Now that everyone has made their comments, it just goes to show differnt people have different opinions. DVD Decrypter is the best freeware program available for decrypting and ripping, bar none. AnyDVD is the best retail app, IMHO, considering the fact that it is updated much more quickly than any of the other apps; plus the control options to skip trialors is very handy. Only newbies have problems running these programs in unison. As I said, I've done hundreds of backups and ran into one problem with the two due to structural problems with the files. Deal with them as you will, however the 2 work well together, and if the user knows what he is doing, then he can turn off one or the other when a conflict arises.
Brobear - nicely put. i guess there are a few around here (myself included) who just don't see the need for anydvd when there are free alternatives. nothing against paid for whatsoever, it's just anydvd 'seems' to be pushed by some ppl (yourself not included, and not aimed at anyone on this post specifically) as the 'only' way to go. and as for using 58 different methods to copy a film (at same time), no wonder there are so many problems @dvdripdvd - did alone in the dark too, the other day, but (groan) you just know that amongst other new films it will have countless 'i can't rip' posts started, then the merry-go-round starts again!. ps - nice piccy from Kill Bill - fantastic film(s)
I give it a couple of days until the ranting and raving for Alone in the Dark. Thousands of more newbies signing up asking the same question.
Creaky, As you are probably aware, the only decent freeware counterpart of AnyDVD is DVD43. DVD43 was upgraded to handle some of the newer encryption. However, it wasn't updated until well after most of the other apps. If DVD43 was all I had, I would have been upset for some time, waiting to be able to rip some of the newer movies. AnyDVD has consistently been upgraded soon following any new encryption systems coming on the market. Lightning UK has kept up the DVD Decrypter at a good pace as well. (Note for those not familiar with AnyDVD: AnyDVD is a driver type decrypter which is different from DVD Decrypter.) My opinion on rippers is that I like having the best, whether freeware or retail. DVD Decrypter is an excellent program and all one needs to do a successful backup. That said, I also consider AnyDVD to be an essential app. There are desirable features in this app besides the fact that it is one of the best driver type decrypters. As I noted above, they play well together. I did have the one problem, but it was apparent that it was a software conflict due to the structure of a particular movie (I forget which now). Took me all of a minute or so to shut down the app and reopen Decrypter by itself (I was needing a HD file). So, with a bit of common sense, one shouldn't have a problem using both apps. Also, as noted the reasons for using both are not just for decrypting purposes, both do a fine job of that without the other. In some instances though, I have seen where AnyDVD handled bad sector encryption better than DVD Decrypter. Both apps have undergone updates since then. What I like about the DVD Decrypter and AnyDVD is that they are updated so quickly when the need arises. As far as pushing AnyDVD or DVD Decrypter, I just say how I find and use the apps, while trying to note any problems or good features. Newbies or anyone else can take my input along with that of others to help make their decisions. I just throw in my opinions to help round out the picture. What I state is from experience or from sources I find reliable. I will suggest the use of a good app when I find one and am not bashful in doing so. Also, I will nail a program I find less than what it should be. 1ClickDVDCopy is a case in point. I have the retail version and deleted it from my PC. Inferior video quality and an inability to cope with bad sector encryption was the reason. DVD43 I put on the if list. If they would update it more often, it would be a more usable app. But for the differences, I'll go with AnyDVD. I also chime in when I think I can help in making a backup process more efficient. I have an extensive software library and am familiar with most of the programs. In closing I'll just say, if one wants to make a DVD and not invest in software, DVD Decrypter or DVD43 and DVD Shrink are the way to go. A lot of movies Shrink can handle on its own. For the ones it can't, DVD Decrypter has always been suggested. With DVD43, AnyDVD, or Region Free, Shrink can be run and one doesn't have to wait the 15 minutes or so it takes to use DVD Decrypter. Just trying to show there are areas where a driver type decrypter is preferrable to a ripper like DVD Decrypter. Likewise, DVD Decrypter is preferrable where one needs a HD file. DVD Decrypter has the outstanding feature of being free. Now if I was going to suggest good transcoding/encoding software, I'd say look at DVDCopy3 and RB/CCE...
Brobear - i did say yourself 'not' included. For a minute i saw 'Creaky' then that huge reply and thought oh no i've put my foot in it again !!. I do find your posts very informative and appreciate the detail you provide. I was refering to a select few out there whose forum names should be 'anydvd'. ps your reply reminded me to do a little research into RB/CCE... Rich
Creaky, Maybe that post should have been split up a bit. A bunch of it was info for newbies that might wander by. I took no offense from what you said, though on some occasions I may have sounded like a commercial in other threads. My intent has been only to suggest a good app to work with. I constantly promote DVD Decrypter as well and point out the differences in the apps and some of the different usage scenarios where both are handy. A lot of people don't consider the fact there is more to the programs than just decrypting, nor do they take into account that the programs operate in a different manner. Since the Decrypter is free, I can see where a lot of people might not want to pay retail for a decrypter, especially if they're not into a lot of DVD backups. On the matter of researching RB, that can be a no cost situation. Here is a link for you. http://dvd-rb.dvd2go.org/ There you will find info and an installer. Saves the problem of the old manual install. I liked doing it the piece by piece method with Vurbal's guide available here at AD. It gave a better feel for the way the program is set up. The CCE SP trial is available off the net (it has a big blue logo on the video output). BTW, the CCE Basic trial won't work, it times out (just in case you don't read all about the trials on the Custom Technologies site). The RB includes a freeware encoder now if one wants to use it, good quality, but slower than CCE (quality?). CCE Basic is worth the price to make the RB work the best, only about $50. For a $10 donation one can upgrade from the freeware RB to the Pro Beta (which is slated to be retail soon). VIP members are slated to get the retail versions when they come out. So, you have the option of free or retail with RB.
cheers for that Brobear, that's saved me some work; i think i have read a little about this - when you said 'piece by piece' method i vaguely recall seeing a post with like 8 different parts to install. Now back to fighting with one of my 500capacity DVD wallets, they're like tents
4 programs, 5 if you count DVD Decrypter (the ripper of choice on this one). DGDecode (the decoder), AviSynth, CCE (or another of the supported transcoders/encoders), and Rebuilder. It's not difficult if you are familiar with setting up multiple program apps. You burn with an app of choice. If you don't have a burner or decrypter, 6 programs. But as I said, the installer is at RB.COM and the easy way to go. You don't have to google around to find the various components. The CCE section at http://www.Zentarium.com has some of the sites and info. Not all of the latest versions of DGDecode and AviSynth will work with Rebuilder. The only drawback some find with Rebuilder is the time involved. It takes me on average about 2 to 2.5 hours to do a 2 pass encode. With RB the cost of quality is time. For quick jobs and where high compression isn't a problem, I use DVDCopy3 from http://www.InterVideo.com . There is a full function trial if you like to play with new apps. It makes excellent backups. Here is the link for one of the big RB threads here at AD. http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/81/97052#1003076 Have fun with the tent.
1ClickDVDCopy does full disk and movie only. I had the retail version and didn't think much of it. Under slight magnification one can see a break up of the pixels. At normal viewing that sometimes appears as a slightly fuzzy picture. The higher the compression, the worse the picture with this one. Quick and easy, but definitely not a quality transcoder. I deleted it to save space. (With 300GB of storage, space isn't much of an issue.)
I too have used Decryptor (using the movie only selection), Shrink and Nero, but on Spanglish (and a few others out there) you get many read errors back-to-back early in the second segment - some new copy protection. I just turned on the "Ignore read errors" in Decryptor and set the "Read retries" to 3 (so it wouldn't keep reading over and over before giving up) - although it takes longer to rip because of the errors, it does in fact work, with no discernable loss of quality in the final product. Patience is the key word here.
I can't believe Spanglish is still a problem for some people. Saw a post from the moderator stating it's a shame they have to add a link for Spanglish before some people would actually read the threads. Unbelievable!
YOBUZZB No need to worry about it. You'll find some people can have trouble with just about anything. On AD, you'll find if a problem can happen, somebody will usually have trouble and ask about it. A lot of people come to AD for help and you'll see some of the more rare and limited problems posted here. Spanglish never was a problem except for a limited few.
BTW, I don't think the addition of a Spanglish thread would increase the popularity except for someone else having a problem with Spanglish. Frankly, I never thought the movie was that much of a big deal. Sort of funny. A lot of problems with different movies are the same. Same type encryption systems in a lot of cases. People tend not to learn how to use various decryption software. Instead of reading the guides and learning how software works, they find it easier to go on a forum and say "it doesn't work, help me". Structural encryption with bad sectors has been common for some time now. However, you see people constantly saying I can't do a backup due to that particular problem. As I said, just a matter of learning how the software works. The majority of people no longer have problems with bad sectors and only the occasional new encryption offering by the studios causes any problems. Those are usually taken care of by the better software providers in short order. A lot of the problems come from users not understanding the software or making problems for themselves in the way they use the software. If you look at a lot of threads, you'll notice there is a lot of repetition in the help threads as far as telling users what to do to solve their problems.
The Seed of Chucky (Unrated) is a pretty hard rip. Shrink can't rip it so you have to use decrypter. Once ripped to your hd, shrink still has the same problem. I had to click "Compress video with high quality adapative error compensation", to actually make it work.
Sorry but, you are wrong. Performing Deep Analysis or using the AEC function of DVD Shrink has no bearing on if you can backup or cannot backup a movie. Basically, AEC (Adaptive Error Compensation) is just a more critical, thorough form of the "Deep Analysis" feature.
Thanks for your input but you are not listening. I am aware of what "that" feature is for. I am just telling you what "I" used to backup my copy of the movie.
If I wanted to retract it then I would've edited a long time ago. As I said before, I said that "[bold]I[/bold]" used that method. Meaning that was the method I used to make it work. You may choose other methods, who cares if you do.