Table of Contents

How to Rip 3D Blu-ray to 3D MKV/MP4 Format

Got a new Meta Quest 3, Pico 4, or setting up a 3D projector, but your old 3D Blu-rays like Avatar are just gathering dust? You need to rip them to a digital format.

Before you rip anything, please think first: Which 3D format does your device actually support? Based on my testing, picking the wrong one means you'll burn hours creating a file that simply won't play.

Pick your 3D format
  • • Using a VR headset (Quest 3, Pico, etc.): Choose SBS (Side-by-Side) for best compatibility.
  • • Using a 3D TV or projector: SBS is most common; some setups prefer TAB (Top-and-Bottom).
  • • Chasing ultimate fidelity on a Windows PC with PowerDVD: Go MVC (Full-res, lossless).

MVC vs. SBS vs. TAB: Which 3D Format Should You Choose

✅MVC (Multiview Video Coding): Blu-ray-native, full per-eye resolution.

This is Blu-ray's native 3D format and keeps full resolution for each eye. Playback support is limited, mostly to certain Windows players such as PowerDVD. It's the right choice if you want a lossless remux for PC viewing.

✅SBS (Side-by-Side): Two views packed horizontally (half-SBS is common).

Left and right views are placed next to each other; half-SBS is the common setting. It plays reliably on VR headsets, Plex/Kodi, and most 3D TVs/projectors. You give up some horizontal detail, but compatibility is excellent.

✅TAB (Top-and-Bottom): Two views stacked vertically.

The two views are stacked vertically. It's also widely supported, and some TVs or projectors handle it better than SBS. The trade-off is reduced vertical detail.

Why Choose DVDFab for Ripping 3D Blu-ray

If you browse Reddit or AV forums, you'll see people recommending MakeMKV for ripping 3D discs. MakeMKV is a free tool that excels at creating a lossless MVC remux directly from the disc. However, there's a major catch: MakeMKV does not generate SBS or TAB files. If you are just watching on a PC, MakeMKV is fine. But if you want to watch your 3D movie on a Quest 3, Plex, or a standard 3D projector, you need an SBS or TAB file.

To get that SBS file, the standard free route frequently shared on subreddits involves a 3-step workflow: ripping the raw MKV with MakeMKV, running it through BD3D2MK3D to convert it to SBS, and finally using Handbrake to compress it to MP4. Not only does this tedious process take hours, but users complain that the resulting video quality can be "really bad" if you don't know how to tweak the complex settings.

This is why DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper is the best alternative. Instead of juggling three different programs, DVDFab condenses the entire process into a user-friendly interface.

DVDFab 3D Blu-ray Ripper
DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper

It automatically bypasses disc protections , reads the 3D source, and uses GPU hardware acceleration to output a ready-to-play 3D MKV or MP4 in SBS/TAB format

💻Supported OS: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 & macOS 10.13 - 15.x

💡Key Features:

  • It automatically strips away AACS, BD+, BD-J, Region Codes, etc., and constantly updates to defeat the encryptions on newly released Blu-rays.
  • It converts 3D Blu-ray discs, ISO files, or folders into 1000+ 2D/3D formats, including high-efficiency H.265.
  • DVDFab extracts and preserves your chosen high-res audio tracks and subtitles, along with all metadata info.
  • Use the professional editor to crop out black bars, trim unnecessary clips, adjust color balances, or hardcode external subtitles and watermarks before exporting.

Best 3D Blu-ray Ripper: DVDFab

Step 1: Launch DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper and Load Your Blu-ray

Run DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper and choose the "Ripper" module. Insert your 3D Blu-ray disc into the optical drive and navigate it through the Add button. If you want to rip a Blu-ray ISO or folder, simply drag and drop it onto the main UI. 

  Free Download Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7
  100% Safe & Clean
  Free Download macOS 10.13 - 15.x
  100% Safe & Clean

How to Rip 3D Blu-ray to 3D MKV

Step 2: Choose a 3D Video Profile to Rip 3D Blu-ray

After the source is loaded in, the longest title, namely the main movie, will be selected by default. But here you can choose the chapters, audio tracks, subtitles, and define the names of the chosen titles.

Ripping 3D Blu-rays with DVDFab

Click "Choose Other Profile" to access the profile library. Here, choose Format > Video > Filter, check the 3D option, and choose a 3D MKV(Passthrough/MVC) format. There are several 3D MKV, AVI, M2TS profiles, just choose the one you want.

Choose Your 3D Video Profile

NOTE: You can convert SDR to HDR10 in DVD Ripper, Blu-ray Ripper, Blu-ray to UHD Converter and UHD Creator modules for a better viewing expierence with DVDFab NVIDIA AI Enhancer.

Step 3: Customize and Edit Your 3D Blu-ray Video

Go back to the main interface, and you can further edit your 3D Blu-ray video. Click the "Advanced Settings" icon, you can set the parameters of video, audio and subtitle, and choose the 3D format. 

Dial in the 3D Settings (SBS/TAB)

In 3D settings, choose SBS by default (or TAB if your device vendor recommends).

convert blu-ray movie to 3d

Click the "Video Edit" icon, and you can edit the video with the built-in editor. This includes options to crop, trim, rotate, and merge video clips, add watermarks and subtitles, and adjust color to suit your preferences.

Rip 3D Blu-ray to 3D MKV with DVDFab

Step 4: Select an Output and Start Ripping

Navigate to the bottom of the main interface and click the "folder" icon to select a directory to save the output video. Click the "Start" button to start the process of ripping 3D Blu-ray to 3D MKV video.

The DVDFab 3D Blu-ray Ripper utilizes GPU hardware acceleration technology to allow for a 50-fold increase in Blu-ray ripping speed. Additionally, this tool enables you to rip multiple 3D Blu-rays at once, streamlining the process with just one click.

Rip 3D Blu-ray with DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Play Your Ripped 3D MKV Files?

Once you've ripped your 3D Blu-ray, there are now easier ways to enjoy your 3D movies. Here are some helpful tips for playing your converted 3D Blu-ray files.

  • Use a 3D Blu-ray player and 3D TV or projector, along with the 3D glasses
  • Ensure you use high-speed HDMI cables and connect to the proper input.
  • For PC playback, choose software that supports 3D, and use compatible file formats (such as MVC MKV, SBS, or TAB).
  • Consider audio equipment that supports HD formats.
  • For VR headsets, rip Blu-rays to SBS or TAB format.
  • Make sure all devices and software are updated.

Can MakeMKV or DVDFab rip 3D Blu-rays properly without quality loss?

The ripping of MakeMKV is without any quality loss. It copies the video and audio streams from the disc bit-for-bit into an MKV container file. The file size will be very large as it is an exact copy. DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper supports both pass-through mode and high-quality encoding. H.265 is recommended for re-encoding the new file; the visual difference is usually imperceptible to the naked eye. In addition, if you don't need heavy file sizes, you can rip Blu-ray to AVI for smoother playback on older PCs and media players.

Is ripping 3D Blu-ray discs legal for personal use?

It depends where you live. Some people consider a personal backup of a disc they bought to be reasonable, but laws—especially anti-circumvention rules like the U.S. DMCA—can still bar you from bypassing copy protection, even for private use. Before you do anything, check the rules in your region.

Why does the ripped file have no 3D effect after playback?

1. Incorrect Player Software: Standard media players (such as VLC or Windows Media Player) do not support MVC 3D MKV files. You need a player that specifically supports 3D playback.

  • Solution: Use a compatible player like PowerDVD. For SBS/TAB files, most players will work, but you may need to manually set the 3D mode.

2. The Ripped Format is Not Compatible: If you ripped an MVC file but your setup only supports SBS/TAB, it will play in 2D.

  • Solution: Confirm what 3D format your TV/player supports. You may need to re-rip the disc using DVDFab and choose an SBS or TAB output profile.

3. Incorrect Playback Settings: In your media player software, you might need to manually tell it the video is in 3D.

  • Solution: Open the video settings or properties in your player and manually select the correct 3D output format.

Conclusion

Figuring out how to rip 3D Blu-ray discs shouldn't be a headache, and you don't need to keep an outdated player gathering dust in your room. DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper converts your physical media into high-quality 3D MKV or MP4 files. By pairing automatic copy protection removal with hardware-accelerated settings, you can bypass the multi-step encoding workflows required by other tools.