Depends whether you need decryption or not.
If you do need decryption, MakeMKV is free (eternally in Beta release), and the most popular utility among hard-core videophiles for ripping dvds. It makes an exact copy to your hard drive, in the form of .mkv file(s), which will be same size as original dvd (uncompressed). Once on your hard drive, other free utilities can make the files smaller or compressed and change file type to .mp4 or .avi if desired.
XMedia Recode is an alternative to FreeMake, without all the malware baggage. But not quite as easy to use. It doesn't decrypt, so you'd still need something like MakeMKV or DVDfab installed in the background.
DVDs go prematurely "bad" for two reasons: poor quality of blank discs, and poor burning by faulty software. As dvd burning has fallen in popularity around the world, blank dvd mfrs have merged and consolidated to the point where 9 out of 10 brands now source from the same junk factories owned by CMC Media and Ritek. The sole remaining archival-quality blanks are Verbatim, but not all Verbatim: only the ones with "AZO" trademark on the package. These are available in both DVD-R and DVD+R. They burn well, and the special AZO metallic dyes are very durable. Several versions are sold with white, matte silver, or shiny silver finish: 16x speed in retail stores, and 8x DataLifePlus online at Amazon and other web dealers.
Many cases of premature dvd failure are traced to burning with Nero. The best, most accurate dvd burning utility by far is the free ImgBurn. Unfortunately the current version 2.5.8.0 is loaded with OpenCandy adware, just like FreeMake is now. You can avoid this by downloading the older version ImgBurn 2.5.2.0 from VideoHelp forum, or version 2.5.6.0 from OldApps.com. The version from OldApps is newer and better, with all the latest improvements but none of the malware. I've burned thousands of dvds with ImgBurn since 2006, less than a dozen have gone bad in all that time.
