500 points DVD ripper suggestion

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They also have a free version that will work just fine for what you've suggested, although it does have fewer features: http://www.dvdidle.com/free.htm

These all just capture (and decode) the DVD to your hard drive, however. They do not convert it to AVI. It will be in its original file structure -- which IS, by the way, MPEG-2 (no conversion necessary).

Note that some of their commercial products (the first link) will automatically compress the DVDs so they occupy less space (and you could burn a backup copy on a DVD).

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I use DVDecryptor to rip them to the hard drive . . DrDivx to shrink to convert to AVI

http://www.filehippo.com/download_dvd_decrypter/

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Dr_DivX.htm

and Nero to convert to MPEG2

DVD Decrypter is not a good choice anymore since it is no longer updated. There are MANY DVD's that it cannot rip correctly => almost any recent Sony or Disney release as well as others. The DVD Fab Decrypter products all work well with any current DVD. ... of course BluRay will be a different story ... (it uses a much stronger protection method)

younghv

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Thanks for the suggestions.
Reading the forums at both sites, I think I will do trial downloads (free) of both and decide after I practice.

Ryan - glad to know I can legally do this. Those kids can wear out a DVD in a matter of weeks.

Thanks again,
Vic

"... glad to know I can legally do this ..." => The movie studios disagree. That's why there has been legal action against virtually every DVD copying utility that's been marketed. DVD XCopy was shut down in the US; DVD Decrypter's author was enjoined in the UK and had to quit updating it; and several other less-well-known copy utilities have also been shut down with legal action. The products I linked to above are make in Beijing, China => where it is legal to make a backup copy (at least for now). It's not illegal to buy them; since they can also be used to make backups of unprotected DVD's. But don't ask the movie studios if you can back up their protected DVD's :-)

... in fairness to Ryan R. => I don't know the laws in Australia, so what he said may be true there :-)

" . . DVD Decrypter is not a good choice anymore since it is no longer updated. There are MANY DVD's that it cannot rip correctly => almost any recent Sony or Disney release as well as others . . "

News to me . . I use it almost weekly on both Sony and Disney DVD's

About a year ago there began to be titles that Decrypter couldn't handle ... and they've become much more prevalent lately. Almost any current ArcCos protected DVD cannot be ripped with Decrypter.
It IS a very nice program for those DVD's it can handle -> but there ARE many that it cannot.

You CAN do it with DVD Decrypter if you know how to make a custom PSL file, or examine the DVD structure and manually skip the unnecessary ARCCos-protected files. I've done this as an exercise; but it's much simpler to simply use DVD Fab Decrypter.

If you haven't encountered any such movies yet ... you will :-)

Hope not . .

younghv

ASKER

... in fairness to Ryan R. => I don't know the laws in Australia, so what he said may be true there :-)

I've always had a hankering to see Australia anyway.
Maybe I'll move down there to copy my DVD's.

Vic

I'm Australian - they are the laws I was refering to. If you're from the US, UK or anywhere alse then the copyright laws may be different

you didn't here this from me ==> I think you can use AnyDVD to watch or read to the HDD any DVD. If you are making your one legal copy you can use his program in conjunction with your burning software - as stated above I recommend Clone DVD 2 as a great app for this.

Remeber! ==> If you discard your original movie (whether you throw it out because it's wrecked, or you give it to someone else) then you can no longer legally keep your backup copy of the movie.

younghv

ASKER

Ryan,
Don't worry - if the Feds come after me, I won't rat you out.
Vic

... even if you did, I don't think the US Feds have much authority in Australia :-)

thanks I feel sooo mich better now ;-)

mich? much!

simpswr ... was answering another question r.e. DVD rippers and thought of your comments r.e. DVD Decrypter. You might be interested in the following links:

-> The demise of DVD Decrypter (the author gets shut down): http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6501.cfm

-> The end of the availability of Decrypter for download (Macrovision Europe gets tough): http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/dvd_rippers/dvd_decrypter.cfm Note: You CAN still find DVD Decrypter downloads, but obviously it will not be updated further (hasn't been for over a year)

-> A current link for DVD Fab Decrypter (you really DO want a copy of this): http://www.dvdidle.com/free.htm Note: The interface for this isn't as nice as DVD Decrypter's; and it's got one real nuisance (it names the folder for the extractions "DVD" for every title => so you have to rename the folder when you're done before you can do another rip); BUT it works and is still being kept up-to-date. You WILL encounter titles that DVD Decrypter cannot handle; so far (knock on wood) that has NOT been the case with DVD Fab Decrypter. Note that with DVD Fab Decrypter you'll still need a re-coder (e.g. DVD Shrink) and burner. If you simply want a very easy way to backup DVDs, then the same folks sell a program called DVD Fab Express: http://www.dvdidle.com/dvd-fab-express.htm

Thanks . .