why so many dislike DVDXCOPY?

[Beautiful Alone]

I use DVDXCOPY XPRESS to compress, and the outcome are excellent. I compress Terminator 3 using both DVDSHRINK and DVDXCOPY XPRESS, and i don't see any difference between the 2. what's with all the dvdxcopy haters?

[808smokey]

I like DVDxpress. If I just want to make a quick copy. But I like to have the Menus and functioning and Xpress doesn't let you. Other than that I like it and never had any problems with it.

*EDIT* Oh yeah the "WARNING" YOU WILL BE EXECUTED IF YOU SELL THIS!!!!!!!!!!! at the beginning is a little annoying. I know you can remove it but then it's not a 5 mouse clicks and your done program

[Gurm]

Why do we hate DVD XCopy?

Let's see...

1. It's been known to mess up your system (remove DVD players/burners from your hardware list, etc.)

2. It has a subpar burning engine.

3. Its "split the disc down the middle" code SUCKS, and monkeys up your disc.

4. Its transcoding routines are subpar.

5. It won't copy its own copies.

6. Stupid warning screens.

7. Overpriced.

Maybe DVD X Copy XPress is an ok piece of software, but it's no BETTER than DVD Shrink, which is FREE... and it's CERTAINLY no better than Nero Recode, which comes with Nero...

See my point here? If DVD XCopy were free, I think we'd all think it was ... *eh, ok*

But it costs a LOT of money.

- Gurm

[Beautiful Alone]

Don't be bias because Xpress is not FREE. I did not know that Xpress cannot do a copytocopy with the copies. so, dvdshrink can do a straight copytocopy with the backup copy?

[hech54]

I use DVDXCOPY XPRESS to compress, and the outcome are excellent. I compress Terminator 3 using both DVDSHRINK and DVDXCOPY XPRESS, and i don't see any difference between the 2. what's with all the dvdxcopy haters?

Because stuff like that does not give you many options. It does everything FOR YOU. I like that in a woman....but not in my software.

[Beautiful Alone]

It's really not that bad as you all made it to be.

[jimmalenko]

I have gone with the crowd on this one...I have heard that it will only accept input straight from a DVD disc - you cannot rip to HD and then process later. This is inconvenient for many users. Also, I prefer to only use my DVD-ROM and/or burner for the minimum possible time so as to prolong their lifespan. DVDShrink for me !

[LanEvo7]

You can edit the rips by dvdxcopy. Just leave the program open, copy and paste the vobs to another directory. Edit away.

[jimmalenko]

I might have been misuderstood...

I meant that I don't believe you can load into DVDXCopy from HD. The post above seems to talk about editing the output from DVDXCopy.

Just to clarify....

[LanEvo7]

Oh yea, you can't load a dvd using a hard drive. Only straight inputs, but you can always use a program like alcohol 120 to get around that if you really need to.

[jimmalenko]

Yep thought so.

That just confirmed my choice of Smartripper and DVDShrink.

[LanEvo7]

Its not meant to do the same thing as DVD Shrink though...

[jimmalenko]

Essentially it does by providing a backup of our treasured DVDs ?

[LanEvo7]

Well if you put it that way, a Mustang and a Caravan is the same thing also.

DVDxCopy is used to make a perfect backup of a DVD using two dvds. Shrink is used to make an imperfect copy, but using one dvd. I'm not saying is the best program out there and it certainly doesn't do everything, but its not a bad program. It does its job in a fairly easy manner. One click and you are done. I don't think its better than DVD Shrink its meant for a different purpose.


Now if you want to compare DVD Shrink to something, you can compare it to Clone DVD or Nero Recode. That would be a valid comparison since the main point of these programs is to put a commercial DVD to one disc.

[MackemX]

I guess price also has a lot to do with it

if it was $20 would it not be more popular?

[crashnburn]

It is the worst program for that price! If the damn thing is a freeware then I might consider using it if I'm desperate. Over-all I will still give it a 3 out of 10. 3 because it's easy and doesn't require any brain cell to su, just pop and burn. It sucks because it only compy the main movie if you have double layer or DVD9. With that you do not have the movie menu. Menu are importnt if you want to go directly to the scene you have see instead of press skip. Also, it cost money whereas other freewares are so much better. Further more, movie burn with Xpress gets the annoying "backup" copy screen". It's not worth installing on your system..Go with Shrink and DVDdecrypter adn you should be fine. if I have to pay, I rather buy CloneDVD. much better and faster too.

[overloaded_ide]

I think I agree with all the negatives about Xpress, and why BUY something when others offer it free! It's not stealing like getting pirated movies or songs that you were supposed to pay for, it is free! So why pay anything unless you actually like the program, then send the author of the FREE program a donation to say thank you! I DO THIS! It helps the free author make more FREE stuff and everyone can afford free, not just those with money to throw away on lesser quality programs so it actually helps the poor also!
No matter how poor, they can still afford free stuff and then they don't have to turn into thieves stealing the pay stuff

Well if you put it that way, a Mustang and a Caravan is the same thing also

Yes that is correct! They are the same thing, motor vehicles that consume gas and produce polution and move something from one place to the other

Sure one is smaller than the other and does less but is faster. I have a Couger and a Ford VAN, normally they both do the same thing, take me from point A to B. Once in awhile I do need the van for larger items, but seldom, the Couger being smaller does get better mileage, but those two facts are about the only diffence that matter, and seldom matter. Both are driven for daily transportation, what actually matters normally is which I get to first when I walk out of the house or if one needs gas and the other has a full tank. If I don't want to mess with buying gas that day I drive whatever has the full tank, if I don't care about getting gas then I drive which ever, if gas is cheaper that day or expected to rise I drive the one on empty to fill it up cheap.
If I am taking a local trip of 150 miles or so I will drive whatever unless I am going to buy something large to bring home like a desk, then it's the van. If I am going on a long trip like 800 miles I drive whatever also, unless I plan to take a nap on the way then I drive the van becuase it has room to stretch out, a bed and a TV. Been a long time since I used either, don't remeber if the bed was comfy or know if the TV still works?

Basically they are the same and can be compared as such, so can the programs. Sometimes you might preffere one over the other for a specific reason, but basically they are both the same and do the same jobs, allthough one may be better for certain things even though not as good for others! Like the van is great for large items or sleeping, but seldom used for that, and the Couger gets better gas milage but I don't care and is less comfortable and again I don't care. Either does the job equally well to get me to the office or grocery shopping!

We all like different things and quality. I like $500-$1000 vehicles, no payments, interest, over priced full covered insurnace to worry about or throw away money on! Other people want that brand new car no matter how much they can not afford it! My vehicles are very nice and very cheap and do exactly the same thing as someone elses $30,000 car with $300 a month payments and $600-$1000 insurance bill! Mine is paid for and is mine, thiers is the banks and gone the first time they miss a few payments.

No-one can actually tell the difference between my DVD shrink backups and the real DVD normally and some have commented how much nicer the movies are on my TV (using the backup) than on thier TV (with thier comercail DVD), we each own some of the same movies so how is it my backups are better than the reall DVD? Of course it is not, it's the TV and DVD players used. Some day I may buy a projector, then with a 300" screen will decide my backups are not as good as the Real disk, but for now I am very happy with the ones I have done so far, and it was with free software and no hassles and on one disk. And I beleave you can split to two disks somehow also by other posts I have read, thus keeping the full quality. I never did it because I am happy with what I have, and if needed would actaully except very very minor quality loss to keep it on one disk. Not too lazy to swap disks, but hate to watch half a moive then find out the second disk is missing or messed up. Also watching TV in bed it is alittle hassle to be almost asleep and have to get up to change the disk, or be busy with something and have to quit to swap disks

Ok, get the mind out of the bed, I meant busy with something like doing leather work or casting pewter, authoring a DVD ect.. and have to quit to swap disks, gee what did you think

[LanEvo7]

Well if you put it that way, a Mustang and a Caravan is the same thing also


Yes that is correct! They are the same thing, motor vehicles that consume gas and produce polution and move something from one place to the other

Then you can go and try to fit a family of six in a Mustang.
Can you do it? Yes
Will everybody be comfortably seated? No

When you rip your dvds that people can not tell the difference, do you strip out all the extras like the audio and commentaries? Some commercial DVDs have lots of extras that fill up almost all 8 Gigs. If you are telling me that you Shrink can fit that into one disc without noticable loss in quality, then there must be something wrong with your TV.

The fact is the two programs are made for different purposes. When you are looking for a automobile to do heavy transporting, you aren't going to buy a Dodge Neon, you'd get something like a Silverado. So would you say the Neon is better because its cheaper and it uses less gas. It shouldn't be compared, even though they are essentially an automobile.

[orbital517]

Why do we hate DVD XCopy?

Let's see...

1. It's been known to mess up your system (remove DVD players/burners from your hardware list, etc.)

2. It has a subpar burning engine.

3. Its "split the disc down the middle" code SUCKS, and monkeys up your disc.

4. Its transcoding routines are subpar.

5. It won't copy its own copies.

6. Stupid warning screens.

7. Overpriced.

Maybe DVD X Copy XPress is an ok piece of software, but it's no BETTER than DVD Shrink, which is FREE... and it's CERTAINLY no better than Nero Recode, which comes with Nero...

See my point here? If DVD XCopy were free, I think we'd all think it was ... *eh, ok*

But it costs a LOT of money.

- Gurm

Yea, what he said.

[lordsmurf]

Why do we hate DVD XCopy?

Let's see...

1. It's been known to mess up your system (remove DVD players/burners from your hardware list, etc.)

2. It has a subpar burning engine.

3. Its "split the disc down the middle" code SUCKS, and monkeys up your disc.

4. Its transcoding routines are subpar.

5. It won't copy its own copies.

6. Stupid warning screens.

7. Overpriced.

This sums it up PERFECTLY. Good job GURM!

Even if this was free too, I'd never use it. This program just plain sucks.

[jimmalenko]

When you rip your dvds that people can not tell the difference, do you strip out all the extras like the audio and commentaries? Some commercial DVDs have lots of extras that fill up almost all 8 Gigs. If you are telling me that you Shrink can fit that into one disc without noticable loss in quality, then there must be something wrong with your TV.

I'll come in to bat here and say that I have Shrunk many 8+ Gig DVDs with NO noticable difference. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

[energy80s]

I have also shrunk large DVDs (over 7 gigs) down to 4.3 with DVD Shrink and seen no quality loss. That's because they were high bitrate to begin with. Its much easier to shrink a high bitrate file than a low bitrate one while keeping the quality up.

[smearbrick1]

The point the "pro" dvd x copy people seem to be missing is that DVDshrink can make perfect copies (over two discs) of DVD's. It can do all of the things that Xcopy can, but for free!!!

[LanEvo7]

I guess you are right. If you see no difference then there is no difference. I used DVDShrink to backup the Matrix with all the commentaries, horrible. The elevator scene was especially bad since there was so much movement.

[tompika]

Why do we hate DVD XCopy?

Let's see...
1. It's been known to mess up your system (remove DVD players/burners from your hardware list, etc.)
2. It has a subpar burning engine.
3. Its "split the disc down the middle" code SUCKS, and monkeys up your disc.
4. Its transcoding routines are subpar.
5. It won't copy its own copies.
6. Stupid warning screens.
7. Overpriced.

Maybe DVD X Copy XPress is an ok piece of software, but it's no BETTER than DVD Shrink, which is FREE... and it's CERTAINLY no better than Nero Recode, which comes with Nero...

See my point here? If DVD XCopy were free, I think we'd all think it was ... *eh, ok*

But it costs a LOT of money.

- Gurm

Yea, what he said.

This sums it up PERFECTLY. Good job GURM!
Even if this was free too, I'd never use it. This program just plain sucks.

"...And you, I don't even know you but I hate you too..."
Scott Evil in GOLDMEMBER

BTW I wouldn't pay 100 bucks for a software like that...

[handyguy]

I used Xcopy Exp & dvdshrink & the quality is the same as my panasonic dvd recorder in LP mode. Only thing is the panasonic can fit TWO films on a disk (4 hours)

[glenrey]

I still keep a stack of dvd coasters to remind me of the newbie days when i just started making dvd backups using dvdxcopy and xpress. I used to
be pissed off about it. Took awhile to get over it.

[Gazorgan]

I've used all the programs expliciately designed for backup up DVD's. DVDXCopy really sucks. If I wanted to change disks in the middle I'd do SVCD :P With Shrink, I do the movie on 1 disk and the extras/titles on the other (if it's worth doing at all, and let me tell you there's not a lot of extra's worth keeping). In fact, I've given up doing extra's, if I'm that desperate I go grab the original from the basement and watchem!!!

I think DVDXcopy is realy 'Marketing Ware'. It was some re-hashed crap that was boxed and sold quickly. It is commercially available in regular stores, so it must be legitimate. It's goal is not to get sued out of existance by it's disclaimers, which won't help the company much in court if it goes that far.

[JHMac]

I tried DVDXCoaster and I agree with the the majority, it has never really been a good piece of software. Way to many bugs and at the expense of the user ( DVDRs)... I mostly do movie only back-ups to 1 disk, using DVD2one or DVDShrink and sometimes IC8. I don't waist dvd-r space with the extras if I want to see them I put in the original DVD. I now use DVDStripper to get rid of everything but the movie and the menus (some are worth keeping)

[jimhacker]

Actually, the program isn't that bad. With the Evaluation copy I have, it achieves 90% what I am looking for to back up disk information I need. Of course, the program would be perfect if it would be able to back up other special features of the original disk instead of only main feature (based on the copy I have.)

I agree that DVDXpress burn section performs below par. You can always correct that with other DVD burn programs.

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