New DVD Copying Software Enters the Market

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115884,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp

"Another DVD copying program has been released, but past legal action by Hollywood may threaten its time on the market. Still, 123 Copy DVD has released a $20 product of the same name, claiming its tool is "the first product of its kind that allows the user to back up any movie while remaining compliant with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act." The 1998 law, designed to extend copyright protection to digital information, effectively outlaws most DVD copying. Out of the box, the program is useful primarily for copying noncommercial content, such as your home videos. But once you've "updated" 123 (at 123's direction) so the program can copy any DVD, it's likely no longer compliant with the DMCA..."

You can just tell this won't last longer than a few weeks. You know what's funny? I really haven't yet felt the need to duplicate any of my DVDs. I've read about parents duplicating DVDs because their kids keep destroying them, so that sounds plausible. I've heard of other people duplicating their DVDs for travel purposes, which also makes sense. But beyond that, I honestly wonder how many people are using DVD duping programs for legitimate reasons - I'm willing to best that the majority of people are renting DVDs from Blockbuster, ripping them, and burning them to DVD or transcoding to DivX and burning them to a CD. Or am I just cynical?

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115884,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp

"Another DVD copying program has been released, but past legal action by Hollywood may threaten its time on the market. Still, 123 Copy DVD has released a $20 product of the same name, claiming its tool is "the first product of its kind that allows the user to back up any movie while remaining compliant with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act." The 1998 law, designed to extend copyright protection to digital information, effectively outlaws most DVD copying. Out of the box, the program is useful primarily for copying noncommercial content, such as your home videos. But once you've "updated" 123 (at 123's direction) so the program can copy any DVD, it's likely no longer compliant with the DMCA..."

You can just tell this won't last longer than a few weeks. You know what's funny? I really haven't yet felt the need to duplicate any of my DVDs. I've read about parents duplicating DVDs because their kids keep destroying them, so that sounds plausible. I've heard of other people duplicating their DVDs for travel purposes, which also makes sense. But beyond that, I honestly wonder how many people are using DVD duping programs for legitimate reasons - I'm willing to best that the majority of people are renting DVDs from Blockbuster, ripping them, and burning them to DVD or transcoding to DivX and burning them to a CD. Or am I just cynical?

[Gary Sheynkman]

We could use this....this way we can have the same movie collection here and abroad!

[Gordo]

You are not cynical. Another reason that I have copied DVD's was if I lent one out to a friend. Rather than lend the original, I make a copy for them. This also serves as a backup for myself.

As far as spending $20 on a product I already have free tools that do the job nicely. :P

[bgate]

Having children and a DVD player in the basement (primary play area) and in the vehicle for trips. Being able to copy a DVD and bring it with (without destroying the original) is fantastic. So, I (or more likely, the kids) ruin a copy. Big Deal - it's a $.50 recordable.

[Ed Hansberry]

Never had the urge to dupe a DVD. Rip it to my PPC or laptop for viewing at MY convenience is something I'd like to do.

[Tom W.M.]

I've never been tempted to copy a rented film. I'd feel horribly guilty if I did (as I would with a book), though I admit that I don't currently have the tools to do so (I can't even get my computer's DVD player to work! :x ) with a DVD (VHS is another story). Besides, I don't tend to rewatch many movies, so I don't have an incentive to do so.

You're right: this won't last a year. They'll get sued to death by the movie industry in no time.

[ale_ers]

Originally Posted by bgate

Having children and a DVD player in the basement (primary play area) and in the vehicle for trips. Being able to copy a DVD and bring it with (without destroying the original) is fantastic. So, I (or more likely, the kids) ruin a copy. Big Deal - it's a $.50 recordable.

I second the "having children" notion.

It is just convenient to have multiple copies of my daughters "Wiggles" DVDs. She has some at her Sitters house, some downstairs, some upstairs. It's not that she watches them that much; it's just that it is hard to find one copy when you need it. And she has been known to use them as a Frisbee from time to time (no matter how much we discourage that).

I did pay for the original, so I feel I have the right to copy them for my own personal use. On a side note, my media center is fun to record a few programs off the TV and burn them to DVD. Something that I'm also sure is a little borderline...but once again, it is for my personal use. It is not like I'm selling Wiggles DVD's online (the last thing I would want to do is make someone have to watch that stuff...but my daughter loves it).

[Doug Johnson]

Having such a tool is useful if your DVDs tend to get scratched a lot, as is the case with me. Having such a tool has already saved me from re-purchasing discs on more than one occasion.

[possmann]

It all comes down to the honesty of the user... Remember when the tape to tape machines came out? The recording industry went equally nuts because people could record an album from tape to another tape....

They will never be able to control everyone (which is a good thing) and have to rely on the individual being honest - duplicating media for their own use, and not to sell or illegally distribute.

I for one am looking to get one of these apps because I would like to make some backups of the kids-oriented DVD's...

[jonchilds]

Having already bought multiple copies of a couple different Baby Einstein DVDs this is something I should probably do. That way when my son gets ahold of the movie and throws it when I say no I will only have to worry about replacing the copy.

From a bigger picture perspective DVD copying is quite an interesting case. The fair use rights for this type of stuff are fairly well established. We have the legal right to backup what we own (in the US). It is also pretty much black letter law that we can't break encryption to copy stuff. What do you do when these two laws are diametrically opposed? So far the MPAA/RIAA are winning.