DVD XCopy Xpress Ripper Free

Rating:
Summary: Half-shot
Review: Before I start, please be aware that this program is the BASIC version of DVD X Copy and comes FREE with many burners, such as the ones from Lite-On. I saw this listed in the used section for over $50 - that is just ridiculous.

Also, be aware that 321 Studios, the maker of this product, is tied up in court and there is a good chance the software might be deemed illegal, whether you agree with this type of legislation or not. This means that support may be non-existent in the near future (not that their support is any good right now). And finally, remember that it is only legal to copy your own DVDs and only as backups.

Now to the product itself. It is supposed to be able to copy DVDs flawlessly. Well, that is not the case.

When you first open the product, it will ask you if the DVD you intend on duplicating is rented or borrowed. Click yes, and it will exit. Click no, and you can continue. See, copying your material is legal. Breaking copy-protection schemes is not, which is what the software does. This is an attempt to remove liability from 321 Studios since they are asking YOU if it is legal or not. Other companies actually have you go online and download the copy-protection-breaking software, also in an attempt to remove liability since YOU went online and got it.

In any case, once it opens, it is straight-forward. Insert DVD, press start, take out DVD, insert blank DVD, press continue. Most DVDs will copy, others will not. It helps to have a computer with recent hardware and software because it does tax your processor and hard drive. Also, I recommend you defragment your drive before/after each use, especially if you have a small drive or older hardware. By older I mean pre-2003. You cannot adjust any options when copying DVDs. For that, you need the Platinum edition of DVD X Copy.

For those DVDs that it does copy, you end up with a duplicate DVD that is VHS quality (a brand new VHS). That quality is actually fine. The reason is that movie DVDs contain 8.5GB worth of data while most blank DVDs can only hold 4.7GB of data. That means A LOT of compression. Also, you only get the movie with your copy - no features, no menus.

Now, as to what blank DVDs to get, first make sure they are compatible with your burner. +R DVDs tend to play on more set-top DVD players than -R DVDs. If you have a DVD-RAM burner, then you will only be able to play your duplicates on your computer because there are no set-top DVD-RAM players.

Finally, Dual-Layer DVD burners are coming out. This means you can burn 8.5GB DVDs, meaning you can make full backups with no need to remove features/menus and no need for compression. I do not know if DVD X Copy can burn 8.5GB DVDs, but you will need a new Dual-Layer burner. Don't confuse this with Dual-Format. Dual-Format means it burns +R and -R DVDs. Dual-Layer means it burns on 2 layers for a total of 8.5GB of data, just like your movie DVDs.