Summary: Backing up to DVD is easy with a backup program or a DVD burner. Copying a video DVD, however, requires a different tool, and may be illegal.
How do I backup to DVD? How can I copy video DVDs?
DVDs have become great backup media. With capacities of nearly 5 gigabytes on a single disk you can place a LOT of data on one. Doing so needn't be difficult but there are a few options.
Copying video DVDs on the other hand may not be that easy.
•
Chances are your DVD writer included software with it to be able to burn not only DVDs but CDs as well. That's always the best place to start. (If your drive did not include software, I've had good luck with Roxio Easy CD and DVD Creator.) I use these types of packages to copy files I've selected onto CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R media.
Windows XP itself also has burning software included. With XP you can treat some types of media - most notably "RW" media - as if they were just another drive by simply copying files to it.
Important: while we're talking about formats, it's important to note that the "+" and "-" in the DVD media types is significant. DVD-R and DVD+R are two different standards. Most DVD writers will work with one or the other, but not both. The same goes for DVD-RW and DVD+RW. Make sure you get the right kind of media for your drive.
Now then, about copying those video DVDs.
As much as I hate to say it, I've always viewed the claims of copying software very skeptically. The fact is that the movie industry has taken many steps to prevent piracy, and it wouldn't surprise me if the claims made for the ability to copy video DVDs weren't blown out of proportion. I'd be fairly shocked if there was a package that could legally copy a commercially produced DVD. I definitely understand that there are legitimate needs for making a personal, backup copy of a DVD you own, I'm just not currently aware of a working legal solution.
So my recommendation is this: get the backup scenario working. This will validate that your drive fundamentally works and that you have the correct type of media. Then you can try the DVD copying packages. I'd be interested in hearing which ones actually work, if any.
Article C1973 - June 1, 2004
Just as an FYI - to get CloneDVD and AnyDVD is 101.60USD from SlySoft. I might have considered 40.00, but more than a bennie is too much.
Posted by: Jeff at January 2, 2008 11:46 AMHi folks,
Posted by: Seasonal at April 14, 2008 2:54 PMJust a reminder, as leo has said and we will restate- .. any dvd or video that is done by a 3rd party that has either paid cash monies of anytype .. for services.. such as recording parties,weddings.. so on is also copyrighted via the Company or parties that performed the video at time of engagment. This is even if you paid for copies. You paid for a specific amount or defined type of copies. Making any type of copy of this type of item would violate a contract and allow the buyer to be sued for breech of contract and copyright violations... anytype of movie dvd would fall under the same standards of copyright violations.. just not from services rendered
in regard to this comment be Seasonal:
"any dvd or video that is done by a 3rd party .... is also copyrighted via the Company or parties that performed the video.....Making any type of copy of this type of item would violate a contract and allow the buyer to be sued for breech of contract and copyright violations... "
that may all be well and true, but i guarantee you this, if some dude videotaped my wedding, and then sold me the DVD, and then sued me after I made a copy, that dude would get his ass kicked so hard, and so often that he would never think of being such an ass again.
Sue me for making a copy of my own wedding video?
I dont think so...
otherwise you are getting a serious beat-down, thats for sure.
-Leo
There are three principles of law enforceability that apply to all laws including those on copyright.
1. Laws are more enforcible when they have broad public support (are popular). Personally, I would do my damnedest to help identify and arrest a hit and run driver. I would not ever consider reporting adult pot smoker out of doors.
2. Laws are more enforcible when their are few offenders. If there is one prostitution agency in a city, the police would regulate it efficiently. If there are 3,000 individual hooker-entrepreneurs, then enforceability is nearly impossible.
3. Laws are more enforcible when applied in celebrated settings. Pee in a parking lot and you will get away with it. Announce on television that you are going to pee on a particular parking meter at 10:00 am on May 22nd, and you will likely get a citation.
Making a copy of a copyrighted wedding video strikes out on all three counts, provided you have not informed your photographer of these postings! Several billion people would support your right to copy, there are many offenders already, and hopefully you are not Brittany Spears announcing the violation on CNN.
Where I work I have been asked to enforce copyright. When a friend asks me if I will copy an illegal amount of a copyright document for him, I say, "No, I won't, and I'm telling you its illegal. However there is a photocopier over there, and the rules are posted beside it. You are asked to read these rules, but enforcing them is left up to you."
So...done with discretion the decision to enforce or violate the photographers copyright on your wedding video, is up to you.
Posted by: Shamus at September 14, 2008 9:47 AMFor your wedding: DO NOT HIRE the videographer unless s/he agrees, in writing, to sign over to you the rights to copy or do whatever you want with your wedding videos.
Posted by: BigEd at February 9, 2009 12:39 AMI have hundreds of video tape of family events. Most are on 8mm or Hi8 or Digital8. I'm transferring them to DVD on a stand alone DVD recorder. But I have 4 children to whom I'd like to give a "set" each. So I need to make three copies of each. I'd like to do it on a PC so that I don't have to run each tape thru the camera 4 times. The camera would probably not last long enough to do that. I've tried several pieces of software to do it but none of the resulting DVD seem to be readable be DVD players. Suggestions ?
Posted by: Hal Wolverton at July 1, 2009 3:31 PM( Copyright is not a issue here because the kids and I originated all this material. )
AnyDVD is the way to go. You can find the trial version here: [link removed] slysoft.com I've used other apps but AnyDVD seems to be the most consistent/reliable.
Posted by: Emme at August 3, 2009 10:48 PMGoogle for "how to rip DVDs" for many tutorials. Used to use Clone DVD, have been happy with DVDFab for some time. DVD shrink and DVD2One still work on many discs.
Posted by: ajna at September 9, 2009 11:42 AMHello I am trying to copy a DVD-R to my computer to put in an end of season video for my daughters cheering and I can't seem to burn it. I really need this to work. Can you help.
Posted by: Tina at November 12, 2009 4:39 PMI would also like to make copies of it. It is my own personal taping of there pep ralley for high school.
"For your wedding: DO NOT HIRE the videographer unless s/he agrees, in writing, to sign over to you the rights to copy or do whatever you want with your wedding videos."
Absolutely correct! The reason horrific license agreements for software exist and burdensome copyright protection exists is because too many people aren't willing to take this kind of action. If only ten percent of the people buying wedding photography took this step, the standard arrangement would change!
I had to train many software sales people back in the 1970s to understand what their standard contracts actually meant via my own Fortune 500 company's lawyer - whom I also had to train, of course.
Posted by: T J Sawyer at November 21, 2009 8:47 AM