Comments on: DVD ripping goes legit with RealDVD

Real's RealDVD software lets you rip DVDs to your PC hard drive--legally--and watch them on up to 4 other PCs.

[JoshHendo]

This actually sounds like a really good service. Other methods of ripping DVDs don't offer as good as service, as I do like to have all my metadata with my media, and having the ENTIRE dvd ripped is a plus if you have the disk space available.

The only thing is, I am a Linux user, and I would use this service if it was released for Linux, even with DRM, but I would want it to work on my media center, Elisa, which I don't suspect it would even if it did support Linux. This is the biggest, if not only down side to DRM. I am actually happy for it to be infested with DRM if I can play it, because I own the physical copy of the disk and I know even if something happens, I can always access content I own (even if it is via other methods if needed). I am against DRM on things like downloaded songs and videos, as that is the only copy I have, and I can never get it back, but whilst DVDs are DRMd, if worst comes to the worst, there are methods to view your purchased content.

One thing I would like to say to Real: I would use this if you released it for Linux, as I really like the idea of basically full DVD playback with metadata etc, on my media center, but it would need to work with popular media centers such as Elisa and MythTV. Unfortunately I can't see them doing that...

[Renegade Knight]

Don't know if it exists for linux but you can rip DVD's with copy protection, mount it as a drive and enjoy exactly as normal.

[4score20]

I couldn't bring myself to install a Real product given my experiences with their invasive players over the years. Best wishes to those who do install it though.

[Renegade Knight]

Good point.

[Lerianis]

Invasive players? Come on now: what is so 'invasive' about Real products? I use Rhapsody and used to use RealPlayer 11 before switching back to Windows Media Player after Yahoo Music Jukebox took out it's internet streaming function recently.
There isn't anything 'invasive' about their software, other than it wants to grab all the media file formats it can play and switch them to automatically play in it.... which ALL media programs want to do.

[4score20]

Welcome to the internet, Lerianis, you must be new. Here's some reading to start you off:

http://www.stopbadware.org/home/alerts

[Grazelda2]

If their ripper stores its files in RM proprietary format, then its just another in a long line of dead-end, one-way, waste-of-money applications from Real Networks.

[DavisFreeberg]

There's no way that I would spend money on this. The two deal breakers are the fact that it doesn't compress the DVD and that they add an extra layer of DRM. DVD files are huge and if real is going to make you retain the whole file, then it will quickly fill up a hard drive and will make it more difficult to transfer the files in your own home. No thanks. As far as the extra DRM goes, I'm not sure that I understand why they need to add a 3 computer limitation except to sell more $20 licenses. It's like they've intentionally weakened the product, just so that they can make more money. Again no thanks. I think it's a shame that they're able to make money on something like this while the "underground" programs are branded as stealing. I'm all for the DVD ripping industry going legit, but Real's program only demonstrates why they've become so irrelevant already.

[Lerianis]

You have a few good points. Frankly, it's simply time for the government to step in and say that DVD ripping applications are legal as long as you are ripping your legally bought DVD's or legally made backup copies of DVD's.

[thelemurking]

So I have to buy the program for $40 and then pay them another $20 if I want to watch something I ripped on my PC on my laptop? I'd almost rather just bring the DVDs with me on a trip than to pay Real $60 for something I can do for free with DVD Shrink... plus going the illegal route, I can rip a DVD then convert it to 3g2 for my phone or mp4 for my iPod as well as a high quality rip for my laptop. So going the free and less legal route, I have more options, more portability and am not forced into using another crappy Real app.

It's a nice idea, but not worth the price just to have a fancy display screen with cover art.

[badasscat]

DVD ripping is already legal - the DMCA makes a specific exception for fair use. What's not legal is circumventing copy protections for non-fair use reasons.

[Lerianis]

True. DVD ripping and re-encoding to cut down on the size of the files would fall right under 'fair-use' in the DMCA, contrary to what the big media companies would like you to believe.

[RadioPictures]

This is absolutely and positively wrong. The DMCA makes no such exception.

[umbrae]

Why would you pay all this money for extra DRM when you can get software for free with no restrictions? I bet when this software does go under it locks you our of any copies you made too. Another ripoff from Real: they have been installing spyware forever, so this does not surprise me.

[jmattw]

Lack of mobile device support is the killer for me.

[Renegade Knight]

Nice Idea but artificially crippled. That's not a deal breaker if those limitations don't bother you. Given the problems I've bumped into with authorizations for iTunes and Office, that's a deal breaker. Plus the price is high for a utility. Being forced to watch it on the program instead of the ones that work with my remote would prove to be a pain. Better to rip the DVD to an image (retaining copy protection) and then mount that as a DVD drive and use other software as normal to watch.

[Lerianis]

What problems with authorizations for iTunes and Office? I haven't heard of ONE that wasn't caused by someone forgetting to turn on their computer's network access/wireless access or having some jackass in their own home share their activation keys for Office.

[mmntech]

Fortunately, DVD ripping is still legal in Canada, even circumventing DRM is. At least it will remain so unless Bill C-61 ever gets passed. It's ludicrous to say that someone who copies a DVD for their own personal use is a criminal. As long as you're not distributing it over torrents or selling it, I don't see what the problem is. I guess the goal is to sell you as many versions of the same thing over and over again given all the media devices people have these days. The problem (for the MPAA) is people figured out a way around that.

Personally, I wouldn't use any software from Real. It still locks down my movies and likely uses some stupid proprietary format. I doubt it would let me rip them to DivX or AVC for playback on my PS3 or PSP. Plus, Real also has a rather notorious reputation for doing things that PC enthusiasts would not consider kosher, such as using spyware and adware.

[jtlevin]

It would have to integrate with windows media center for use on extenders which it doesn't sound like it does. Also, RealNetworks has the most spyware ridden software ever. No thanks.

[Lerianis]

What 'spyware'? The only thing it does is send back NON-PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE user statistics. So where is the spyware? I don't see it, and neither did other companies when they were reevaluating Real software.

[alaris3k]

I'd never install software from REAL. They've lost the trust of me and millions with the additional crapware they force onto your computer. Second, can only watch the dvd's on your computer? what a joke.

[dredgerie]

the compatibility with portable devices would have to be an add in for me to use it. I can already burn my movies if I choose, but right now I can watch them on my blackberry or ipod, and this way I can't. Until they add the features, I'll never buy it.

[mjbarak]

This may make it easier for people to rip DVDs, but people who need an "easier" solution probably don't want to watch on a computer anyway. Right now, it's really not difficult to rip a movie, and you can do so getting either the entire DVD or only the portions you want. And, if you want a friendly interface with the cover art, you can use Windows Media Center. And, as said before, this is perfectly legal if you already own the disc.

[edmundh]

I wish I had seen this last week. I just plunked down $70 US for AnyDVD and My Movies so I could do exactly what this program does, only this looks legal. Oh well, chalk it up to the price of trying to be ahead of the curve, even though it's a really slow moving curve.

[The_Decider]

Chalk it up to being gullible. By this or AnyDVD and you still get ripped off.

[Macajuel]

edmundh, you should have gone with DVD Fab Platinum 5 which does easy, fash and reliable burning and ripping in several different formats with support for several devices (ipod, psp, etc) at for around $50.

[Timothy Bandy]

I thought the idea was to build a BETTER mousetrap, not a more complicated, expensive and onerous mousetrap. This is a problem that has already been solved by free software.

Two words: Handbrake (okay, sorry, that was really one word.)

Oh yea, and the studios are starting to include a free copy of their movies on their own DVDs specifically to use on iPods, etc.! No ripping, hardware limitations, software fees or DRM.

Is Real actually in the real world anymore?

[The_Decider]

Pay for this or continue using K3B which is free? Hmm tough one. K3B brings everything on the disk with it, as far as I can tell.

I have the DVD's in storage so it is a slam dunk fair use defense.

[Wolfie2k5]

I'll wager K3B brings everything on the DVD - EXCEPT the DRM crap - onto the hard drive.

[georgescott]

They will be sued anyway. Regardless of how you pander to the Entertainment industry they will fight you until the Entertainment industry can figure out how to go bankrupt.

[dag3mm]

Can you take the copy that the software makes and burn it to a blank DVD.

[andrew.kingham]

I think it highly unlikely, dag3mm. Real aren't really bright enough for that. Plus the MPAA would never let them do it - why allow backup copies when you can make them buy it again if something goes wrong?