DVD FAB 5 is it worth the price?

[rcguy1]

Is DVD FAB 5 worth the money and is it safe to use my credit card to purchase the program. It seems to work but I'm not sure. Any comments?

[bendixG15]

You could try DVDFab HD DECRYPTER FOR FREE ...
https://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVDFab_Decrypter

[redwudz]

It's not worth the price to me. I use the freeware DVDFab HD Decrypter most times, along with DVD Shrink and ImgBurn. I am now using AnyDVD, fairly expensive, but it decrypts Blu-ray, along with regular DVDs.

[Seeker47]

Is DVD FAB 5 worth the money and is it safe to use my credit card to purchase the program. It seems to work but I'm not sure. Any comments?

I suspect that at least some of their "tailor the DVD to your liking" options are available from one freeware program or another . . . but not anything I've tried, so I couldn't really say. I'm sure those things can be done with the more advanced author / editor programs, but via far more tech-head procedures, whereas Fab is designed to be readily accessible to the masses. The function they have in the free Fab Decrypter for tossing out the FBI warning never worked for me (whereas I have selectively gotten rid of things like that with Shrink, without having to resort to VOBblanker or PGCEdit), so I wonder if they work any better in the full Fab product. Some here have opined that the burning engine in Fab is just mediocre. (Most likely, the best bet for that is always going to be IMGBURN.) They do have the most effective ripper for titles released from a couple years ago up to today, but that part is free. I would have concerns about giving them a credit card #, but then I'm rather leery of doing such online transactions in general.

[orsetto]

Depends who you talk to. Most users here are hooked on using a suite of 3 or 4 independent freeware tools to make backups, and view any sort of "payware" as sacrilege. I've never understood this, because none of these folks uses the excuse "I can't afford it": since it isn't a $ issue it seems they just prefer going this route for whatever reason. I find it to be way more trouble than I want to bother with, and some of these freeware solutions take a year and a day to compress a DVD9 to a DVD5. I gave up two years ago and purchased the CloneDVD2/AnyDVD-HD combo from SlySoft. Works like a charm, compresses a DVD-9 to DVD-5 in 30 mins including the burn, and is updated free for life almost weekly to keep up with changes in the DVD spec. No problems with SlySoft processing my credit card.

But I'm the minority here: even those who are willing to pay, usually buy the pay versions of DVDFab products. CloneDVD gets no respect because it opts for fast, easy, flat-rate compression which is considered "inferior" to the endless noodling done by competing apps like DVD Shrink and so on. If that floats your boat and you have the time, DVDFab5 should make you happy- its the default choice of members here. I prefer CloneDVD for its speed, ease of use, and unique ability to retain the fully-functional original disc menu even when you delete bonus features and other space-sucking extras from the backup. Any of these apps will basically work OK: set your budget, pick the features you want and name your poison.

[guns1inger]

I am not "hooked on using a suite of 3 or 4 independent freeware tools to make backups, and view any sort of "payware" as sacrilege.", however I do believe that the job is best done by using the best tools at each stage.

I use the freeware DVDFab HD Decrypter for ripping, either as a full disk or a movie only, but I have little call for any other of it's features. I don't need to do drastic re-arrangement of DVD structure or combine previously split discs into a single disc, and it's ability to re-encode to other formats, for me at least, always produces results far inferior to other products. The fact that these other products are free (AutoGK, FUW etc) is incidental, they just happen to be the best tools for the job.

If it does what you need, and you are happy with the results, and it is worth the money to you, by all means buy it. For me the results are not worth the money, so the free version is enough.

[wtsinnc]

I'm not a perfectionist, but if I was, I'd just buy two copies of the movie. The reason I say that is any backup solution will involve some alteration in the original program.

I have used numerous programs and for simplicity, find DVDFab platinum to be the best choice. I believe the application with lifetime updates is still $50.00, far cheaper than the CloneDVD2/AnyDVD HD combination and for my eyes, every bit as good.

I have absolutely no knowledge about Blue-Ray backup and at this point have no desire to get into high definition, so I can't comment on that aspect of the debate.
If you don't mind using the freeware trio of DVDFab HD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, and Imgburn, you will be able to rip any movie that I know of, have excellent control of each step of the process, and use the money saved for blank media and/or a new burner.

One other freeware application you may want to investigate is DVD Rebuilder. I don't use it, but many here love the program.

[MJA]

I believe the application with lifetime updates is still $50.00, far cheaper than the CloneDVD2/AnyDVD HD combination and for my eyes, every bit as good.

lifetime of these companies is too short as soon as they feel the heat from the big dogs they will go out of business in no time

[freebird73717]

There is a 30 day free trial available. Download it and try it. If it does what you want and you like it then buy it. That price is not bad for software that does what you want and you will use it often.

If people don't purchase the pay version I doubt the free version would continue. So I'm honestly glad that some people do buy the pro version. That way I can continue getting the free version!

I'm of the crowd that gets acceptable results using the free dvdfabhddecrypter and then vobblanker with either dvdshrink or dvdrebuilder (free version).

lifetime of these companies is too short as soon as they feel the heat from the big dogs they will go out of business in no time

If I'm not mistaken (and somebody will correct me if I'm wrong) dvdfab is based in China so the "big dogs" really don't have much hold on them.

[orsetto]

The really good "payware" is based in the Caymans or China or wherever, out of reach from studio interference. They have been perking along quite nicely almost since the dawn of PCs with DVD burning ability. I would not worry about DVDFab or Slysoft, etc, going under any time soon: try the free or trial versions of various competing products. If the freeware suits you, stick with that. If you find the payware more efficient, buy it. $50-80 is piss money in the scheme of things (I waste as much each year on "big name" blank media that goes sour)- if you get two years of effortless, accurate backups the "payware" pays for itself. Of course, if you can live with the freeware, so much the better.

[deadrats]

Is DVD FAB 5 worth the money and is it safe to use my credit card to purchase the program. It seems to work but I'm not sure. Any comments?

i personally wouldn't spend a dime on it, or better yet would find a pirated version. why? because dvd fab is itsel pirated software, that's why.

dvd fab is based on ffmpeg, an open source program distributed under the gpl. according to the license ffmpeg is distributed under, the source code to the underlying engine, as well as any changes made to it, must be freely available AND the gpl copyright noticed must be included, dvd fab does not abide by said requirements, so **** them.

http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/shame.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License

incidently, it's very easy to prove that dvd fab uses ffmpeg, all you need is a hex editor and a run time debugger and a bit of programming experience and you can see it for yourself.

btw, dvd fab is not the only piece of commercial software that violates the gpl, which is why i whole heartedly supported pirating their software, since it's not theirs in the first place, they just stole it from the open source.

don't support a thief!!!

[MJA]

woow even ConvertXtoDVD

[Seeker47]

woow even ConvertXtoDVD

They at least give full credit to the ffmpeg library, whatever that means. The design of their UI is quite good, and the way the program works plus the results it gives makes it worth the money, in my estimation. They are responsive to one's emails, which is not a given these days. VSO is based in France, and I would imagine the EU has certain standards about such things, so I would not be so quick to assume that they are doing anything wrong.

I have not used ffmpeg on its own, or within any of the various freeware shells or frontends that exist for it, so I can't really compare the ease of use or the results in going that route. Perhaps someone else can do that. There could well be a lot of added value to ConvertX, not least of all that you can just install it and start using it, without stitching a few programs together or going over Guide printouts.

As to Fengtao, I don't know. Isn't the GNU GPL a lot more ignored than observed ? I suppose you could also make the argument that they are largely in the business of selling lockpicks to thieves or would-be thieves, and so are themselves fair game. But then you must be willing to venture into the land of warez, cracks and keygens, probably searching long and hard, while maybe not realizing that at least 80% of that stuff is really baited traps laden with nasty malware.

EDIT: from the link supplied by deadrats:

3. COPYRIGHT.
The SOFTWARE is protected by United States copyright law and international
treaty provisions. You acknowledge that no title to the intellectual property in
the SOFTWARE is transferred to you.
You further acknowledge that title and full ownership rights to the SOFTWARE
will remain the exclusive property of Fengtao Software Inc. and you will not
acquire any rights to the SOFTWARE except as expressly set forth in this license.
You agree that any copies of the SOFTWARE will contain the same proprietary
notices which appear on and in the SOFTWARE.

How does a Chinese company get to assert U.S. Copyright protection ?

A further observation: you still will find the FBI warning on many porn DVDs.
Can you really imagine the authorities lifting a finger (other than maybe the middle one) in defense of one of these companies ? (If so, there's some choice swampland I'd like to sell to you.) Not in a Republican administration like the one that is leaving, and not in a liberal Democratic one either. A company like Fengtao would probably have to take a number and stand in the same line with the porn distributors.

[deadrats]

woow even ConvertXtoDVD

They at least give full credit to the ffmpeg library, whatever that means. The design of their UI is quite good, and the way the program works plus the results it gives makes it worth the money, in my estimation. They are responsive to one's emails, which is not a given these days. VSO is based in France, and I would imagine the EU has certain standards about such things, so I would not be so quick to assume that they are doing anything wrong.

I have not used ffmpeg on its own, or within any of the various freeware shells or frontends that exist for it, so I can't really compare the ease of use or the results in going that route. Perhaps someone else can do that. There could well be a lot of added value to ConvertX, not least of all that you can just install it and start using it, without stitching a few programs together or going over Guide printouts.

As to Fengtao, I don't know. Isn't the GNU GPL a lot more ignored than observed ? I suppose you could also make the argument that they are largely in the business of selling lockpicks to thieves or would-be thieves, and so are themselves fair game. But then you must be willing to venture into the land of warez, cracks and keygens, probably searching long and hard, while maybe not realizing that at least 80% of that stuff is really baited traps laden with nasty malware.

to clear up a few things:

"giving full credit" means absolutely nothing, they are required by the gpl to release the source code and modifications they made to it back into the open source community as gpl'd code, including anything that "adds value to it".

furthermore, convertx doesn't actually do anything on it own, all it is is a gui front end, something you could throw together very easily if you knew how to use an ide like lazarus or visual basic.

lastly no one says that the creators of the commercial software can't make money from the software just that they need to follow the licensing terms of the underlying software that provides the functionality that their front ends depend on.

oh, and for the record, the gpl has never been found to be invalid, in whole or in part, in any court in any country, and as a matter of fact if you look at the history of the eu courts rulings on software patents in general it would seem that they espouse a view that is philosophically aligned with the gpl.

[lordsmurf]

the job is best done by using the best tools at each stage..

This is the proper answer to EVERYTHING in the world of video. All-in-one methods are for beginners, hacks, lazies and those otherwise without talent or patience. It's easy to tell the creation method when it comes to video. Your best stuff is done one step at a time, and your mediocre crap is barfed through in one pass in one program. To borrow an analogy from Obama, during one of the debates, one method (all-in-one) is like using a single hatchet swing to perform the task, while the other method (per-task) is a couple of careful cuts with a scalpel.

Examples:
-- DVDFab has some useful features, but I don't consider it a replacement for the entire step-by-step method.
-- Same can be said for the excellent ConvertXToDVD software. While decent, and good for many things, it is limited too in a few ways. It mostly depends on how high a quality you want to go! What are you willing to sacrifice (i.e. menu options, design, etc). VSO is also a company that I can respect.

[rcguy1]

I found DVD Fab 5 on "The Pirate Bay" and downloaded it with the key serial number and it works just great. I got this program for free. Isn't it ironic that a program used to rip off programs was ripped off.

[freebird73717]

btw, dvd fab is not the only piece of commercial software that violates the gpl, which is why i whole heartedly supported pirating their software, since it's not theirs in the first place, they just stole it from the open source.

I found DVD Fab 5 on "The Pirate Bay" and downloaded it with the key serial number and it works just great. I got this program for free. Isn't it ironic that a program used to rip off programs was ripped off.

I find it ironic that the mods here on videohelp , which does not tolerate talk of pirating software, have not locked this thread and issued warnings to those who have openly advocated warez.

[mats.hogberg]

Read the rules re: warez.

/Mats