Please confirm if I did my research properly

[kethnaab]

okay, newb here, trying to figure this stuff out.

I have a load of DVD movies that I want to burn so I can take them to Iraq with me, as I am deploying and I am allowed to take a laptop computer.

So obviously, what I'd like to do....I have my extended edition LotR, parts 1, 2 and gonna get 3 pretty soon here, REturn of the King or whatever it's called.

I wanna burn 'em and take a copy with me. If I take the original, my son will disown me.

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of asking the guys at Best Buy and CompUSA and CircuitCity for advice, and now I'm all confused. Oy!

So anyway, I did my research, and here's what I've come up with.

I need to use the program "DVDXCopy". I need to get a DVD+R (or RW) disk to use in a DVD+R (or +RW) rewriter that I shall be purchasing shortly enough.

Now then, if I want to actually get a DVD-DL (Dual layer? or double layer? still confused) drive, then I might have compatability problems, and DL disks are really expensive anyway.

So I can use DVDXCopy to copy the movie from one disk to another, as long as the +RW drive matches with the +RW disk. I don't quite follow the difference between + and - anyway, but I don't see too many drives out that don't do both.

So is that all I need? I think so. DVDXCopy, a couple of +R or +RW disks, and a drive that does +R/+RW.

right? If not, then I suck at research.

Thanks for any help.

[Capmaster]

Not bad for a first time. But stay away from DVDXCopy. No need for it.

I recommend downloading DVDShrink. It's a free app that takes the original and rips it into compressed files to your hard disk that you can then directly burn to a DVD-R or DVD+R using an app like Ahead Nero.

Stay away from DL until you get better at the whole video thing. I think that would be biting off more than you can chew right now.

And let me add that your sacrifices are appreciated by us here at home. Have a safe tour and come home in one piece!

[thecoalman]

. I don't quite follow the difference between + and - anyway, but I don't see too many drives out that don't do both.

.

None really as far as you should be concerned except that you purchase the ones compatible with the burner. They work the same, the only trouble is some standalone DVD players will not recognize one foramt and will the other.

[sacajaweeda]

Kick ass and take names, dude!!

And come back in one piece!

[tweedledee]

As they said in Hill ST. Blues....Take care out there.

[fritzi93]

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of asking the guys at Best Buy and CompUSA and CircuitCity for advice, and now I'm all confused. Oy!

Not surprising. I second Cap's advice. You'll probably get a burning app with your writer, but it's easier to set DVDShrink (free) to create an ISO image and use DVDDecrypter (free) to burn it. And for the odd disc that DVDShrink has trouble ripping, DVDDecrypter can do the job.

Is it true deployments have been reduced to six months? Come back in one piece.

[kethnaab]

wow, thanks for the replies guys!

first, the off-topic stuff.

1) I fully plan on coming home in one (100% functional!) piece, thanks!

2) 6 months?!?! who told you that stuff? I'm there for a year!!


now then, thanks a million for the replies. I was told OUTRIGHT that you could NOT burn a commercial DVD movie like...Gladiator! for example, without DVDXCopy.

of course, I was told I couldn't burn movies *at all* because they were Double-layer, and I needed to get a double-layer DVD Burner

so, the free program I downloaded from that MrBass fellow that helps me get my DVD stuff step up (along with the MemTest and CPUBurn thing) along with the DVDShrink program.....

I can use that instead of DVDXCopy? The $160 program? Freeware? No loss of image quality? I'm kinda spoiled lil' beyotch, I want to see those gorgeous hunks of Uruk-hai in all their slimey majesty. Don't want it to look "cheap" or grainy. Saw tons of illegally burned crap over in Korea, it was horrid. I never got into it for a variety of reasons, but the image quality was pitiful.

Seriously, is it honestly that easy and cheap?

I can take my entire extended-edition LotR trilogy with me? It can't be that easy...

[fritzi93]

Yes, it's that easy. DVDXCopy stinks compared to DVDShrink or almost anything. Most movies will be reduced somewhat in bitrate to fit a DVD5, but unless you have a REALLY big TV, you'll never notice any difference.

None of this stuff is exactly secret, but being freeware, nobody has any incentive to enlighten you. (Best Buy, CC, et. al. ) If those ******** even know anything, that is.

Please post again to let us know how it went, or if you have difficulties.

[jimmalenko]

first, the off-topic stuff.

1) I fully plan on coming home in one (100% functional!) piece, thanks!

2) 6 months?!?! who told you that stuff? I'm there for a year!!

Good luck. Make it home safely

***

I was told OUTRIGHT that you could NOT burn a commercial DVD movie like...Gladiator! for example, without DVDXCopy.

Not true.

***

of course, I was told I couldn't burn movies *at all* because they were Double-layer, and I needed to get a double-layer DVD Burner

Even more not true.

***

I can use that instead of DVDXCopy? The $160 program? Freeware? No loss of image quality?

True. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the quality from DVDShrink. If it were me I would rip first with DVDDecrypter (as opposed to letting DVDShrink rip for you) but that's just a preference thing.

***

Seriously, is it honestly that easy and cheap?

Seriously, yes it is.

***

I can take my entire extended-edition LotR trilogy with me? It can't be that easy...

Yep, it is.


I suggest you try this DVDShrink Guide and this DVDDecrypter Guide. There are also many many guides to your left in the Guides section <=====.

[DeleriumMDK]

Ive got a few friends in Iraq and as I said to them before they left, thank you for protecting people like myself and my family. Good luck over there.

IVe been using the DVDShrink method for DVD backups for close to a year and a half, superb quality. Its the easiest and cheapest method for backing up a DVD IMO.

[kethnaab]

hey, just wanted to say thanks a million to everyone here!

I picked up a Sony 8x USB external DVD+R/+RW drive, and have been using DVDShrink and DVDDecrypter and I've nailed the first 8 movies I've burned so far

WHOO!!! it's pretty darn easy afterall. Thanks a gazillion guys, seriously, I have until Friday to burn about 50 movies, hehehe....but at least I'm getting it done! I'd be pretty damn lost without the info I received here!

preciate!

[Capmaster]

We all hate to see someone being taken advantage of on video matters. It sounds like the salesman was trying hard to sell you a DL burner and an expensive app. Shameless whores :P

Glad you're up and running kethnaab

[macleod]

The info you received from Best Lies, CC, etc. was as other people said, complete crap. Without getting into the which app is better thing, dvdshrink will give you good results for most movies. I have backups of gladiator, LOTR, et. (The real long movies) and they all look great on a 32" newer TV.

A suggestion....Since you are going to play these movies on a laptop, a suggestion would be to convert these movies to DIVX then they will reside either on your hard drive (a good divx is in the neighborhood of 700mb) or on a CD as additional backup. It would be a shame to be in another country and have the dvd scratched/go bad. With the divx, it will be right there on the HD.