Info on copying DVD's

[Chris]

Hi,
Sorry for the off topic post but I needed a place to start. I am looking
for information/software on making exact copies/backups of my movie DVD's.
I would like to be able to do this so the kids will no longer keep wrecking
the originals of their movies. I have seen some software to do this but can
not really find any good reviews and would rather not just blindly purchase
what may be garbage, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Chris Lanier]

DVD x Copy is the way to go.
http://www.dvdxcopy.com/products.asp

"Chris" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
> Sorry for the off topic post but I needed a place to start. I am looking
> for information/software on making exact copies/backups of my movie DVD's.
> I would like to be able to do this so the kids will no longer keep
wrecking
> the originals of their movies. I have seen some software to do this but
can
> not really find any good reviews and would rather not just blindly
purchase
> what may be garbage, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
>

[Bill James]

You might want to check this site: www.doom9.org.

Unless you have a DVD burner, you will need to make your backups on CDs =
which only requires a CD burner (much less expensive). Converting to =
SVCD format is probably best to allow playing the copies on most =
standalone and computer DVD players with close to the same quality as =
the original. The SVCD format can even be played using a computer CD =
drive as long as you install the required codec. The freeware program =
DVD2SVCD works well for many (don't worry too much about all the =
optional settings and take the defaults). A typical 90 to 120 minute =
movie will require 2 CDs when converted to SVCD, and requires a fairly =
powerful computer to perform the conversion process. It's also rather =
slow -- 4 hours or more can be expected for the conversion process with =
a 1GHz computer, and requires about 10 GB of free hard drive space.

If you do have a DVD burner, there are commercial programs available for =
backing up to DVD, but I have no personal experience with those. They =
are still going to require a lot of processing power and will not be =
fast, due to the decoding and recompression processes required. It's =
nothing like making a quick backup of your favorite music CD.

--=20

Bill James
Microsoft Shell/UI

Win9x VBScript Utilities =BB www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips =BB www.billsway.com/notes_public/

"Chris" > wrote in message =
...
> Hi,
> Sorry for the off topic post but I needed a place to start. I am =
looking
> for information/software on making exact copies/backups of my movie =
DVD's.
> I would like to be able to do this so the kids will no longer keep =
wrecking
> the originals of their movies. I have seen some software to do this =
but can
> not really find any good reviews and would rather not just blindly =
purchase
> what may be garbage, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>=20
> Thanks in advance.
>=20
>=20
>

[szandor9000@hotmail.com]

I suggest you try this method:
http://www.dvdrhelp.com/forum/userguides/84759.php
If you intend to watch the discs you make on a dvd player/tv only, you will
be suprised what you can get away with ie low bitrates.
I use this method unless the film is really long then its best split up
over 2 discs.
Bill, are you saying most standalone dvd players will play svcd rather than
vcd?

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 05:34:56 -0600, Bill James wrote:

> You might want to check this site: www.doom9.org.
>
> Unless you have a DVD burner, you will need to make your backups on CDs
> which only requires a CD burner (much less expensive). Converting to
> SVCD format is probably best to allow playing the copies on most
> standalone and computer DVD players with close to the same quality as
> the original. The SVCD format can even be played using a computer CD
> drive as long as you install the required codec. The freeware program
> DVD2SVCD works well for many (don't worry too much about all the
> optional settings and take the defaults). A typical 90 to 120 minute
> movie will require 2 CDs when converted to SVCD, and requires a fairly
> powerful computer to perform the conversion process. It's also rather
> slow -- 4 hours or more can be expected for the conversion process with
> a 1GHz computer, and requires about 10 GB of free hard drive space.
>
> If you do have a DVD burner, there are commercial programs available for
> backing up to DVD, but I have no personal experience with those. They
> are still going to require a lot of processing power and will not be
> fast, due to the decoding and recompression processes required. It's
> nothing like making a quick backup of your favorite music CD.

[Rizzo]

"Chris" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
> Sorry for the off topic post but I needed a place to start. I am looking
> for information/software on making exact copies/backups of my movie DVD's.
> I would like to be able to do this so the kids will no longer keep
wrecking
> the originals of their movies. I have seen some software to do this but
can
> not really find any good reviews and would rather not just blindly
purchase
> what may be garbage, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance.

Easy - just control your children.

Not many parents think about that.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 2/09/2003

[Bill James]

No, VCD will be more widely compatible with standalone players, =
especially older ones, just that I see much better quality with SVCD =
burns.

--=20

Bill James
Microsoft Shell/UI

Win9x VBScript Utilities =BB www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips =BB www.billsway.com/notes_public/

> wrote in message =
...
> I suggest you try this method:
> http://www.dvdrhelp.com/forum/userguides/84759.php
> If you intend to watch the discs you make on a dvd player/tv only, you =
will
> be suprised what you can get away with ie low bitrates.
> I use this method unless the film is really long then its best split =
up
> over 2 discs.
> Bill, are you saying most standalone dvd players will play svcd rather =
than
> vcd?
>=20
> On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 05:34:56 -0600, Bill James wrote:
>=20
> > You might want to check this site: www.doom9.org.
> >=20
> > Unless you have a DVD burner, you will need to make your backups on =
CDs
> > which only requires a CD burner (much less expensive). Converting =
to
> > SVCD format is probably best to allow playing the copies on most
> > standalone and computer DVD players with close to the same quality =
as
> > the original. The SVCD format can even be played using a computer =
CD
> > drive as long as you install the required codec. The freeware =
program
> > DVD2SVCD works well for many (don't worry too much about all the
> > optional settings and take the defaults). A typical 90 to 120 =
minute
> > movie will require 2 CDs when converted to SVCD, and requires a =
fairly
> > powerful computer to perform the conversion process. It's also =
rather
> > slow -- 4 hours or more can be expected for the conversion process =
with
> > a 1GHz computer, and requires about 10 GB of free hard drive space.
> >=20
> > If you do have a DVD burner, there are commercial programs available =
for
> > backing up to DVD, but I have no personal experience with those. =
They
> > are still going to require a lot of processing power and will not be
> > fast, due to the decoding and recompression processes required. =
It's
> > nothing like making a quick backup of your favorite music CD.

[Chris]

Now that was really helpful ... the kids are fine. As with anything dealing
with children accidents happen and disks are easy to scratch.
"Rizzo" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Chris" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi,
> > Sorry for the off topic post but I needed a place to start. I am
looking
> > for information/software on making exact copies/backups of my movie
DVD's.
> > I would like to be able to do this so the kids will no longer keep
> wrecking
> > the originals of their movies. I have seen some software to do this but
> can
> > not really find any good reviews and would rather not just blindly
> purchase
> > what may be garbage, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
>
> Easy - just control your children.
>
> Not many parents think about that.
>
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 2/09/2003
>
>