DVD Shrink and DVD Decrypter

Among some of my favorite software is DVD Dycrypter and DVD Shrink. I've been using these programs for well over a year now and best of all they are FREE.

I generally use DVD Decrypter because I prefer its interface and overall speed, however this week I began to play around with DVDFab, and I really like what I'm seeing. Easy to use. Okay, back on track......
Awhile back, DVD Decrypter's official download site had been removed due to legalities. Even though it's been shut down a person can easily download the program from mirror sites. Like here.

I downloaded these programs with the intention of renting movies and burning them. DVD Decrypter rips encrypted dvd video files onto your harddrive for further processing and removes region code protection. The DVD Shrink can do some of that but is mainly used to compress my data (movie) so it will fit back onto a standard DVD-R as the files would otherwise be too big. The results were great, but is it legal? That's the question here.

I did some research last month and found some conflicting sides to this and here is what I found, manufacturers state that making copies for any purpose is illegal because to do so is a copyright infringement. But there is also the Fair Use Act and the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992 which seems most of the public is in favor of. This states that you may legally make a copy of your DVD/CD for personal backup if you were the one who bought (and still own) the original.

So renting and copying is probably illegal *sigh* and backing up DVD's that I already own is legal. Backing up DVD's isn't a bad idea, my kids have scratched alot of movies and it's been nice having a master copy for when this happens.

I still have a few previous copies of rented movies, so I guess when I see men in suits by my door I better hide and bury all copies of "Charlotte's Web" and "Ice Age" in the backyard along with the buried treasure and bodies I have hidden back there.

How to Rip DVDs

DVD Shrink Guide (this one got me started a year ago)

Side note:
I forgot to mention that DVD Shrink can't rip Sony movies. I think DVDFab
does, but I haven't tried it. Another thing about DVDFab is the newest version can decrypt HD DVD and Blue-ray movies. I have a PS3 that plays Blue-ray, so I'm kind of curious to how that works. Maybe that can be next week's project.

Amy

Check out these two sites
Doom9
Afterdawn.com (great site!)