[MacKayaker]

fmaxwell - (not going to quote a pile of stuff and waste all that space).

Likely we would tend to agree more than not - as a matter of personal practice. I have studio monitors connected to my computers, another (nicer) set in my den (media center), and a pretty decent sound system in my car (if you can hear it over the rumble from the engine!). I buy CDs so, like you, I can rip for my own interests (formats and bit-rates not available in the iTunes store or that that don't work in my car. I can hook my iPod into my car stereo and do, for trips, but it's more of a distraction on short trips, so I try to respect others on the road, and myself, enough to not go there, but instead to create my own favorites mp3 CDs. I really have no issue with "appropriate" fair-use of content one has legitimately purchased.

The burr under my blanket is that rarely a week goes by that a person coming to me for computer support isn't pirating or asking me to help them pirate software or media. The list of excuses and rationales is long and as creative as people can be when they want to rationalize something they see as wrong, but want to do any way. As a support person, it puts me in a tough spot. It's not my job to tell people what values to have - but if they tell me the content isn't theirs - I choose to consider that; if it was irrelevant to them, they wouldn't have told me to begin with.

For personal use of content I have purchased - no conflict with fair-use backup. It's in my support business that presents regular practical reminders of the prevelance of piracy. And I'm against it.

[DominikHoffmann]

In my experience Popcorn 3 crashes too often. Most of these crashes occur while ripping specific commercial DVDs that have been decrypted using MacTheRipper or DVDFab on Windows.
A while ago I switched to converting a ripped DVD to DV with MPEG Streamclip, then importing the DV into iMovie 6, and exporting it to an MP4 with the desired options (especially multipass encoding, which Handbrake can't do). MPEG Streamclip requires the $20 MPEG2 codec for Quicktime from Apple, however.
One benefit of this method (other than being able to encode movies that cause Popcorn to crash) is that the movie doesn't get downsampled to 640 by 480 pixels. Rather, it stays the same size as it was on the DVD.

[JBucanek]

Quote

{quote:title=Chris Breen wrote:}Q. I?ve seen posts in Web site forums extolling the virtues of programs not listed here. Why not use them?

A. When companies have to stoop to spamming forums with instructions for ripping DVDs or converting files with Tool X, Y, or Z, it tells you something about the quality of that company and its products. The three programs we?ve listed will do the job.
{quote}
Chris,

I'm disappointed by this statement. I'm sure there are sub-optimal applications who's developers resort to unsavory tactics to pad sales. The problem with your statement is that is casually dismisses every other legitimate application right along with the developers who have worked very hard to create them.

I can't disagree with your statement that Handbrake and MacTheRipper will "do the job" (I have and use both), but I personally prefer DVDRemaster at the moment. I find it easier to use, and besides ripping it also converts directly from DVD to my iPod. Using your argument, I should be running WIndows (it's cheap and "gets the job done").

I would be much more impressed by a DVD Ripping Software Roundup that compared available DVD ripping and conversion software, their strengths, and weaknesses.

P.S. And just for the record, I have no connection with the company that makes DVDRemaster other than being a satisfied user.

[dennishenley]

Chris Breen said:

So many people get up in arms about flaky legislation like the DMCA and yet forget the First Amendment.

As stupid as I think the DMCA is, it has nothing to do with the First Amendment which covers freedom of speech, religion, the right to assemble, due process, etc. The First Amendment was not created so that you can steal from someone else.

The info in this article will allow anyone who is so inclined to rent movies from Netflix and make some nice copies. I'd say that is in direct violation of copyright laws and has nothing to do with the First Amendment. Another person might rent some Netflix movies, make a copy to watch at a later time, and then delete the copy when the movie has been viewed. That's probably a gray area, but it still has nothing to do with the First Amendment. And finally, there are people who own the original media and want to make a backup copy or create a version that plays on a different device. I think that would be covered by Fair Use, but since the DMCA prohibits removing the copy protection, it would be a risky thing to test in court.

BTW, I think the article was very helpful. I'm just quibbling about using the First Amendment as a panacea.

[Chris Breen]

JBucanek said:

> I'm disappointed by this statement.

I understand the "pride of ownership" argument. People who've paid money for their tools don't like the idea that someone else might dismiss them.

Quote

I find it easier to use, and besides ripping it also converts directly from DVD to my iPod. Using your argument, I should be running WIndows (it's cheap and "gets the job done").

This confuses me. What makes it easier than HandBrake? In HandBrake I select a preset and click a button. What's easier than that? And HandBrake converts directly from a DVD and places the movie in iTunes for syncing with your iPod. What's the difference between what it does and the program you prefer?

[Chris Breen]

dennishenley said:

> As stupid as I think the DMCA is, it has nothing to do with the First Amendment which covers freedom of speech, religion, the right to assemble, due process, etc.

Go back and check the context. I was responding to this statement:

>This whole article is a violation of the DCMA, as it provides explicit instructions on how to circumvent DRM. You must immediately withdraw the article or MacWorld becomes liable for all copyright infringement, everywhere, real or imagined.

Nonsense, of course, given the whole Freedom of the Press thing.

[JScott]

Maybe someone can explain this one. Often when I try to rip a DVD with MTR or Handbrake will tell me that the DVD has intentional bad sectors and the rip fails. So my question is how can a 6 year old DVD player read and play these discs just fine but it stumps these utilities?

[wolfe]

As one of the hoardes of computer users, I'll be happy to serve on that jury and even listen to all the evidence. One question I have of them is, if they can't stop free and open fair use, why do they keep putting their stuff on the insecure internet? Any 50-bit encryption they use only spurs the development of a 51-bit crack or some sort of bypass. It's like the bank deciding to forego storage in a safe to put their money on the street in locked newspaper boxes. They can control music and profits in concerts but even with so called losses to pirates or home users they make more money with digital distribution.



[quote name='hayesk'] The DMCA must be challenged in court in context of superseding fair use law before it has any validity.

[Grapho]

Chris:
I know that in iTunes I can buy a movie that apparently has deferent resolutions targeted for deferent devices. If I want to put a movie on my iPod it works, It I want to see it on my Apple TV it works. Is their any secret to achieving this with the tools you mention using commercial DVDs?

I am in the process of moving all my DVD collection to a large HD, but I would like to have more flexibility as far as where I can view this content. So far I think it would take a double RIP producing to deferent files, one per intended device.

[Mac_Monarch]

Why is it legal for me to rip a CD filled with music so that I may play the resulting file on my computer or portable media player but not legal for me to do so with a DVD with a movie on it? Seems like an arbitrary distinction. I guess the movie industry lobbyists are better than the music industries.

[Jon Seff]

Mac_Monarch said:

Why is it legal for me to rip a CD filled with music so that I may play the resulting file on my computer or portable media player but not legal for me to do so with a DVD with a movie on it? Seems like an arbitrary distinction. I guess the movie industry lobbyists are better than the music industries.

The RIAA has in fact has argued that ripping CDs is illegal, but the big difference here seems to be that DVDs have copy protection built in, whereas CDs don't.

[Jon Seff]

Grapho said:

Chris:
I know that in iTunes I can buy a movie that apparently has deferent resolutions targeted for deferent devices. If I want to put a movie on my iPod it works, It I want to see it on my Apple TV it works. Is their any secret to achieving this with the tools you mention using commercial DVDs?

I am in the process of moving all my DVD collection to a large HD, but I would like to have more flexibility as far as where I can view this content. So far I think it would take a double RIP producing to deferent files, one per intended device.

I actually think that ripping two versions is the way to go. A high-quality, anamorphic DVD rip using HandBrake can be 1-3GB depending on your settings. Even if that would play on an iPhone/iPod, it would take up a lot of room. Anything that will play on all devices will look worse on a nice widescreen TV. And you can rip iPhone/iPod version at a fraction of the size that will let you carry more of your content with you.

[MacKayaker]

[quote name='Jon Seff']
>

Mac_Monarch said:

Why is it legal for me to rip a CD filled with music so that I may play the resulting file on my computer or portable media player but not legal for me to do so with a DVD with a movie on it? Seems like an arbitrary distinction. I guess the movie industry lobbyists are better than the music industries.
The RIAA has in fact has argued that ripping CDs is illegal, but the big difference here seems to be that DVDs have copy protection built in, whereas CDs don't.

I would also observe that most people forget their history on this point. If it wasn't for Apple coming up with a DRM solution the music industry was content with, we were moving the direction of copy-protected CDs and DVDs (anyone remember DIVX?). It is my contention that if Apple hadn't come up with a plan that the industry would sign off on, then the same issues people have with modern DVDs would likely be present with music CDs also.

[Chris Breen]

Mac_Monarch said:

Why is it legal for me to rip a CD filled with music

As Jon suggested, if the RIAA could have its way, it's likely CDs would be copy-protected as well.

But I suspect precedent plays a part as well. Music has never been copy protected and movies have -- those old VCR tapes had Macrovision copy-protection applied to them. People are accustomed to making copies of music for things like mix tapes and CDs. Trying to put that genie back in the bottle would be a tough sell (not that the music industry hasn't tried). As people aren't accustomed to copying movies, it's easier to apply a different standard.