[Resolved] Question about DVDFab HD Decrypter (Free Edition)

[Quamatek]

I tried following the tutorial How to easily convert a Blu-ray to MP4/M4V/MKV using free tools and a few others by selecting "Free Edition (never expire)" but when i selected to copy the files onto HDD by pressing start it gave me the message "trial copy" of the payware version. How do i set it so that it remains a free version? Or does it just give that "trial" message regardless and to ignore it?

[Baldrick]

Are you using dvdfab 9.0?

[Quamatek]

Hi Baldrick. I downloaded DVDFab-Decrypter and the build was "9016_avangate-675". It looked like the newer version from your tutorial so i tried version "8.2.2.5" and even while selecting "Free Edition" i see the expiration dates for "DVD Copy" when i press start. I'm doing something wrong

[Steve(MS)]

Full disc and main movie selectiions in dvd and blu-ray copy remain free to use.
All they do is copy contents to hard drive.
If you want to convert and so on, then the other selections are trialware.

[Quamatek]

Ah ok. I guess i can ignore the trial message and continue using the program. Thanks!

[Hoser Rob]

It's no great loss anyway. The ripper/encrypter part is really good but you can get better encoders for free.

[Quamatek]

Me again. I just wanted to make sure I'm doing it correctly. Here are screenshots I've taken step-by-step so you can see what I did.


1. Version 8.2.2.6 (got DVDfab HD Decrypter at DVDfab site under "free stuff" http://www.dvdfab.com/free.htm)
*It looks like the DVDfab and DVDfab HD Decrypter downloads on VideoHelp point to the same installer?


2. Open program and highlighted HD Decrypter "Free Edition" (Never Expire) and clicked "Start DVDfab".



3. After the movie decrypted I chose the hard drive to rip to, selected "Main Movie", selected "DVD9" and then "Next".



4. The following steps is to confirm my choice. I looked it over then pressed "Start".



5. Immediately after clicking start this message popped up saying that i'm about to try the "DVD Copy" option.



6. I clicked "x" then it automatically started ripping to my hard drive. When the rip finished another message popped up saying that the process complected successfully and that I have "30 days left for your free trial".



I've followed several tutorials to the T and still got the trial messages. Is this normal or did I do something wrong?

[Baldrick]

You can only use the Full Disc option for free.

[Quamatek]

Hi Baldrick, thanks for replying. I tried "Full Disc" right after and it still gave me the trial message. I should have mentioned that in the post.

I did some searching on the internet and came across other people having the same issue but I don't know if they were using the same versions as me. In other posts in VideoHelp members have mentioned that "Full Disc" and "Main Movie" were the two options that were available for free. So I tried both rips. As an example in this tutorial the guy used both Full Disc and Main Movie but did not get the trial message for either: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRCCubhUnK4.

[Baldrick]

I can't test latest dvdfab. Both 8 and 9 crashes here. So it's crapware now. .

[Quamatek]

Ouch. :/

I frequent VideoHelp tools/software downloads and I'm open to try different ripping tools. Are there software you can recommend?

[jman98]

I had an unusual situation a few months ago where I needed to rip in a virtual machine that I almost never use. I installed DVDFab and I too got the same thing when doing a full disc copy that Quamatek reports. It may be that DVDFab no longer lets you do anything permanently for free and people like Steve(MS) are simply posting about how things were in the past, not how they are now. I use AnyDVD and it doesn't have a free version. Maybe the DVDFab folks decided that too many people were using their stuff for free and they decided to put limits on it.

[jman98]

Quamatek - You can try the old DVD Decrypter. It does still work and it's free but it doesn't understand bad sector copy protection that some studios use. It depends on what you need to rip. For example, Paramount and Warner Brothers are studios that in the past have not used bad sector copy protection. Sony and Disney are two studios that use it now, but their older DVDs won't have it.

Sorry - I forgot that you were only looking to rip BluRay discs. Forget what I said. It can't rip BluRay discs. There doesn't appear to be anything free you can use forever any more. Even DVDFab Passkey now costs money.

[Baldrick]

Maybe the DVDFab folks decided that too many people were using their stuff for free and they decided to put limits on it.

Wouldn't they remove the free edition option when you start it then?

[Quamatek]

Hey jman98 and Baldrick. Thank you for taking the time. I have a pretty interesting update..

I had the same hunch as jman98 so i tracked the older versions and used a similar version that Baldrick used in his tutorial (I used version 8.1.3.2). Of all things i ripped the "Main Movie" and "Full Disc" and it did not give me the trial message in either case. Success!

Looking at DVDfab and DVDfab HD Decrypter, both pointing at the same executables (including the official site) suggests that they may have changed their licensing terms. *But the opening screen of the program still has Free Edition as an option. I'm merely speculating of course. Can anyone else please verify this finding?

DVDfab HD Decrypter (does not show "trial" for the Free Edition):
8.1.3.2

[Quamatek]

Sorry - I forgot that you were only looking to rip BluRay discs. Forget what I said. It can't rip BluRay discs. There doesn't appear to be anything free you can use forever any more. Even DVDFab Passkey now costs money.

You were right the first time. I was testing a rip of a DVD i bought years ago. I haven't tried ripping blu-rays.

[jman98]

Maybe the DVDFab folks decided that too many people were using their stuff for free and they decided to put limits on it.

Wouldn't they remove the free edition option when you start it then?

All I can tell you is that if there is a free version still, they've made it very difficult to find it. I wasn't able to find it. Maybe it's just me. Maybe they do that deliberately to try to trick people into getting the paid version. I have no idea.

[Quamatek]

oldapps.com have DVDfab HD Decrypter older versions (although it's listed as DVDfab). The latest version that doesn't seem to have an expiration date for "Free Edition" is: 8.1.3.2

[Kerry56]

If you want another free program for ripping dvds and blu ray, look at MakeMkv. It will rip dvds as mkv files, (which can be reauthored back into dvd-video if necessary), but gives the option of ripping blu ray as mkv or as full blu ray structure files if you use the Backup mode.

There are a couple of other free ripping tools, like BDlot DVD ISO Master (dvds to ISO only), and Blu-Ray Copy
I have tested both, but don't use them regularly, so I don't know how frequently they are updated.

[Quamatek]

I've been reading about MakeMKV and it looked good. I'll try all 3 software. Thanks Kerry56.

[Steve(MS)]

I think I get that same dialog box about trial period is up or whatever it says, I just close the box, it hasn't refused to
copy in either full disc or main movie selections.
But I don't have the most up to date one so I don't know for sure if the newest one is actually trialware or not.

But I do get those small dialog boxes, I just close it out.

I have a feeling fab is enabling that dialog box regardless...
Likely many people would be fooled in thinking they must pay for it just to copy to hard drive.

[Quamatek]

If that's the case they're quite sneaky lol. I'll run it's course and see how it goes.

[Steve(MS)]

The version I am using is 8187...I think that is from about the middle of last year.
I know for sure this one works but the dialog box does come up saying the trial period is up....

[Quamatek]

That's good to know. Thanks for confirming guys