Why Is It So Difficult to Copy DVDs? (A Guide for Newbies)

I started copying DVD's about two weeks ago, when I got my NEC burner. Although I am very good at computers, such as dealing with databases, security, registry, hacking, and cracking, I was unable to do a simple task - copy a DVD. After many hours of research, I am now barely beginning to get hold of it. Why is it that DVD copying is so complicated? Here:
At first I tried using Nero to burn DVDs, but after many wasted hours I found that it does not copy more than 4.7 or so GB's, unless you go through some convoluted steps and add vision express. Then I read in the forums about DVD Shrink. After trying, I noticed that the black parts of the screen had various white pixels - so the quality was not that good. In addition, it took over 3 hours to encode with high quality. Then the people in this forum recommended to get Intervideo DVD Copy 3. I tried to use it and copy a Wagnerian opera: it took about an hour, but when I tried to play it, instead of an opera I got a surrealist work by Dali on the screen - the pixels were large and all over the screen (although the last 15 minutes were absolutely perfect.) I came back to this forum and now was told to stay away from that program since despite the high quality, it has many faults. Luckily, I had obstained the platinum version for free.
After doing more research, I came accross DVD Rebuilder, which uses CCE encoder and is said to be the best. I thought I was finally done, but far from it - I also needed DVD Remaker to completely edit the movies before using Rebuilder. Then I was going to need eclCCE to make the CEE SP Trial work with Rebuilder, but eclCCE was not needed if the version of CCE was 2.70 or more. CCE is $58 or $2000 depending on the version, but the HC encoder that comes with the free Rebuilder is also free and there is no concensus whether CCE is any better than the free HC, besides the fact that CCE is a little faster and $58. After being unable to make CCE work with Rebuilder, I tried HC. After 10 hours of encoding I tried to rebuild and got error 75; changed the output path from the DVD drive to the hard drive, was banged with error 9. Reinstalled Rebuilder, the problem was still there.
Just now, I finally managed to make the CCE SP work with Rebuilder and am hoping that after the encoding is done, I'll be able to rebuild without any errors. If I do, I might have to get the Rebuilder Pro to get some support.
Any sees something wrong here? It is very exhausting to try and copy a DVD. Just the fact that someone needs to do so much research to copy a few DVD's, is enough to prevent the laymen from from copying them. Notice that I haven't even included the copyright protection! Ironically, it seems that the copying complications are more difficult to overcome than the professional protection on the DVD(For starters, you should get AnyDVD for breaking the copyrights.)
I personally think that this forum needs a guide for newbies that cuts right through all this crap and clearly recommends that all one needs for the best DVD quality is something like this combo:
1. DVD Rebuilder
2. CCE Encoder
3. DVD Remaker
4. AnyDVD

I hope a time comes when copying DVD becomes as easy as making a backup onto your CD, but that time doesn't seem to be on the horizon. Of course, all the issues will be resolved once the prices for the Double Layer DVD's come down so that no encoding and transcoding will be necessary (though this is also unlikely to happen since with our Great Destroyer, the Bush, the prices are only going to go uphill.) As soon as DL media comes down in price, those annoying transcoders like the InterVideo will be left without a job. So be it, can't wait.

 

Sorry for all the pain you seem to have suffered in this learning process. Up until the beginning of this year I just used the old 1 click Xcopy for all my backups, but that stopped working on the newer encryptions. So I discovered this forum and downloaded the freebie DVD Shrink and DVD Decrypter and had no problems. Then moved on to AnyDVD and CloneDVD because it re-authored better. I agree that RB/CCE gives the best quality but I am also impatient because of the time factor so only do it occassionally. Yes DVD backups are not as easy as CD's but once you learn the basics the rest is not so hard. Also, the problem with Intervideo is that it burns to fast, you really need to use another program to burn the files.

 

backing up dvd is easy if you have Anydvd and clonedvd

 

Like most of us here we all had to learn a few new tricks. I prefer movie only using Nero Recode2 and AnyDVD. It takes me approximately 35 minutes to do a movie only backup with advanced enabled. When using quality media, you will have ZERO problems!

 

I'm with arniebear, once you know the basics I have found that backing up dvds is easier than cds. I prefer Copy 3 and clonedvd2 when I'm impatient with the Rebuidler/CCE Basic combo (which is simply the best for high compression). Yet, I once I discovered AD and the great help that comes from knowledgable people such as arniebear this has become a great hobby and I like many find helping others brings just as much joy as doing my own backups. welcome aboard lumbastio.
MovieDud

 

@scubabud, I like recode 2 as well, arniebear said to give it a shot I did and Iprefer it over shrink. The quality on my 55 inch 16X9 looks awe-some, even when compression is in the 65% range. There are some great programs that have made backing up easy and fun. Clonedvd2 and anydvd is a great combo, but I like anydvd with any of my programs (even works with my x copy plat....I no longer use it, but it did function well with anydvd in the back ground.
MovieDud

 

@MovieDud

I got to agree on the Xcopy Platinum been beta testing the ver.5 and it leaves a lot to be desired. No re-authoring, cannot split a TV series disk correctly. Ended up using my dependable CloneDVD to split the series disk. The only thing Xcopy does is that it is fast when you use Xpress in the main movie mode, it give excellent quality but you will still need AnyDVD because it cannot do newer protections. That is if you can get AnyDVD to work with it, sometimes it does not. As for Recode2 it really is excellent for encoding and compressing.

 

I agree friend, I was really impressed with Recode 2, made 30 backups so far just using that prog. very impressed with the quality. For those quickies...that clonedvd2/anydvd is pretty fast. I become frustrated with x copy when I would place files on HD and then try to retrieve to burn the browse botton was not able to be used. I lihe the quality, but the when others are as good or better it didn't take long to change. Quick ? arniebear, have you heard if copy 4 from intervideo has fixed the re-authoring issues?
Thanx
MovieDud

 

@MovieDud

I am not sure on that, all I looked at was the comparison chart at the site and all they keep listing is better quality, not sure what they mean by that. But have not seen/heard anything much on the new version yet. Guess we will have to wait until more people purchase it, or I read about it on another forum. Right now am saving my bucks to buy the new Nero coming in October so I just do not want to invest in anything else right now.

 

Let us know how you like the new version of Nero. I won't upgrade to version 7 until 6 is no longer supported and gives me probs...

I use Recode2 98% of the time as well. I have DVD Copy3 as well and it does burn fast, but when you use TY media, it's no prob... I normally burn at 8X, but 12X scans on YUDEN000T02 are just as good!

TY scans here (12X, 8th post):

http://www.bitburners.com/option,com_simpleboard/Itemid,42/func,view/id,188/catid,7/

 

Well, I use TY media too. I have also checked the codes and made sure that it is genuine (this also took a lot of research.) So the problems had nothing to do with the media.
I guess what you are saying is that if the DVD is around 5.00 GBs, it wouldn't really matter to use either Shrink or RB since they would give the quality due to low compression.

 

Quality is in the eye of the beholder, it is subjective. What one person likes another might not. If you really want to have an exact copy of a movie then you use dual layer.

 

There are over 300,000 members here and most copy DVD's every day without major problems. Most of these members are novices or were.

http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/183136

Try this link above for most of the guides that you might require.

It's not!

 

ScubaBud, in your thread you recommend meritline.com as one of the retailers for TY media. I bought mine from there too, but after doing some research on google I found out that they have been selling a lot of fake TY's. Some say that supermediastore is one of their branches. I checked the codes of my TY DVD's (TG001159) and it turns out that this is genuine. Nevertheless, I read that meritline can also fake these codes. Additionally, I bought some TY CD's from them and the code is "80 PG1207" and "5A0880D" on the inner clear plastic rim. I am not sure that "PG" is a TY media code and I have left a detailed message at TY for them to check out whether the CD's are genuine. If you are experienced with codes and meritline, do you think the CD's are TY?

DVD copying is complicated at first, but once you learn it, it becomes easy. But then again, you can say the same thing about calculus based physics. I finally was able to make my first DVD copy using RB. At first, I thought the quality was not so perfect, but when I popped in the original DVD, the quality was the same. What a perfect copy! The DVD was 7.26 GBs but I am amazed at the ideal copy. I used Nero to burn the rebuilt files.
I have a question: do you think that the best editing tool to use before using RB is DVD Remake? Is there anything better than Remake?
Also, I was able to obtain a free copy of CCE SP 2.70.02 Trial. I only have the .exe file and it is 2.64 MBs. Is this the one that costs $2000.00? I know the file is too small compared to the complete package, but maybe this is the most basic protion needed for CCE to do it's job. The quality should be that of SP instead of Basic I assume.

 

I have never said that and if you are referring to the link I showed in my previous post, it is just that, a link to a thread with information for you to use.

There are two very well know individuals here on aD that have written many a guide to DVD burning. One is BBmayo and the other is ScubaPete. Please read their guides and see that, in just a few minutes of reading their easy 1,2,3 guides, ANYONE can burn a DVD.

Thanks.

 

and JUST when you figure out the magic combination (for me its anydvd and clone dvd.....almost a one click solution with NO HASSLES) and you finally get that burned dvd to play on your computer's dvd Rom player, you find out that is will NOT play on that expensive brand name DVD player you purchased two to three years ago. Oh, it will start playing, then the picture will pixelate, audio will get out of sync, and the worst, it plays fairly well until the video skips forward about 5 minutes. You go back, try playing it again and again transported 5 minutes into the future.

What you NEED is the cheapest DVD player on the market to play your backed up DVDs and forget about those expensive, great looking DVD players with all of those neat features. Actually, my favorite is the cyberhome from amazon.com. Solved all of the above problems I had (when I thought my backups were all crap). In the end, it was my expensive DVD player all along.

 

@diverj, I agree partially. At first it seemed that all my backups would only play on the cheaper players (Both are Sony's), but after becoming a part of the team at AD I learned about the right media. I use Taiyo Yuden (Genuine), Verbatims and Maxell (Japan) and they all play flawlessly in my more expensive Denon 2200. I gain a tremendous amount of more quality from the Denon as I did from the Sony. I'm comparing the quality on a 55 inch 16X9 HDTV. I learned to buy great media, burn slow and no problems.
MovieDud

 

The sony DVD I have is a very good one but it is about three years old. I am using TY media and when I used InterVideo I used to have a lot of problems with the DVDs. Nevertheless, I was told that it was the software that cause the problems. Since I have switched to RB Pro with CCE SP, I have burned only one DVD and haven't watched it yet. I think that if I get any errors when I watch it, then it would be safe to say that the problem is with the old DVD. I am also using only the DVD+R media, which many people agree is better and more stable than DVD-R. Additionally, I don't think that cheaper DVD Players are better than the expensive ones. If you really want to make a controlled experiment, use new ORIGINAL DVDs instead of burned ones. Then you'll be able to objectively decide which one is better.

 

@diverj,

Actually you still need to know 2 more steps -- these 2 steps are the most critical and most important of all. Once you mastered the 2 below steps as well as backing up, then you're all set to go.

01) media (high quality media is the main factor when it comes to dvd burning).
02) book typing (if you're backing up on a DVD+R disc, you need to set the "book type" or "bitsetting" into a DVD-ROM format, so it will be compatible with all functional stand alone dvd players).

NOTE: keep in mind to always use high quality media such the famous Taiyo Yuden (real authentic Yuden can be found on the FUJI & SONY "Made In Japan"), Verbatim (manufactured code: MCC003 & MCC004), and the Maxell "Made In Japan" manufactured code: Maxell-002-00, which was made by Hitachi (this is one of the top high grade media from Maxell) for your future dvd backups and you shouldn't have to worry much about getting "coasters" or "pixelation, distorted, choppy" pictures.

 

I admit, in the beginning, I hadn't a clue about media. I purchased just about any DVD blanks on sale at Wal-Mart. I had problems as stated. I used about 5 different "recommend" burning programs with those disks, and had the same problems............(pretty much eliminated burning programs as me AND a friend had same problems). Then Scubapete enlightend me on high quality media. I settled on Ridata branded media which I could print on. Suppose to be darn good. I still had problems. Actually SAME problems. Now, I had eliminated burning programs, and the media from the equation. Only thing left was the player. That solved my problem.

Now, I am not saying the player was my only problem. I understand purchasing the best quality media one can afford, HOWEVER, burning programs, one can change, media.....one can change. What one can NOT afford to change out over and over again until you find the correct one is expensive DVD players.

I will also contend, that my problem could have been a combination of media AND player, but all of my backups from cheap media AND Ridata media that would not play on my expensive player played on my 38 dollar player.......I still use Ridata discs, but when one finds the combination that works, you stick with it. There is a LOT of advise on these forums, but lets face it, advice only carries so far. This forum eventually LEAD me to a solution, but everyones advice lead to different directions, and what works for one, may not work for another. When you have 15 different points of view, each telling you different things, it can get over whelming.