Joe Blow, when setting up the conversion to mkv you must decide the codes to use and the parameters for those codecs, you MUST dig down into the preset to ensure you can customise the bitrates and if necessary the codec types. The reason you are getting overly large mkv files is the preset is likely producing H.264 codec with Blu-ray parameters and not DVD-Video parameters. You should be getting much smaller output files than the combined VOB sizes on the DVD-Video discs. You can keep the dimensions identical to the DVD-Video pixel data as long as you make sure the aspect ratio is the same as the original, no point reducing the resolution or upscaling and technically reducing data by resampling the video to a new set of dimension. 720x576 for PAL DVD-Video and 720x480 for NTSC DVD-Video. The video rendering device will re-scale on the fly with minimal distortion.

Thank you TK,

I understand your point about making certain I'm not applying Bluray parameters to files ripped from standard (NTSC) DVDs. I've been using MakeMKV, and the DVD rips, while still large, are a fraction of the size of Bluray rips, so I believe it is not attempting to upscale the resolution. When I referenced movie mkv files up to 30GB, it was specifically referencing when ripped from Bluray discs.

To clarify my question: can I rip a Bluray using this, MakeMKV, or other ripping software, directly to a lower resolution mkv file in order to avoid massive file sizes (while keeping the alternate audio tracks & subtitles), or is the only way to achieve that end, do the rip to the current huge file sizes, then downscale/compress them with something like Handbrake?

Again, I appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge & experience.

Joe Blow, for DVD's todays giveaway will convert as well as rip. https://www.giveawayoftheday.com/wonderfox-dvd-video-converter-29-6/ not sure if it will rip AND convert in same operation to avoid the full size ripped file residing on the system, you'll have to play with it.

https://www.giveawayoftheday.com/thundersoft-blu-ray-ripper-2-11-18-5/ current version may do similar for blu-ray.
TK

Martin, DVD & Blu-ray discs have DRM to prevent copying -- you need to manage that before you can copy &/or convert their video. If you use something like DVDFab or DVDFab Passkey to copy the video to your hard disk, then Tipard HD Video Converter can convert the video quite well. Otherwise you need a DVD copy, ripper, or converter app -- generally look for DVD in the title.

mike, ....Martin, DVD & Blu-ray Discs Have DRM to Prevent copying ..... That is no longer the case, DRM has not been applied for a long time!

Michael Vanier, do a search for
Compress 4.1.1
It is free software and does the job but highly compressed videos as always may not look that great.

Michael Vanier, Their website description (https://www.tipard.com/hd-video-converter.html) gives more information, including that the format for saving can be tailored, as well as selecting profiles for various uses such as "iPhone, Samsung Galaxy series, HTC One, Android devices, Windows devices and even more. The HD video file is converted with zero quality loss in video image and audio." Some of those are smaller in size. It claims to allow you to set the parameters, so you can reduce frame rate, frame size, etc.
These are pretty normal features, as most converters are based on ffmpeg.

J. Stampfel, Thanks for the quick reply !!!

U2, Thanks for the quick reply !!

"Is Tipard HD Video Converter 9.2.28 capable of MP4 file compression to reduce video file size ?"

In a word, yes.

Every video file you'll get your hands on is compressed -- the difference is the method of video compression [the codec], the encoder used, and the encoder settings. Some methods or types of video compression are more efficient, & some take more processing power. The encoder effects quality and how long it takes to encode video. The settings determine quality level & the amount of compression used among other factors. Just re-encoding [converting] video reduces quality, and the more compression applied, normally reflected in the bit rate used, the more quality is lost. Finally, there are different video file formats that determine how the video is stored in a file, but not necessarily how that video is encoded. You can put the exact same video in either an MP4 or an MKV file for example, and the MKV file is capable of storing much more info, like chapters and subs.

Anyway that's just the very basics -- maybe head over to videohelp.com for all sorts of info along with a great selection of downloads. Today's GOTD is based on the free ffmpeg code libraries, and you can find lots of freeware & paid alternatives that also use ffmpeg -- quality levels at the same encoding settings should be about the same. The difference is ease of use. Tipard HD Video Converter is designed to be easy, so it limits your choice of encoder settings -- there are alternative, including ffmpeg itself that don't limit you, but then you've got literally pages of settings to sort through.