# Can you put DVD video on a portable hd-based video device (like the new iPod)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 13, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094 "2005-10-13T17:01:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/1 "2005-10-13T17:01:47Z")
Suppose one has the new video iPod, or one of the other portable video devices that plays video from a hard drive. Also, one has a movie on DVD. Is there a LEGAL way to get the movie from the DVD onto the player, so one could watch it on a plane or bus or subway or whatever? Does the fact that one would have to defeat the DVD’s encyption in order to move the video make any method to do this against the law? DO NOT DISCUSS WAYS TO DEFEAT DVD ENCRYPTION PLEASE. The board is very sensitive to these issues, and I do not want this thread closed. I just want to know if this can LEGALLY be done. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/2 "2005-10-13T17:23:17Z")
Technically, stripping DeCSS is a DMCA violation. Of course, not every DVD is protected by DeCSS or the like. So, assuming you want to rip and put something on your device that is not protected, it is doable. ---
**Author:** ![MyNameIsEarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@MyNameIsEarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyNameIsEarl)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/3 "2005-10-13T18:06:37Z")
What the obsession with finding a LEGAL way to do stuff like this? I was just in a thread yesterday where someone was asking how to copy things off thier TiVo “LEGALLY”… I know the moderators use their mod stick like New Orleans police officers, but sheesh - if you copy a movie to a portable player, I hardly doubt the cops will instantly knock down your door and haul you off to Room 101. Copying a DVD to a portable player - something I do on a regular basis - is quite simple. It requires two free programs and takes a few hours. No, I won’t tell you how - that’s what Google’s for. But - as **asterion** pointed out - to copy a DVD to a portable player by definition requires you to break CSS, so no - there’s no way to copy the DVD to a portable without breaking the DMCA. As **asterion** also points out, not every disc uses CSS (although 99.99999% of them do), so you could _make_ a copy of the disc, but you’d still be liable for copyright infringment. But so what? It’s not like the FBI (or even Big Media) will care. Hell, a local flea market vendor in my county was busted for selling bootleg DVDs, and for that the cops waited until his stock got to be in the $20,000+ range\* before taking him down. I hardly think theyt’ll come after you for copying one DVD to a portable. Signed, Proud Owner of an Archos AV400 Portable Media Recorder - = that’s “$20,000” using the same BS method that cops use to make seizure of one 8-ball of cocaine a “$1500 bust”. ---
**Author:** ![joemama24\_98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@joemama24\_98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joemama24_98)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/4 "2005-10-13T18:19:18Z")
Where does “Fair Use” come into play here? I seem to recall that it was decided in the VHS and diskette days that consumers could make duplicate copies of media for themselves, presumably for back-up purposes and what-not. By virtue of breaking the encryption on a DVD to make a copy of it so that I can watch it on a portable player, I am breaking the law? I’m asking, not protesting, although that might come later. I can see why it would be an issue if I distributed said copy. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/5 "2005-10-13T21:18:30Z")
> [@joemama24\_98](#): > > Where does “Fair Use” come into play here? I seem to recall that it was decided in the VHS and diskette days that consumers could make duplicate copies of media for themselves, presumably for back-up purposes and what-not. > > By virtue of breaking the encryption on a DVD to make a copy of it so that I can watch it on a portable player, I am breaking the law? I’m asking, not protesting, although that might come later. From my understanding, it’s legal to make one backup copy for archival purposes, but illegal to circumvent any kind of copy protection. I suppose it would technically be legal to hook the A/V-out plugs of your DVD player up to a computer that has a TV card, capture the DVD while it’s playing, then re-encode your capture back to MPEG-2 and reauthor the DVD using generic menu screens. Unfortunately, that would be a very time-consuming pain in the ass, and would result in quality loss, as your video and audio streams would be going from digital to analog and then back to digital. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/6 "2005-10-13T21:22:37Z")
> [@neutron star](#): > > From my understanding, it’s legal to make one backup copy for archival purposes, but illegal to circumvent any kind of copy protection. I believe this is correct. Of course, the presence of copy protection on most commercial discs means that the media industry has found away to effectively and legally prevent people from making the backup copies that are allowed by law. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/7 "2005-10-13T21:37:58Z")
It’s also worth noting that if Apple were able to get the DVD consortium to agree, they might be able to put their own transcoder into iTunes that would allow you to legally make a DRMed copy of your DVDs to play on your iPod. I wouldn’t hold out too much hope, though, because there’s little financial incentive for the movie companies to do this; they’d rather just sell you another copy of the same movie, DRMed and at a crappy resolution. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/8 "2005-10-13T22:01:16Z")
> [@neutron star](#): > > From my understanding, it’s legal to make one backup copy for archival purposes, but illegal to circumvent any kind of copy protection. It is my understanding this only applies to software where the EULA says you can. A DVD movie is not software. Has anyone ever seen a DVD movie with a EULA that says you can make a archival backup copy? ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/9 "2005-10-13T22:17:45Z")
I’ll have to search for the thread where it was cited, but I am fairly certain I recently read a reliable cite here that a person does _not_ have the right to make archival backups of DVDs. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/10 "2005-10-13T22:27:45Z")
Can’t find the thread, but I did find this: > **[Creating backup images of CDs or DVDs](https://www.cnet.com/how-to/creating-backup-images-of-cds-or-dvds/)** > > Why make your data recovery more difficult than necessary? > [@](#): > > Most fair-use advocates say that the policy directly contradicts U.S. copyright law, but the DMCA seems to indicate that you cannot make a copy of a commercial DVD, even for personal use, and **you certainly cannot give a copied DVD to anyone or watch copied DVD files on your computer**. We assume that fair use will eventually catch up and be established as a safety valve for consumers (which has been the pattern with previous technologies, such as VHS), but for now, the territory is still uncertain and a bit dangerous. (Bolding mine) I would assume, then, that using ripped DVD files on an iPod would fall under the same rule. However, I can’t find anything that says hard and fast that it is illegal or it isn’t illegal. It seems to be a little bit of a grey area between fair-use and breaking anti-piracy measures. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/11 "2005-10-13T22:45:04Z")
> [@MyNameIsEarl](#): > > What the obsession with finding a LEGAL way to do stuff like this? I already know or could easily figure out the illegal ways to do it, so I don’t need to ask about those. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/12 "2005-10-13T22:51:08Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > It is my understanding this only applies to software where the EULA says you can. A DVD movie is not software. > > Has anyone ever seen a DVD movie with a EULA that says you can make a archival backup copy? Doesn’t have anything to to do with software or EULAs or whatever. It’s a matter of the DMCA, which makes it illegal to circumvent copy protection for any reason. Fair Use is dead. If not yet, it soon will be. Probably before the copyright on most 20th century works expires. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/13 "2005-10-13T23:17:14Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > Doesn’t have anything to to do with software or EULAs or whatever. It’s a matter of the DMCA, which makes it illegal to circumvent copy protection for any reason. Correct. Discussion of EULAs and archival backup copies apply to software and not DVDs. Those who claim “the EULA” says backup archival copies are OK miss the point that a EULA must exist for that content and said EULA allows for a archival backup copy. I am unaware of the existence of a EULA for DVDs at all. In addition, if the DVD is encrypted (as almost all are these days), the DMCA makes it illegal to create a DVD copy in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/14 "2005-10-13T23:21:47Z")
Another minor point … the new video iPod isn’t really ‘HD’ in any sense - it’s more like ‘VCD’. Best resolution is MP4 480x480, and H.264 stuff is the size of its screen, 320 x 240. I believe that’s also the resolution of the ITMS downloads (to be fair, anything larger would be too big of a file at this point). ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-put-dvd-video-on-a-portable-hd-based-video-device-like-the-new-ipod/326094/15 "2005-10-14T13:01:20Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > Another minor point … the new video iPod isn’t really ‘HD’ in any sense - it’s more like ‘VCD’. Best resolution is MP4 480x480, and H.264 stuff is the size of its screen, 320 x 240. I believe that’s also the resolution of the ITMS downloads (to be fair, anything larger would be too big of a file at this point). The ‘hd’ in the title is an abbreviation for “hard drive”, referring to the storage medium.