[Vaders Scar]

Right, as some of you may know Mrs Scar is currently expecting Scar Jr.
This is going to mean a lot less time to watch my DVDs. A small price I know, but still.
My parents are buying me a Multimedia Player for my 30th birthday so I can catch up on the bus into work.
I'm fairly sure the Player comes with DVD to AVI software, however I want to make a start converting my DVDs just now.
I'm thinking that time will be a precious commodity round about then.
However I can't find a free DVD to AVI program online. Plenty of ones I can buy, but nothing free.
I don't want to come across as tight, but I don't see the point of paying for software that someone will be giving me for nothing in a month.
Can anyone help?

[Maelgwyn]

doom9.org

That has a lot of converters and the like and they are all free~!

But be careful! What you are doing is essentially video piracy and you can be fined to the fullest extent of the law in your area. The tools on the above site are for backup / educational purposes only and should not be used to pirate copyright material.

Mael (Now sees why a year of law school was a good idea)

This post has been edited by Maelgwyn: 03 August 2008 - 05:47 PM

[Twisted1616]

But be careful! What you are doing is essentially video piracy and you can be fined to the fullest extent of the law in your area.

Where do you get that from?!.. Especially since in your next statement you claim the opposite:

The tools on the above site are for backup / educational purposes only and should not be used to pirate copyright material.

And Backing Up your DVDs is nothing but Backing Up your DVDs.. which you claim here is not piracy.


So you can see if I'm a tad confused.. but that's what being a lawier is all about ainnit?.. so, good job.

(confused about what you said.. Not that confused about backing up one's own DVDs, which I'm sure is 100% legal).

[Vaders Scar]

But be careful! What you are doing is essentially video piracy and you can be fined to the fullest extent of the law in your area. The tools on the above site are for backup / educational purposes only and should not be used to pirate copyright material.

But if I just use my own DVDs and only I watch them surely that isn't piracy?
Anyway, there are a lot of programs on that page!!!! Which one would you recommend?

[linuxelf]

I've had a lot of success with DVD Decrypter, and Auto Gordian Knot.

[Shluey]

The DMCA strictly prohibits the circumventing of any copy protection mechanism. Thus copying a DVD or converting it to an AVI for any purpose is technically against the law.

It is a stupid law and should not be followed, but that's beside the point.

Edit: I use a program called DVDRip, http://exit1.org/dvdrip/

This post has been edited by Shluey: 04 August 2008 - 12:22 PM

[Cybercat]

I don't know about the laws in the US, but over here it's legal to make backups for personal use, as long as you get rid of the backups if you ever get rid of the original. I think that's a system they should have everywhere because I really doubt they'll give you a new DVD for free if your original ever got damaged...

[Maelgwyn]

I have used DVD Decrypter and its not too bad.

But try a few and see what you really like. Because its about trial and error

[linuxelf]

I don't know about the laws in the US, but over here it's legal to make backups for personal use, as long as you get rid of the backups if you ever get rid of the original. I think that's a system they should have everywhere because I really doubt they'll give you a new DVD for free if your original ever got damaged...

Yeah, that's a reasonable law. Unfortunately, in the US, Shluey is absolutely correct. The DMCA says that backing up software, music, movies, anything that is copy protected, even for your own use, is illegal. Actually, exposing information that makes it easier for someone else to remove copy protection is also against the DMCA. So, technically, just recommending DVD copying software alone is against the DMCA.

[Shluey]

I don't know about the laws in the US, but over here it's legal to make backups for personal use, as long as you get rid of the backups if you ever get rid of the original. I think that's a system they should have everywhere because I really doubt they'll give you a new DVD for free if your original ever got damaged...

Yeah, that's a reasonable law. Unfortunately, in the US, Shluey is absolutely correct. The DMCA says that backing up software, music, movies, anything that is copy protected, even for your own use, is illegal. Actually, exposing information that makes it easier for someone else to remove copy protection is also against the DMCA. So, technically, just recommending DVD copying software alone is against the DMCA.

Is it really?
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0

[Cybercat]

So if you have a DVD that is *not* copy protected, you're allowed to back it up? I checked and not all of my DVDs have copy protection, not even all of my region 1 discs.

[linuxelf]

If they aren't Region 0, they're copy protected. Breaking the encryption is defeating the copy protection.

[Cybercat]

I'm not talking about breaking the encryption, I'm talking about making a backup. I don't mind if it's still region 1 afterwards.

[linuxelf]

Yeah, still illegal in the US. If it's region encoded, and you're doing anything with it other than playing it on an approved player, you're in violation of the DMCA. Go US Government!

[Cybercat]

Gosh, how did the movie companies manage to get that passed? I'm so glad we don't have the same laws here.

[Shluey]

Gosh, how did the movie companies manage to get that passed? I'm so glad we don't have the same laws here.

More money than god and a Congress of 80 year olds who are computer illiterate, referring to nobody in particular of course...