I have stuck with dvd shrink and dvd decrypter as they have always worked for me.
Found this for you to read through Tom, I not suggesting you do it, as we all know copies should only be made for yourself from ones you own, and not for any other reason
This guide is what I first used a few years back, he's done it up a bit since then. As I said read it first.
In your opinion, which of these two is more straight forward and easier to use?
Also, I had posted an earlier reply to rridgely about "movie" burning software, but as yet have not received a reply back. Other than Ashampoo's Burning Studio, do you know of any software that will work for this purpose -- movies -- not video images?
In some countries its illegal to make copies and circumvent drm of media that you even own. Thankfully my country isnt one of them.
Thanks for the suggestion about the freeware prog. I have tried it before and found that a number of DVDs in my collection had drm techniques not fixed by it. I find that AnyDVD's ease of use and regular updates is the only solution that works on 100% of my dvd library.
In your opinion, which of these two is more straight forward and easier to use?
Also, I had posted an earlier reply to rridgely about "movie" burning software, but as yet have not received a reply back. Other than Ashampoo's Burning Studio, do you know of any software that will work for this purpose -- movies -- not video images?
Tom, the combination of shrink and decrypter does the whole thing. Once set up via the guide you put in the discs (original and blank) and at the end you get a copy without having to do anything else apart from saying what you want to copy.
Unless you only have one drive and then you will have to swap discs in the middle.
I only have one drive. So, can the disc(s) first be copied to the HD, or is this not the way it's done?
You need to copy it to the hard disk first anyways, that's how DVDDecrypter and DVDFab HD Decrypter are able to decrypt the disc by copying it to the hard disk. Then you can use tools like DVD Shrink to shrink the size if it's from a dual-layered disc 9.4 GB DVD and won't fit onto a standard 4.7 GB DVD, or re-author the disc and remove crap you don't want so that you can just have the main movie. Then you can use DVDDecrypter, or IMGBurn to burn the disc. Note: Some burning apps will only make coasters and the discs won't play on DVD players, which is why I only burn DVD movies with DVDDecrypter or IMGBurn.
You need to copy it to the hard disk first anyways, that's how DVDDecrypter and DVDFab HD Decrypter are able to decrypt the disc by copying it to the hard disk. Then you can use tools like DVD Shrink to shrink the size if it's from a dual-layered disc 9.4 GB DVD and won't fit onto a standard 4.7 GB DVD, or re-author the disc and remove crap you don't want so that you can just have the main movie. Then you can use DVDDecrypter, or IMGBurn to burn the disc. Note: Some burning apps will only make coasters and the discs won't play on DVD players, which is why I only burn DVD movies with DVDDecrypter or IMGBurn.
Sorry for all the dumb questions. When it comes to video I'm really illiterate -- I mean REALLY green. . . you might as well be talking with a toddler. I've had very little need for learning the "video" stuff -- so I haven't. Audio, however, is another story -- that's something that I understand and use daily in my business.
However, here's the reason for all my video questions. I have roughly 2 hrs 20 minutes worth of video -- currently on 2 DVDRs. This is not a commercial movie -- but it's not home movies either. It's something that was produced for another little company I'm involved with. I'm really need to get these two DVDRs down to a single DVD, and I thought maybe it might be something I could do myself, but I've started to re-think that whole idea a little. I may have way too much to learn in a relatively short period of time. It might be a whole lot easier just to go back to the production company that produced the piece and have them work on it -- or simply farm it out to someone else. Of the ~02:20:00, probably 4-6 minutes could just be edited out (simple deletes) -- but I don't know how to do that either -- so that becomes my first problem. Then, I was hoping the whole thing could possibly be "compressed" a little to get rid of the remaining "excess" minutes and get it down under the 2-hr mark. But, I don't even know if one of the "shrink" apps would work on this type of project.
Oh well, I apologize for all the boring details, guess I was just trying to explain myself and justify my ignorance a little . I appreciate all the help from everyone.
The problem with putting 2 dvds on one dvd is that you would need something to join the files together. I've done this before(putting little videos together on one dvd) by making the dvd with a program that came with my one and only store bought computer(a 2 1/2 year old compaq.. I couldn't pass it up for 200 bucks with a 17in flat screen crt at staples. Great little spare) The program is called windvd creator platinum and it allows you to create a dvd selection menu pretty easily.
Now if the data is too big to fit on one dvd what I would do if I didnt want to loose quality was spring for a pack of dual layer dvds. They cost a little more but they would get the job done and it would be worth it if you really wanted it on one dvd.
I just checked circuit city. Double layer dvds are 15 bucks for a 5 pack. Which is kind of a rip considering you cant get 50 dvd+/- r ones on sale for that much when they are on sale sometimes but if you really needed to do it, it would work.
The only thing it needs done optionally at the moment since it hasn't been updated in some time is for the user to update the backend programs such as lame.exe, flac.exe, oggdec.exe, and wvunpack.exe.
Andavari , I decided to take you advice about updating the backend programs in Burrn. However, I wasn't exactly sure which "Flac" file to download from the site you mentioned. In the Burrn app itself, the "flac" file is simply "flac.exe." However, it appears that on the download site, the flac exe file name also includes the version number. Is it OK to replace the Burrn file with this one, or am I not looking at the right file?
Someone in a hijackthis topic I'm working on just posted a avg antispyware log where DVDFab decryptor is detected as being a virus. Just to be safe I scanned the installer at virus total and all came up clean. I also scanned it with avg as on my system and it came up clean. Just thought it was worth mentioning that you may come into contact with this false positive. (the person may have an outdated version of avg on their system or something)
what I would do if I didnt want to loose quality was spring for a pack of dual layer dvds.
The DVD burner drive has to be able to burn dual-layer dvd's though doesn't it?
You probably could fit a 2hr 20min dvd video on a standard dvd, but you'd have to shrink it's size using DVD Shrink - of course the compression would mean less quality but in the end it would be much cheaper to do it yourself so long as you know what your doing than outsourcing the task, however it depends upon if you want something done "professionally" or not, then again the "pros" could also make a mess of things.
The DVD burner drive has to be able to burn dual-layer dvd's though doesn't it?
You probably could fit a 2hr 20min dvd video on a standard dvd, but you'd have to shrink it's size using DVD Shrink - of course the compression would mean less quality but in the end it would be much cheaper to do it yourself so long as you know what your doing than outsourcing the task, however it depends upon if you want something done "professionally" or not, then again the "pros" could also make a mess of things.
Thats true you would have to make sure your drive supported it. But just about any computer bought in the last 3 years or so probably does right?
Thats true you would have to make sure your drive supported it. But just about any computer bought in the last 3 years or so probably does right?
Most modern drives I looked at on Newegg.com when I got my Plextor last year supported burning to dual-layer DVD, however with older computers there's still computers there's still those in the last 3-4 years that won't burn a dual-layer DVD, in that case they'd just have playback support only - hence the reason he may end up having to shrink the size so that it fits onto a standard 4.7 GB DVD.
I know the cheapo compaq I got for $200 will burn them and its a few years old.
It will even do the stupid light scribe thing(which is such a rip. The discs cost way more and it takes forever to do. After that, they arent even that cool.) I bought a couple just to try it.
Anyway if his drive supports it then thats what I would do.