paul-s

Does anyone know a good package for making a backup of a dvd onto a blank disc in case i break the original

cheers

lightning101

DVD decryptor, dvd shrink etc etc, all free to download from the net.


Even backups are illegal though, even if you buy the original

what would scooby do

I used DVD shrink, and Nero to burn it back to media.

Amazon DVD rental £9.99 - 6 DVD's a month

paul-s

thanks

would these programs copy the menu's, etc as well ? Normal dvd's take up a lot more space than dvd-r's have don't they ? would the quality be reduced slightly ?

OllyK

You can also go here and sign up to ScreenSelect. For £10 a month you can have as many DVD's as you can get through, watch it post it back and the next one comes. If you sign up through the above link you get 1 month's free trial (mine is almost up) and you could get an iPod to boot if you can persuade 5 other people to sign up - hint hint

lightning101

Not stricly true, normally it is the special editions and 3hr plus films like lord of the rings that use dual layer DVD's, these can be used in a dual layer burner as well.

Both programs mentioned can reduce to fit and still keep menus.

OllyK

Dual layer blanks are still pricey at the moment - but the writers are pretty cheap, I have one of these, not bad for £28.

what would scooby do

DVD shrink allows you to remove all the menus, extras, subtitles and any soundtracks you don't need. 99% of all films will then fit on one disk with minimal compression. Don't forget you can burn really long films over multiple DVD's if you want to retain a perfect copy.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

wheres jack?

Chip Sengravy

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

dvd x copy is the best package, its hard to get hold of now though as the company was forced to shut down.

I have x copy express, its very good!

carl

Not sure this has ever been proven in a court of law. Having bought the original, you've paid the licence fee, so you should be able to do what you like with your stuff. If you can't "back up" the DVD, does that also mean you can't copy it to an Archos for portable viewing?

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

thats the argument xcopy used, they failed!!

you are not allowed to copy them even if you have bought the original.

hth

jamo

lightning101

Yes it has, check the copyright law online. You are not allowed to record films from the TV and keep them, copy change or modify any music or video without licence from the owner in any shape or form.

Just because they don't enforce it doesn't make it any less illegal.

Here is an excerpt from 2003.

"UK users of peer-to-peer (P2P) websites could soon find themselves running the same legal gauntlet as their US counterparts.

The European Union Copyright Directive (EUCD) comes into force today, making uploading to P2P sites such as Kazaa and Grokster illegal.

The EUCD, or Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003, amends the Copyright Designs and Patents Act of 1988 and is the EU's attempt to update copyright protection to the digital age and combat software piracy.

Indivuals who make a copy of a copyrighted DVD, CD or music file, whether for back-up or for use on another device such as an MP3 player, are committing a crime.

Even if this is for personal use they theoretically face up to two years in jail or an unlimited fine, and possible civil action from copyright holders.

It will also be illegal for anyone to break anti-copying technologies and publish their findings, as in the 'DVD Jon' case, in which Norwegian encryption cracker Jon Lech Johanson was prosecuted for distributing DVD encryption-cracking software.

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the UK equivalent of the litigious Recording Industry Association of America, has always said it would wait for the EUCD before deciding whether to take legal action against UK users of P2P sites. It is still deliberating.

Peter Jamieson, the BPI's executive chairman, said in a statement given to vnunet.com: "Once we have digested the implications of the revised copyright legislation and communicated this to our members we will consider the need for a wider awareness campaign and, as and when this is carried out, assess its impact and effectiveness before taking further steps."

But the EUCD has been severely criticised by civil liberties groups and lawyers for following too closely the controversial and much criticised 1998 US Digital Millennium Copyright Act and infringing human rights.

"Why shouldn't I be allowed to make a copy of a CD I have paid for so I can listen to it on my computer or put it on an MP3 player? This shows that the law can be an ***," said George Gardiner, technology lawyer and partner at law firm Stephenson Harwood."