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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. • Recent Comments
I would like to burn my video tapes to dvd's as the video tapes take up a lot of room and are at risk to get damaged. Can you tell me how to do it. don't ask leo.... he says backing up a copyrighted dvd is illegal. If he REALLY knew.. he'd know it's only illegal if you don't own a copy first Posted by: scartooth at February 5, 2007 06:55 AM-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- It is illegal. It's stupid that it's illegal, but it is illegal. According to the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act), decrypting Copy protected DVD's are actually encrypted, and thus subject to this This is in the U.S., by the way, so other parts of the planet may - - -Leo iD8DBQFFx2G5CMEe9B/8oqERAoWBAJ488SLfpRpgx6+hOmmpf8SSofV7OACfWkeQ Try using one of the top programs listed at www.dvdxcopyreviews.com Posted by: Gary at March 18, 2007 07:00 PMLeo; First off ANYONE using OR STILL USING the DVDx OR DVDneXtCopy are getting TOTALLY ripped off! You EASILY NEED TWO programs as mentioned by a user above. 2: CloneDVD. You're ALL GOOD To Go! Posted by: Chris Connors at May 13, 2007 10:23 AMHi, my wedding video will be on a DVD and I'm wondering if it'll be easy for me to make additional copies of the DVD, or if I should just let my videographer make the copies for me (he wants to charge me $35 for each copy) - does this sound like a reasonable charge, or should I go elsewhere or do it on my own? Posted by: Lara at May 14, 2007 11:55 AMJust 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, in regard to this comment be Seasonal: 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. Aside from the charge for assaulting him, you would also lose the copyright case. As silly as it sounds, the wedding videographer does indeed have copyright on the materials he produces, and could sue you for making a copy. This has been true for still wedding photography as well. Whether it's bad form or "right" or not is kinda beside the point. Copyright is copyright. -Leo Posted by: Mystery2 at August 21, 2008 12:46 PM Post a comment on "How do I backup to DVD? How can I copy video DVDs?":
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