best software to copy DVD's?

G

Gary007

Joined
May 17, 2002
Messages
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Hope this isn't too off topic for Gadgets and Gear.

Is it legal to make back up copies of DVD movies that you purchased? (I hear alot of people doing it because DVD's can become easily damaged.)

If so, which software package is the best? (which is my main question)

Then something else came to mind, if it is legal to make copies, then what happens if you sell off your movies on Ebay, or you give your original movies to a friend, or if they become lost or stolen, but you retain the copies? At that point would it become wrong?

Is this a big grey area? I think too much. :rolleyes:
 
I have *cough* heard that a lot of *cough* people have had good luck with DVDShrink, not that I would know anything about that myself.

Privacy is bad. You shouldn't be a private unless you are in the Cove. ARRRRR! :D
 
It is not illegal to make backup copies of DVD's you own for profit-less personal use. HOWEVER, it may be illegal under the DMCA to decrypt the DVD with unauthorized software.
 
enkidu is correct, it's a Catch-22. You can legally make copies of movies or music that you already own, as long as it is for your own personal use. You may not, however, defeat the copy protection on the DVD. Of course, how you are legally supposed to copy the DVD without decryption is not addressed.

Having said that, DVD Shrink is the best program for "ripping" DVDs, it allows you to determine how much of the DVD you want to copy (just the movie, or all the extras and menus) and does the decryption on the fly. On top of that, it's free to download on the web. After decryption, you will still need some kind of program to burn the files that DVD Shrink creates, I find that Nero is best for that. I believe that if you have Nero on your machine, DVD Shrink will allow you to decrypt, shrink and burn the DVD all in a couple of easy steps.

Of course, since DVD Shrink is free and so good, there are a lot of resources on the web, so you should have no problem getting up and running.
 
DVDShrink is a great software that allows you to backup any double layer dvd on a single layer dvd-r (most common dvd burner on the market right now) by editing out what you don't want (bonus, multiple langage tracks) and then automatically compressing image and sound to fit on a single layer dvd (4.7Gb). if you got Nero installed on your PC, DVDShrink will use it to burn the backup dvd created (region free, macro off etc...).
 
If you want to use DVDShrink but dont have another burning program you can use DVD Decrypter, also a free download. DVD shrink has an option to use DVD decrypter to burn with. I use this and it works great. Check out dvddecrypter.com for more info. There are several guides on using their program in the FAQ section of their forums. Hope this helps.

Jamie
 
Yep... Dvdshrink (www.dvdshrink.org) and DVD Decrypter (www.dvddecrypter) are an unstoppable combination. It is unusually only necessary to use DVDshrink but occasionally you will have to make an image with DVD Decrypter then run it thru DVD Shrink. You really shouldn't need anything else. :D
 
what do you mean by "making an image" with DVD Decrypter?

Paddling_man said:
Yep... Dvdshrink (www.dvdshrink.org) and DVD Decrypter (www.dvddecrypter) are an unstoppable combination. It is unusually only necessary to use DVDshrink but occasionally you will have to make an image with DVD Decrypter then run it thru DVD Shrink. You really shouldn't need anything else. :D
Click to expand...
 
Gary007 said:
what do you mean by "making an image" with DVD Decrypter?
Click to expand...
Occasionaly, there will be a disk that DVD Shrink can't decrypt, so you will get some kind of error message. In that case, you will first have to defeat the decryption with DVD Decrypter, which will create a decrypted image of the DVD contents. Then you can use DVD Shrink to edit the disk to your liking, then burn it to another DVD.

It sounds complex until you actually do it, there are some great resources on the web.
 
So is DVD Decrypter a better decrypter than DVD Shrink?

I have been doing some research, and alot of people use DVD Shrink, then use DVD Decrypter to burn. (there is a setup function in DVD Shrink to use DVD Decrypter to burn)

It is also my understanding that there will be no more updates to DVD Shrink because the maker of that program now works at Nero.
 
Gary007 said:
So is DVD Decrypter a better decrypter than DVD Shrink?

I have been doing some research, and alot of people use DVD Shrink, then use DVD Decrypter to burn. (there is a setup function in DVD Shrink to use DVD Decrypter to burn)

It is also my understanding that there will be no more updates to DVD Shrink because the maker of that program now works at Nero.
Click to expand...
Well, it's not so much that Decrpypter is better, the two programs serve different functions. DVD Shrink will decrypt almost all DVDs, and allow you to re-author the DVD, as mentioned above by Senate. Decrypter will also remove most copy protection, sometimes ones that DVD Shrink can't, and will allow you to burn the DVD but won't re-author the disk like Shrink does.
 
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