can trim the video by specifying the start and end times. Additionally, you have the option to customize chapters or set them at fixed intervals for easier navigation.

Step 3: Select a menu template and customize it

Click the "Select Menu" button on the main interface to open the menu settings dialog box. In this section, you can choose a template that matches your style and customize it to your liking. For instance, you can set the background of each menu page to a picture or a video clip, and you can also personalize the background music for each menu page.

Step 4: Advanced Settings

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator offers advanced options for Blu-ray production, accessible through the software settings window. You can choose between pass-through and transcoding modes for Blu-ray processing. Pass-through mode is particularly well-suited for MKV files generated by MakeMKV, as these files are extracted directly from Blu-ray discs and fully adhere to Blu-ray standards. Additionally, you can adjust settings such as GPU acceleration, video bitrate, and more to enhance and optimize your Blu-ray creation experience.

Step 5: Output settings

Click the "Start" button on the main interface to open the output settings window. In this window, you can choose to save your project as a BDMV folder, an ISO file, or burn it directly to a disc. Additionally, you can set the disc label, select the default audio track, and choose the default subtitle for your Blu-ray project.

Step 6: Start authoring

To burn your Blu-ray to a disc, first insert a blank disc into your computer. Once you've completed all the necessary configurations, simply click the "Start" button, and Yuhan Blu-ray Creator will begin the creation process.

Part 4. Conclusion

Backing up your Blu-ray collection is a wise decision for any media enthusiast who wants to protect their investment and ensure the longevity of their collection. MakeMKV is an excellent tool for this purpose, offering both conversion to MKV files and a comprehensive backup function that preserves the entire Blu-ray disc structure.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily create a backup of your Blu-ray discs, remove DRM restrictions, and burn new copies if needed. Whether you want to preserve the original disc content or convert it into a more versatile format, MakeMKV provides the functionality you need. Combined with tools like Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, you have everything you need to manage, backup, and enjoy your Blu-ray collection without worrying about the limitations of physical media.

Investing time in creating backups today will save you from potential headaches in the future. With the power of MakeMKV and the flexibility of third-party tools like Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, you can take full control of your media library, ensuring that your favorite movies and shows remain accessible and enjoyable for years to come.

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