copy of a copy

[Bigdaddybrat]

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone has run into this problem.

I have 2 kids under the age of 4 (no thats not my problem) and they have favorite dvds that they like to watch over and over again.

I have already made a backup of one original disk before it finally bit the dust and now my backup is getting quite scratched... Even though I am quite sick of Dora the explorer... I really don't want to go out and by the same video twice...

However, I spoke to a friend of mine who told me that he has had problems making copies from a copy.
This dosn't make sense to me, but he said that he has made backups before and the quality is not the same.

I suspect that he is using the same program to make the 2nd copy as he did the first (I think CloneDVD). Is this were his problem is? I was just going to use Nero to copy the disk since it had already been shrunk (by shrink) and the encription removed.

Has anyone else heard of this problem?

Thanks for your comments in advance.

[HatchetMan]

Copy from a copy, why not copy the original again?
Maybe he had bad/incompatible media that caused freezing/skipping. That's common. Should not cause any visual degradation making a DVD5 to DVD5 backup/copy.
* DVD5 = single layer

[guns1inger]

I would use DVD Decrypter ISO->Read, ISO->Write, just because I trust it's burning engine more than Nero's. But Nero should work just as well.

[mats.hogberg]

Backups are often harder to copy than originals, as they are prone to write errors (depending on media quality). The player handles these minor errors with grace, but a backup tool (that wants to read every bit of data) dies a horrible death as soon as it misses a bit somewhere.
Lesson to learn: Backup your original first thing, lock it up somewhere out of reach, and play the backup until too damaged. Then make another backup from original, repeat ad infinitum.
That said, DVDDecrypter ISO Read -> ISO Write is the best method of backing up a DVD5 to DVD5.

/Mats

[jtoolman2000]

I have already made a backup of one original disk before it finally bit the dust and now my backup is getting quite scratched... Even though I am quite sick of Dora the explorer... I really don't want to go out and by the same video twice...

He no longer has the original disk and stated he did not feel like buying it again just to make a new backup.

Barring such damage or iinability for the disk to be re read bit for bit, there should be no difference in the quality. As far as I know, when the laser encounter a burned Blip - Smudge or other burned marke that is supposed to represent a #1 in bynary, it will read it as a one and so it will burn it as a #1. Smae goes for the unburned sectors which represent a #0. It has to be able to read it though.

The fact that burned movies play at all is a small miracle in itself considering that microspopically it is very hard to discern what is a single burned spot, let alone three in a row.

The short answer,,, Yes, you can backup a backup IF it can be read. Try ripping it the VIDEO /AUDIO_TS folders directly to the HD and reburn it.

[sanjayk]

Ofcourse the most logical simple practical way is what mat says.

1. Buy original
2. Make backup from original
3. Lock original
4. Use backup
5. If backup == useless goto 2

If you have lot of hdd space you can rip the original to hdd. Author a new dvd and use it. But soon you may be needing more hdd than dvds !!

[garryheather]

Or...

1. Buy original.
2. Lock up kids

[Bigdaddybrat]

garryheather, I like your solution.... unfortunately I think there is laws about that

Thanks Guys for everything.

I like the idea about using decryptor and will go that way...

In the future, I will do the "lock up the original" on the disks that are most commonly used.

Thanks again guys.