[rab777hp]

I was wondering about the legality of ripping dvds. Does anyone know if there are any laws that state exactly that it is legal, or that it isn't?

[Jon Seff]

Unfortunately, it's a gray area. Here's something we've published previously on the subject:

"Creating software to extract video from the copy-protection system used on DVDs is illegal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)—even if you’re doing it only to extract video from your personal DVD collection for your own use.

However, the law is murkier when it comes to using tools such as HandBrake and MacTheRipper. Common sense would suggest that if you’re extracting video from DVDs you own in order to view them yourself, you’re well within your rights. But common sense and the law don’t always intersect. Some court rulings suggest that it’s not unlawful to circumvent DVD protection for noninfringing purposes; on the other hand, the Motion Picture Association of America maintains that any DVD ripping violates the DMCA.

So what’s an iPod owner to do? As far as we’re concerned, moving video from your DVDs to your iPod is an absolutely fair use of the video on DVDs you’ve bought. But because the law is still not completely clear on this matter, every iPod user will need to assess personally the risks and issues involved in ripping DVDs."

[rab777hp]

I've heard many of these 'gray area' answers before, one in an article in macworld. Have there been any court cases where a court has ruled one way or the other?

[Tom_Diola]

I often wonder why people bother to rip (duplicate) DVD's.
Do you watch them after you burn them?
Are you going to sell them to other people at a discounted price?
Do you duplicate more than one copy?
Why would you waste your time duplicating DVD's?
Do they all work after you burn them?

[Jon Seff]

I rip DVDs (from my own collection) so I can watch stuff on the Apple TV—having a whole season of a TV show available without having to put in the DVDs, wait for them to load, find the episode you want, etc. It doesn't have to be about piracy.

[albloom]

Do you watch them after you burn them? Yes.
Are you going to sell them to other people at a discounted price? No.
Do you duplicate more than one copy? No.
Why would you waste your time duplicating DVD's? You never heard of children? Of any age?
Do they all work after you burn them? Yes.

[Dan Frakes]

Tom_Diola said:

I often wonder why people bother to rip (duplicate) DVD's.

1) To watch movies on Apple TV (more convenient than swapping DVDs).

2) To watch movies on my laptop while traveling -- it's more convenient than carrying discs with me, and watching from the hard drive uses less battery power than watching from the optical drive.

3) To watch the copies while keeping the originals safe (especially useful for kids' movies).

4) To take the copies on trips; if they get damaged, lost, or stolen, the originals are safe at home.