Hmm...this isn't generating a firestorm of controversy like that post I saw a few days back? Can't remember exactly what it was about, but it spawned a huge argument over the ethics of LH posting about torrents or something. All I can remember is that it said that there was 'no way to use it for good' (which made me laugh, "Luke, I AM your father").

tehblacksheep234

Best Dvd copying program ever. Start this bad boy up then use DVD Decrypter and you can copy DVD's in no time. Been using it for awhile and way better then DVD Shrink too.

msjwild3

Avast, ye scurvy sea dogs! This be a brand new boat into the sea of piracy! Arr!

greeneggsnsam

Yup, I use DVD Fab. Anyone know a single program that is updated and can decrypt AND can shrink all in teh same program? (DVD Shrink is not updated, so it cannot decrypt the newest types of encryption...)

ajskhan

@tehblacksheep234: Well, although the law does look down on DVD decryption (via the DMCA), you're far more likely to need something like this for otherwise-legal/ethically-sound purposes (backing up or otherwise personally making use of DVDs you rightfully own) than you are a video torrent site (which usually consists of things you don't rightfully own).

FLEB

@pdok:
You're right - you *are* no saint. How are the software developers going to know what the problems are with your software if you don't utilize the right and legal channels? If you paid for the "worthless disk utility" and it fails, I'm sure if you let them know exactly what the problem was, they'd make the improvements and upgrade you for free. The way you're doing it, it will stay worthless because they'll never know what the problem was in the first place.

Nice to see gaming developers don't miss out with your weird take on things though :) Just curious - if you download a DVD and enjoy it, do you go to a cinema and see it again, so movie studios don't miss out on the potential for future movie development? Buying it used ain't helping them out much.

EmmaFrost

I thought everyone knew about this. It's been around a fair while anyway.

I like to use AnyDVD from Slysoft which does the same thing but you have to pay for it. They just recently had a Thanksgiving 20% off sepcial which is finished now.

da5id_nz

What makes this better than DVD Shrink? Is it the newer encryptions?

I copy every one of my DVDs because I just want the damn thing to play when I put it in the machine, I don't want to wait 5 minutes for the menu.

@tehblacksheep234: Would that
previous post be the Hackintosh post?

Personally, I prefer to own software rather than steal it, but I'm no saint, and I've certainly downloaded/used/discarded software a time or two. The problem with buying software is finding out it doesn't do what it promised, then you're stuck. Like some worthless disk utility that fails completely. At least torrents provide a way to test stuff, even if it's not completely legit.

This is especially true for games, and I always purchase a game if I've downloaded it and enjoyed it. I don't want to leech off the potential for future game development.

I feel like DVDs are pretty much the same, and I purchase the ones I want to keep (buy them used on Amazon for $3, though.)

pdok

I have used this with great success with Handbrake for putting movies on my iPod. (Of course I own them...for 5 nights until they go back to Blockbuster...I kid, I kid...Hey wonder what that black van outside my house is for?)

Bittermormon

@ajskhan:
I think that the newest Nero 8 can, you can find a torrent for it if you don't feel like shelling out like 100 bucks haha.

msjwild3

@EmmaFrost: Point taken. I specifically don't download DVDs or movies, actually. I buy them. If I rent one I like, I buy it. Same thing with audio. Most of the movies I own I saw in the theatre, so I'd say yes, I think.

For "used/discarded" perhaps I should have said "tried/discarded", usually after finding an open source alternative that worked better.

There are about 5-6 DVDs a year I care about owning. However, there are scores of programs I'll evaluate and discard. I don't have time to pitch in and help improve somebody's disk utility, there are too many out there that rock.

Driveimage XML is a great example of not worth my time. It was a great concept, but the freeware version isn't helping me buy it by taking 11 hours to image my drive. Do I get on the phone and spend an hour trying to find out if the full version works faster, or should I just pop in my Ghost 2003 CD (which I bought, by the way) and get it done in 1/5 the time?

Anyway, it usually ends up pretty obvious if the software is worth the effort to correspond with the developers, and FWIW I've gone that route, too. When I get a response, and they're actually interested in helping fix it, then that's worth supporting.

I've also donated to freeware and open source projects, so maybe I'm a little twisted.

I'm amused, though, that you don't endorse supporting the small entrepreneurs selling used DVDs on Amazon! Those guys are like the Zamboni drivers, real heroes...

pdok

To me, since I watch DVDs in my MacBook Pro now at home, what I need most is a software that can remove the region code. Mine superdrive doesn't have firmware to patch and AnyDVD even doesn't work in Windows XP with BootCamp (though AnyDVD works on the drive in my PC at work)

wildeny

"You must be logged in as an administrator when installing this program."

Bad.

Sanja

We've actually come to a point where illegally downloaded pirate copies of movies are of higher quality than the bought ones. You don't have to sit through the copyright notice in thirty languages and endless intros and trailers every single time. You can download subtitles as you need them for the languages you need them. You can watch movies, tv shows, etc. whenever they're first released and don't have to wait 'til some marketing bozo decides to release it to your particular geographical area (or doesn't).
That the studios still don't see the full potential of offering content for download (at the right price) is their problem. 90% of the movies that make it into theatres are crap anyway (especially the big budget ones). I wouldn't shed a tear if they wouldn't get made anymore. If illegally downloading and watching Transformers makes that happen, please, download more!

automaton

Google "ripit4me"

thewillum

@EmmaFrost: I absolutely will not buy and software of game that I can't at least test out first. Trials, demos and such are a phenomenally fantastic thing. I download a trial or demo (assuming it isn't a crippled version where some things are 'disabled') and I like it... I buy it. If there is no trial or demo I look for a torrent. If it exists, I get it. If not, that package comes off the list.

I see no point in spending upwards of $300-$400 in some cases for software only to find out it isn't what I expected or doesn't have a few critical features I need and can't return it because the packaging has been opened (another complaint for another day).

I think it's utterly irresponsible for companies like Apple and Microsoft to sell products for thousands of dollars without giving people the chance to try them to see if it has or is what they need/want.

Maybe in your world where everyone has all the money they need it's okay, but not mine.

bishopneo

I love DVD43, but I have to always mentally remember to turn it off when dubbing a CD. Otherwise, I get a blue screen of death on more than one of my computers, both running XP.

mhleung

@automaton: Absolutely! I can't begin to tell you how frustrating it is to pop in one of the kids' DVDs only to be forced to watch 5 minutes of commercials every time they watch it! I can't fast-forward, I can't go to the main menu, nothing.

I'm not advocating copying movies you don't own, but making a backup with no commercials (sorry... previews) is, in my opinion, not only OK, but I encourage it.

I don't think I owe the movie studio any more than the price I paid for the DVD... and my time is worth something. Also, put a scratch in your DVD and find out if the studio will replace it for you... good luck.

MSB

There is a utility that you can use to dynamically turn dvd43 on and off, and I strongly suggest it. I've found that I have had poorer performance on disk-to-disk copying if I leave dvd43 on.

As to it's utility, I think it's a great program. I've used it for years and recommend it.

I have a routine with new DVDs, though, since I have a bunch of little kids. When I buy DVDs (which is quite frequently) the first thing I do is rip just the movie onto a DVD and put the original on a spindle and the copy in the case. The ripped movie starts up immediately without attention, which is VERY important when I put it into the car's DVD player, and get to keep the original secure from little fingers and how they WILL scratch the disks.

nerdbert

any macOSX implementation of dvd43 alikes?

skype24

For some reason, I have an issue every once in a while when I insert a DVD into my PC. The video displays with a bunch of intermittent vertical pink lines on it. I've tried upgrading the drivers on my video card, but that usually doesn't solve the problem. SOMEtimes I'm able to get the DVD to work in a different software program, but not usually. I'm wondering if this is supposed to be a copy protection issue. I wonder if DVD43 would help...

Has anyone seen anything like what I'm describing before?

Thanks!

Enrique

@Enrique: I'm not sure what you mean by saying upgrading drivers "usually doesn't solve the problem". It does or it doesn't. If the problem recurs even once, it was never the drivers' fault, I'm thinking.

If the disk plays in another program, that's an important distinction that makes me think it's a software issue. Try remastering the DVD to the hard drive using DVDShrink or DVD43, or burn a remastered copy then try playing it after the encryption has been removed.

That's where I'd start for the no cost method. Try a different DVD drive, if you can borrow one to swap out, just in case there's something going on there. Good luck and use Google for a better forum.

pdok

@da5id_nz: Opps, I mean 20% OFF promotion..

da5id_nz

ps, Slysoft (makers of AnyDVD and CloneDVD) have another 20% promotion going until the 31st of December.

Use the coupon code 'christmas' when ordering.

da5id_nz

@skype24: MacTheRipper isn't a clone of this per se, but accomplishes the same end result for video discs. Free.

dphelan