DVD Fab's "Free DVD": Questions

[CobraPilot]

From DVDFab's website:

"Free DVD removes several protections from a DVD folder on the hard disk. It removes region code (RC), region code enhancement (RCE), analog copy protection, and user operation prohibitions (UOPs). You can use it to get a free DVD before you burn the DVD folder. It's only 44K."

Okay, now for the (perhaps noob) first question: How do you get a protected DVD to a folder on the hard disk in the first place?

Doesn't DVD Fab (and others) do all this this for you? Of what use is "Free DVD" and when/why would you need it?

I admit I may be overlooking the obvious . . . .

[Baldrick]

It removes other features than decryption like region protection.

edit: Oops, I didn't think in my first reply.

[CobraPilot]

Windows won't let you simply copy a protected DVD to your hard drive, recognizing it as encrypted/protected data, or is there something I'm missing about a simple "copy" process?

From what I understand from these forums, to "copy" a protected DVD to a hard drive you have to use a ripper program (such as DVD Fab), and that does most (all?) of what "Free DVD" does.

So, I'm back to my original question: When/how/why would you use "Free DVD"?

[Alex_ander]

So, I'm back to my original question: When/how/why would you use "Free DVD"?

You can use it when you have a decrypted copy of DVD on your HDD but for some reason it keeps region protection code. The program detects the presence of protection and updates ifo's to remove it. It can also remove prohibited user operations (PUO's) such as skipping warning clips from remote, etc.

[CobraPilot]

Thanks, Alex_ander and Baldrick.

Assuming what you say is true, then there seems to be no obvious reason to use "Free DVD" at all, since the typical DVD rippers remove RPC, PUO's, etc., don't they?

Odd piece of software, it seems to me, but what do I know?

[Krispy Kritter]

When you RIP a movie, all of the data is still intact on your HDD. Removing region coding and whatnot is done by reauthoring the data before you burn.

I RIP with DVDFabDecrypter, open the image with DVDShrink (which reauthors and removes protections), and then burn with Nero.

You can perform the whole process with DVDFab if you buy the full version, or in this case, it appears they have released a standalone free version for removing the copy protections.

[jman98]

When you RIP a movie, all of the data is still intact on your HDD. Removing region coding and whatnot is done by reauthoring the data before you burn.

I RIP with DVDFabDecrypter, open the image with DVDShrink (which reauthors and removes protections), and then burn with Nero.

It is certainly possible in rippers to remove region coding and PUOs (Prohibited User Operations) without having to resort to an authoring application to do so. For example DVD Decrypter can remove region coding and PUOs.

[Krispy Kritter]

When you RIP a movie, all of the data is still intact on your HDD. Removing region coding and whatnot is done by reauthoring the data before you burn.

I RIP with DVDFabDecrypter, open the image with DVDShrink (which reauthors and removes protections), and then burn with Nero.

It is certainly possible in rippers to remove region coding and PUOs (Prohibited User Operations) without having to resort to an authoring application to do so. For example DVD Decrypter can remove region coding and PUOs.

Very well then. I just assumed that since the options were listed in DVDShrink, that is where the process occurred.

Or maybe I've just had too many drugs today and don't have a clue what I'm saying. Either way..

Cheers