Is dvdxcopy not the best backup app?

[busterw]

Ok, I've read through hours and hours worth of "how-tos" only to be confused more than when I started. What is the best way to make a simple dvd backup that doesn't incorporate the bullshit screens that dvdxcopy puts at the beginning? I would like to be able to strip out extra features so I could maintain the menus if possible and keep on one disk?

Thanks for any help!
Buster

[Bob W]

Free DVDshrink Free oh did I forget to say it's Free.

[ddlooping]

I would agree with Bob, but DVD Shrink doesn't allow to totally remove the extras while keeping functioning menus.
I believe CloneDVD and Nero Recode do.
Recode replaces them by a still picture for the duration of the original extra.
I'm not sure what CloneDVD does.

[bokkasrealm]

I reccomend DVD Shrink over anything. DVD X Copy puts a 30 second warning on the front of each DVD you copy telling you not to copy movies you dont own.

[lordsmurf]

dvdxcopy wins my "Crappiest Software Ever" award ... because it has bugs, is known to make windows forget your DVD drivers, adds stuff to the disc, prevent copies of the copies, compression sucks, 1:1 splitting sucks, and uses a variant burning engine that isn't real good ... and it's expensive ... 100% crap

DVD2ONE or DVD SHRINK BETA 3 R5

[Wicked-n-Twisted]

I used to use dvdxCopy xpress until I was shown the light....DvdShrink.

btw,if you`re stripping out all of the extra stuff then why would you still want to keep the menus?It seems to me that it`s kinda useless.It would also help you to achieve the highest compression rate that you can possibly get with that particular disc.

[JHMac]

Should have named it DVDXCoaster. POS!

[MackemX]

dvdxcopy wins my "Crappiest Software Ever" award ... because it has bugs, is known to make windows forget your DVD drivers, adds stuff to the disc, prevent copies of the copies, compression sucks, 1:1 splitting sucks, and uses a variant burning engine that isn't real good ... and it's expensive ... 100% crap

DVD2ONE or DVD SHRINK BETA 3 R5

surely that award goes to Windoze?

I agree with what you say and I don't even own it but I've read enough to not even think about buying it

I think CloneDVD now puts a quick blank flash in , but I'm not 100% sure. I don't think you can remove menu's either in both Recode or CloneDVD which can have the warnings also

as for keeping menu's, that just a matter of personal preference as it's not that big a difference between movie-only or movie+menu fans and some DVD's need menu's

[Gurm]

CloneDVD has no warnings, and WILL let you keep or remove menus at your discretion.

So will IC8... and IC8 does a better job of the compression.

So right now if you were going to BUY an app, IC8 would get my vote, but if you don't NEED to keep the menus, Shrink is a hell of a program for FREE.

- Gurm

[MackemX]

CloneDVD has no warnings, and WILL let you keep or remove menus at your discretion.

So will IC8... and IC8 does a better job of the compression.

So right now if you were going to BUY an app, IC8 would get my vote, but if you don't NEED to keep the menus, Shrink is a hell of a program for FREE.

- Gurm

lol, you are indeed correct in what you say and my post is totally misleading

I know about the option to remove menu's in CloneDVD but it removes them all so basically it's the same as DVDShrink's reauthor and that's the better option as you say . I just mean't removing the selective menu's we have all learn't to hate or the huge foreign ones that are sometimes present, but reading my post again it doesn't make it clear

[noki]

but DVD Shrink doesn't allow to totally remove the extras while keeping functioning menus.

yes, it CAN with a workaround.
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=185976&highlight=
good luck.

[Jimmykicker]

Once in awhile I use blanks created by DXC over titlesets I want to get rid of...this will allow you to many times load the whole thing into Shrink and compress it -- results in functioning menu and movie only. Usually I only do this if the titlesets are too complicated to strip with IFOEdit or if they only contain 1 VOB ID...

[noki]

Jimmykicker
can you point me to guide to do this? thanks

[MackemX]

Jimmykicker
can you point me to guide to do this? thanks

just checkout 2COOL's guides at Doom9 or mine (link in sig) as they show you how to replace complete titlesets with a blank

once mastered (which doesn't take long), it takes minutes to do

there's a few methods to strip a DVD using quick methods to get functioning menu's and movie. The trick is knowing which guide to use for the DVD you are using

[elmotheteapot]

dvdxcopy is probably the worst dvd compressing app ever, ye due to lack of knowledge it sells very well. I dont know about the free app, but Instant cd/dvd se 7.xxxxx came bundled with my burner and i can vouch for it, one of the slower apps, but excellent quality due to its double passthrough feature.

[Jimmykicker]

Jimmykicker
can you point me to guide to do this? thanks

Just go with MackemX's comments or you can try this guide by Kelso:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175347&highlight=

[noki]

MackemX
thanks. any NTSC VOB ID's available?

Jimmykicker
thanks...same question RE: NTSC VOB ID's?

[LanEvo7]

I don't believe DVDxCopy is the worst program ever. It certainly isn't the best, but it does it job. I backup dvds where its about 7-8 gigs without any extras and its nice to have a program that does it easily. The warning removal is quite easy to get around(simple copy paste). None of the free programs except for IFOEdit does that and not many of the paid program does it. I guess if you can get it to work, then it isn't bad. If it doesn't work for you, then its the worst thing ever.

[MackemX]

MackemX
thanks. any NTSC VOB ID's available?

uploaded them for you and updated the guide but I only have 20 in the zip file

[busterw]

This may be stupid, but what's IC8? Pinnacle InstantCopy 8?

Ok, so I think for the "free" feature of DVD Shrink, I'll give it a whirl first. I try to open the disk and it says it's copy protected. What's the best/easiest app to unprotect it so I can back it up?

Thanks!

[ddlooping]

"I try to open the disk and it says it's copy protected."
Simply try playing the disc first in WinDVD or PowerDVD for a few seconds.
Then pause it and start the DVD Shrink process.

[noki]

MackemX
Thank you very much for the files and updated guide

[busterw]

"I try to open the disk and it says it's copy protected."
Simply try playing the disc first in WinDVD or PowerDVD for a few seconds.
Then pause it and start the DVD Shrink process.

Aha, that did the trick. Now how do I know due to lack of experience how it will turn out based on the automatic compression amount of 58% that it chose. Playback in the preview window appears pixelated in scene transitions. Is this just a software issue and burning will be normal or will it really do that once backed up? I unselected foreign language stuff but i can't seem to figure out how to remove certain menus. I guess now I choose re-author and drag and drop the stuff i wanna keep to there...correct?

Thanks for your help!

[ddlooping]

A ratio of 58% is what I would consider much too low for my taste.
How much noticeable the quality degradation would be depends on your viewing equipment, but also on the quality of the original DVD.
In any case, I would definately advise you to use "Re-author" and do a movie-only backup.

[busterw]

Yeah, I kinda figured so. I went to dvdshrink.info and went through the guides there. Excellent! Showed me just what to do. I've re-authored now, selected what I want with no compression and it's backing up now.

I have RecornowMax 4.5 and Nero 6. Which do you prefer or is there something better that will burn in a timely fashion?

Thanks again!

[ddlooping]

"Thanks again!"
You're welcome.

"RecornowMax 4.5 (or) Nero 6"
Some of the latest releases of Nero 6 have been said to be buggy, although some users have reported making successful backups with all the versions: http://www.dvdshrink.info/burning-compatibilities.php .
If you have the latest one it should be fine though.
RecordnowMax is equally good and prefered by some DVD-backupers.

If you have a DVD-RW, I'd suggest you try the software you're the most comfortable with and see if it works for you.

If burning to DVD-R(W), you could also give burnatonce a go (even though DVD burning is not officially supported anymore).
It's a free, user-friendly and reliable program, as long as it's compatible with your burner:
http://www.dvdshrink.info/burnatonce.php

[busterw]

Well I'm using a new LG Electronics dvd-burner. I guess I'll give recordnowmax 4.5 a whirl. I just need to go in search of a good guide for it. Does recordnowmax put an audio_ts folder or should I create one manually? I know there's a whole debate of whether this folder is necessary or not. I ain't trying to open that can of worms. I just wanna know if it's gonna put it there for me.

I appreciate all of your help. It's nice to find people in forums that spend time helping rather than just saying "hit search" as their only solution.

Buster

[ddlooping]

Here is a RecordNow Max guide I've found here.

http://users.pandora.be/rudy.stremersch/recnow.html

[busterw]

Yeah I found that one too. It doesn't get any more simple than that I don't believe now does it!