Getting the DVD's onto the Laptop.

[Lewisscott22]

As you all know, a good majority of us will be going on our first ship soon. One of the many things I have been advised to do is to get ALL of my films onto my laptop/HDD.

So, my question is how do you do it? I have all the DVD's and I have my laptop - HDD is on the way.

What program do you use to make a digital copy of the DVD that can be watched at any time (I say any time because some only last 30 or so days) in high quality? I tried VLC, but it takes 12 hours and I know some can do it in 3 hours.

I do not mind paying a little bit for decent software.

Thanks in advance.

[size4riggerboots]

In light of the recent/ongoing ho-ha about copyright and piracy I think it best if we do not publicly condone illegal copying of films. There *may* be software out there on the internet that will help you with this but I wouldn't know where to find it.

[stronglead]

What about putting your DVD collection onto your computer is that allowed, and would that be a direct rip from the DVD itself and a drag and drop kind of idea?

[size4riggerboots]

When you watch a dvd you get that screen that pops up, generally at the beginning, saying any copying etc of the dvd is illegal.

[Steve]

When you watch a dvd you get that screen that pops up, generally at the beginning, saying any copying etc of the dvd is illegal.

Doesn't mean it's true. Depends on your jurisdiction. In many parts of the European Union it would be entirely legal to use ripping software to make a copy of a work that you already own a hard copy of. The real issue with piracy is not producing copies for your own use of something that you already own a copy of, but the illegal distribution of copyrighted works which is something entirely different.

I bet you haven't ripped any CDs to your iPod!

[Steve]

Keeping a copy for personal use is legal

Got a good source for that WRT UK law?

I use Magic DVD Ripper it takes 3-4 hours for a standard DVD

Only about an hour on mine. Evidently depends on PC performance.

[MarkW]

Right.......Turns out i was wrong, sort of, i read an American website.
In the UK it is illegal to copy protected works by circumventing copy protection, but not to posses such copies (Digital Economy Act 2010, Etc,)
But as far as i can tell nobody has ever been prosecuted for doing so purely for personal, reasonable use. Distribution is whole different thing.

In Most of the EU, but not the UK it is legal to copy protected works but not to distribute software to do so.

In the USA it is legal to copy protected works by circumvention of copy protection but not to distribute software to do so. (Digital Millennium Copyright Act)

[GuinnessMan]

Considering we are getting a lot of interest from Careers at Sea, MNTB and Chamber of Shipping, perhaps it not be wise to advertise how to go about ripping DVD's and what not?

[MarkW]

perhaps it not be wise to advertise how to go about ripping DVD's and what not?

Yeah your probably right so I have deleted my post with the link to some software on it.

[tlloyd1983]

Just an FYI, you can buy digital copies on iTunes, and you can then play them anywhere, anytime, legally. As has been said, there are *other* ways, but you'd be better off doing a google search for a forum which specialises in such things.