backing up DVDs

[Pancake]

What software do I need to backup DVDs?

 

And before I get any "nudge nudge wink wink" replies, Im just creating copies of films I have in case the disks break.

[PaulSaint]

Google DVDShrink, free & works about 95 out of a 100 times.

 

[warsash saint]

As per above...if DVDShrink fails then use DVDfab to remove copyright etc then use DVDShrink to burn

[thesaint sfc]

As a pro in this sector, nothing works better than AnyDVD. You will need to buy it, however I have never found a film it is unable to copy.

 

Use that, and DVDshrink to shrink the files down to DVD size.

[Scummer]

Use that, and DVDshrink to shrink the files down to DVD size.

 

If he's backing up DVDs, aren't they already DVD size?

[thesaint sfc]

If he's backing up DVDs, aren't they already DVD size?

 

They will be on Dual Layer disks which are very expensive. They hold 8.5GB where as the standard DVD holds 4.7GB. DVDshrink shrinks the files down from 8.5GB to 4.7 enabling you to put it on a normal size DVD which cost peanuts.

[Scummer]

They will be on Dual Layer disks which are very expensive. They hold 8.5GB where as the standard DVD holds 4.7GB. DVDshrink shrinks the files down from 8.5GB to 4.7 enabling you to put it on a normal size DVD which cost peanuts.

 

Does it make the picture quality worse?

[warsash saint]

Does it make the picture quality worse?

 

Depends on how much you have to shrink..it you remove all extras/foreign soundtracks then you should be fine.

 

If you made to reduce too much then split the film over 2 blank discs or burn to dual layer ( they aint that expensive these days)

[LVSaint]

Does it make the picture quality worse?

 

You can get rid of any of the unnecessary tracks on the disk, but usually the main feature will still need compressing (if it's over 90 mins) and ultimately, the quality is compromised to a degree (using DVDclone anyway). I usually wait for deals on dual layer discs...which are still so bloody expensive at normal price.

[saint_stevo]

CloneDVD

[St Landrew]

Lots of recommendations for DVDShrink, because it's good. V3.21, I think is the latest version. As it's completely free, with no catches at all, use it, until it doesn't work, which is almost never. Then try what Saint_sfc advises.

[Pancake]

Cheers chaps.

 

On a similar note, I have a load of stuff that I want to cut as VCD but the videos are just over 710MB. Whats the best thing to trim them and cut them?

[thesaint sfc]

I'm surprised to hear DVDshrink works for you lot. Maybe it was the DVD's I was burning, but it failed on the encryption on nearly all of them hence me purchasing anyDVD. It really is brilliant. Good luck Pancake

 

I think Mr Landrew is the best person to answer your other question! I would have thought converting them to AVI or something like that would be the best method.

[St Landrew]

Copied the new Star Trek DVD yesterday evening. As thesaint sfc predicted, it took AnyDVD to break the encryption. Once that was done I was able to fire up DVDShrink and choose Re-Author mode to analyse and then cherry pick the film from the rest of the stuff. Doing so meant that a film of 5.4Gb + selected 5.1 soundtrack of 200 odd Mb could be compressed down to 4.3Gb with very little loss of quality.

 

Btw, I used AnyDVD on a free 21 day trial. Of course, even if I uninstall it, it will leave a registry entry. So the trick is to get rid of every last vestige of it, so that it doesn't know it's been on my PC before. Of course, if that doesn't work, I have two other PCs to use it on. Yes, maybe I should buy it. But really, I'm not a serial user of such software. Maybe once or twice a year only..? At least I can pass on a recommendation though.