Want to Back up your DVD? Here’s how …
p2pnet news view | Music:- RealNetworks says it’ll be launching RealDVD to allow Windows users rip entire DVDs, said p2pnet recently.
Yes. Well.
Anyhow, as the EFF’s Fred von Lohmann points out, Real scored quite a bit of attention because the Real DVD software is, “designed to allow people to copy their DVDs to their hard drives for later playback,”he says in a Deep Links post.
“Why is that a big deal?” – he asks going on »»»
Because Hollywood DVDs are encrypted with CSS, and if you decrypt them without permission, the motion picture industry’s lawyers may come a-callin’.
Today there are two approaches for those who want to make and distribute DVD copying tools.
First, you can just build a DVD decryptor, the U.S. court cases that have held that the distribution of those products violates the DMCA notwithstanding. Despite those legal precedents, there is no shortage of free, easy-to-use tools that take this approach, including Handbrake (Win/Mac/Lin), DVD Shrink (Win), or MacTheRipper (Mac). (The motion picture studios argue that anyone who uses these tools violates the DMCA, as well.)
The other approach is the one pioneered by Kaleidescape: sign licenses with the DVD-CCA (the cartel that controls the CSS encryption technology), build a licensed player, make bit-for-bit copies of encrypted files from DVD (aka “DVD archiving” as opposed to “DVD ripping”), and play back those files in the licensed player. DVD-CCA subsequently sued Kaleidescape claiming that the license requires that the original DVD be physically present in the device upon playback, but Kaleidescape prevailed. The case is currently on appeal (DVD-CCA filed its opening brief in December 2007).
Real has chosen to follow in Kaleidescape’s footsteps. Apparently, it is not alone — CEPro has an informative article summarizing all the DVD media server solutions for the home theater market that were announced at the recent CEDIA conference. Looks like Hollywood’s iron-fisted grip of DVDs is slipping a little every day.
UPDATE: CEPro has followed up with an article that gathers all the FAQ answers offered by makers of DVD copying/server solutions (Kaleidescape, Real, Escient, ReQuest, Xperinet, Axonix, Fuze Media) to the question “how is this legal?”
Now you know 
p2pnet – RealNetworks DVD ripper, September 8, 2008
Deep Links - The Latest on DVD Copying, September 10, 2008
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September 16th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
The real (funny) story here is RealNetworks trying to be relevant at all.
Time to fold it up, boys!
September 16th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Because of the way RealPlayer is so spy-ridden and full of problems, I suspect this is or will be the same way. You could not give me this for free. I have had occasion to notice that their format is smaller in file size but even there it is not worth the trade off in lost privacy to make it an acceptable alternative.
It’s a king-sized laugh if they expect to be paid for the intrusion into your privacy.
September 17th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I use DVDxXopy Platinum. It backs up anything with css with no problem
September 18th, 2008 at 12:35 am
I can do the same with dvd decrypter or dvd fab decrypter and dvd shrink in a two step copying process.
FOR FREE.
I have a whole box of dvds that have these copying programs i copied off the internet like a roll of caps……………
I use a older intel 478 system used in tandem with an older version of windows xp pro that i downloaded from piratebay.org that has the product code and activation disabled.
I have six computers and i diddled windowsucks out of almost $1000 for thier bogus operating system.
No vistasucks for me…………….
BIG DEAL.