DVDskiver

DVDskiver is a software concept used to describe a family of tools that analyze the contents of DVD-Video discs and disc images. The intended purpose is to aid archivists, librarians, educators, and enthusiasts in understanding disc structure, metadata, and navigation without relying on full playback. A DVDskiver typically reads the DVD's file system and container structure to present a navigable map of titles, chapters, audio tracks, and subtitles.

Core features commonly associated with DVDskiver include listing and filtering of titles and chapters, enumeration of available audio and subtitle streams, detection of menu structures, and generation of readable reports. Some implementations offer export options such as JSON or CSV for integration with digital collections, as well as the ability to produce human-readable summaries or visual diagrams of the disc layout. Many tools also support reading from physical DVD drives as well as standard ISO image files.

Technical considerations include compatibility with DVD-Video standards and the ability to access discs via a drive or image. They may rely on open libraries to parse disc structures and are typically cross-platform, with versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Limitations arise from copy protection, regional restrictions, and damaged discs, which can prevent access to certain data.

The term DVDskiver has appeared in hobbyist and archival discussions to describe such functionality, but there is no single canonical product by that name. As a concept, it emphasizes non-destructive inspection, reproducible metadata collection, and catalog-friendly outputs.