A question about DVDs

[Captain Sensible]

Can I use the DVD drive on my computer to save the contents (a movie) of a DVD onto the hard drive of my computer and then burn the movie back onto a blank DVD?


Anyone know?


Also is there any way I can copy straight fom DVD to video?


Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Desredandwhite]

Technically yes. However, there are potential problems. Most commercial DVDs are "single-sided, dual layer discs", which means that data is read from two separate layers in the disc, one after the other.

Just about all recordable discs at the moment (though I believe they are working on it) are single layer. This poses a space issue - two into one will not go.

So therefore if the dual layer disc is full, then you will either have to shed extra features and soundtracks, or reencode the video at a higher compression rate.

It's not impossible, but tricky. And certainly takes longer than the time it'd take you to earn the money to buy the actual DVD, IMHO But if you want to know more about the process, browse at dvdrhelp.com

As for your second question, the answer is, again, maybe. Most DVDs use a form of copy protection called macrovision (it's the same one used on a lot of rental tapes, for example). On some DVD players, you can turn this off - but it will depend on your individual player. Otherwise it's as easy as hooking up the outputs of your DVD player to the inputs of your VCR

 

[Bucks5]

Or you can simply download a program called DVDshrink that "shrinks" the contents of a commerical DVD to 4Gb onto your hard drive... DVDshrink also decrypts copyright material (but I wouldnt know about that)

 

[lioness]

Originally posted by Bucks5
Or you can simply download a program called DVDshrink that "shrinks" the contents of a commerical DVD to 4Gb onto your hard drive... DVDshrink also decrypts copyright material (but I wouldnt know about that)

Yep I agree, DVDShrink is the best way to go. I used it a fair bit at my boyfriend's place. He had two versions, 2.0 and 2.3 and the only difference was that you could manually configure the compression rates and stuff, and the other did it automatically. And I have to say, I only found that a few DVDs were too big to configure at all. It's a pretty good program!

And hey, if I could work it out, anyone can so it's user friendly!

 

[Joel]

Originally posted by localyokel
Can I use the DVD drive on my computer to save the contents (a movie) of a DVD onto the hard drive of my computer and then burn the movie back onto a blank DVD?


Anyone know?


Also is there any way I can copy straight fom DVD to video?


Thanks in anticipation.

If I'm reading this correctly, the answer is no, you cannot burn DVDs using a DVD drive, however, you can burn DVDs with a DVD burner...there is a difference.

To burn DVDs:

Make sure you download a program called AnyDVD before you start, because that takes of copying restrictions.

...and if you want a simple program, download CloneDVD, it does everything for you, and is a pretty good program.

Alternatively, you can download DVD Decryptor, to decrypt the movie, and then shrink it using DVD Shrink. It is a pretty straightforward process. Just look around on the net for info. Otherwise, there shold be a thread around here, with some info.

 

[The Scarecrow]

To Burn DVDs, first you need a DVD burner, and a program to shrink and copy it. Nero Express is a good program for that.

 

[lioness]

Originally posted by Bucks5
DVDshrink also decrypts copyright material

I just had a question on this point......sometimes while using DVDShrink, a message pops up saying 'failed to read from ASPI device'.....was wondering what this means and is there any way around it if it happens?

 

[mighty mick]

a good link for dvd software

although as suggested a dvd burner is essential,

just a question though, what is the best compression video format as im trying to get a 2 hr footy game plus menus onto dvd

it has been captured through a tv card,

 

[KingyOrTheKing]

Most newer (movie) DVD's are dual layer discs, meaning that you cannot burn a DVD straight to a blank DVD (although they are bringing out dual layer burners soon). Older DVD movies are single layer so you can do a 1:1 burn to disc. You can use a program such as DVD Decrypter to rip the DVD contents to Hard drive and use a program such as DVD Shrink to then compress the movie (if its a dual layer disc) and burn to a blank disc. You can keep the ripped movie uncompressed on your HDD for as long as you want provided you have enough space to store the ~9GB

For a DVD reader , you can rip the contents to your HDD but you won't be able to burn it. If you have a DVD writer you will be able to also burn it....