# what is the best DVD copying program? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307 "2002-08-10T20:03:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/1 "2002-08-10T20:03:52Z")
I have seen several different types of programs that allow you to copy DVD’s but find their prices to be very low and to be honest don’t really trust their abilities to properly copy DVD’s. Has anyone purchased such a program online and found them to be easy and effective? I recently visited the USA and tried to purchase such a program at a retail outlet, BESTBUY and the clerk told me they were illegal, yea right and so is speeding on the highway. Although they don’t have any problem selling two VCR’s to an individual so they can copy VHS disks or copy audio cassettes. Any suggestions?? 😃 ---
**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:** [August 10, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/2 "2002-08-10T20:29:34Z")
If you are simply making a copy for yourself, I believe that is legal. What are you trying to copy **to**? A writable DVD drive, your hard disk, or CD-ROMs? ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/3 "2002-08-10T20:34:41Z")
I think because the information we could provide could also be used to make illegal copies besides copies produced under the fair use statutes, this thread may be locked. If you E-mail me (my adddress is on my profile) I will send you some links you can use to find the information you need. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/4 "2002-08-10T20:56:43Z")
Boring subject- I’d much rather talk about the best place to quickly hide your stash when Johnny Law comes calling, or how to make an anti-personnel weapon out of Scotts fertiilzer and a bottle of Clorox. (name brands are everything!) ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/5 "2002-08-10T22:14:45Z")
I’m trying to make copies of DVD’s that I already own just in case they are damaged in any way. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2002, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/6 "2002-08-10T22:40:51Z")
To what media? Do you have a DVD-writer? ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/7 "2002-08-10T22:44:51Z")
Yes I have a CDRW on my computer. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/8 "2002-08-10T22:52:14Z")
A CDRW won’t burn DVD’s. Only a DVDR will. ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/9 "2002-08-10T23:27:22Z")
I may be mistaken on what kind of writing system I have on my computer. The computer plays DVD’s and I am using WINxp and it does allow me to copy stuff. Maybe someone can tell me how I can find out exactly what kind of writing device it is. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/10 "2002-08-11T00:06:21Z")
The DVD FAQ: [http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html) All is revealed in the DVD FAQ, especially whether CD recorders can write to DVDs ([no](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#2.3)) and [copying DVDs](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#5.9): > [@](#): > > It’s true you can copy any DVD movie. However the people selling DVD copying software conveniently don’t mention the many free alternatives, nor do they mention that their applications only copy to CD-R/RW in Video CD format, which means the video quality is crummy and the copies don’t play in about half the DVD players out there (see [2.4.3](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#2.4.3) and [2.4.5](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#2.4.5)). They also neglect to mention that copying movies from rental stores or from friends is **illegal**. [sub]bolding mine[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/11 "2002-08-11T00:27:16Z")
If you made a dvd yourself & want to copy it, then the dvd drive you bought comes with software to copy a dvd! Wow. If you are thinking about copying a _copyrighted_ dvd thingy, now, you know we can’t talk about that on the board. Not to mention the fact they are _encoded_ in a super duper special code so you can’t do that… As for vhs, those, too, commerically copyrighted, have copy protection on them so you can’t copy them. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/12 "2002-08-11T02:30:17Z")
um… just for the record - _ **ANY** _ media can be copied/converted. you just won’t find the required technology readily available. and, no this boy ain’t posting no stinkin’ links… ---
**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:** [August 11, 2002, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/13 "2002-08-11T03:47:47Z")
**Sunspace** , since the OP has stated that he or she is planning on copying DVDs that he or she owns, not rented or borrowed from friends, then the statement where you bolded the word “illegal” doesn’t apply. Yes, it’s possible it’s a lie. But since there’s a legal application of the technology, then we should be able to discuss it, IMHO. Moderator’s call, of course. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-dvd-copying-program/123307/14 "2002-08-11T20:55:18Z")
It seem this thread has likely been deemed OK by moderators, or else it would have been locked by now. If you want to make personal copies of an owned DVD, search for the program ‘DVDx’. It can be found pretty easily on the two P2P file sharing networks I tried searching on, which happen to be the two most popular (and and shall remain unnamed by me).