RealDVD rips DVDs just like you do, only legally (maybe)
By Thomas Ricker 
posted September 8th 2008 5:18AM
posted September 8th 2008 5:18AM
Real thinks that the use of the additional DRM coupled with Kaleidescape's legal victory -- a ruling that seemingly authorizes users to copy DVDs for their own personal use -- will help it escape the wrath of the MPAA. Not that RealNetworks has ever been afraid of a fight as demonstrated by its 2004 scuffle with Apple when it began offering software that allowed iPods to play Real's DRM'd content. Good thing too because we're pretty sure that shutting down the planned start of RealDVD's sales at the end of this month is the number one topic around the bunny-juice dispensers at the MPAA offices this morning.
[Via cnet]
That's quite a nice idea they've come up with there. However, it's pretty flawed:
1. The copy protection will be cracked by Thursday.
2. Everyone in the world hates DRM and will use non-DRM ripping solutions.
3. Every piece of software that Real has ever written has been a horrible, bloated, sticky mass of crud.
For these three reasons, I will not be purchasing.
I agree. I think I used RealPlayer once before deciding that I'd rather ingest my own spleen than use any product created by those hellions again.
I would actually eat my pride and use this service, despite the DRM, if it wasn't made by Real.
Hola, Lacy from Real here.
Note: this software has nothing to do with RealPlayer whatsoever, other than it's from the same company. It's a small file, non-bloating and easy to use.
correction,
it was already broken LAST thursday
It's a start, and that's the most important thing here. The thing is most tech savvy people know how to rip their own DVDs for their personal use, but software like this will make casual computer users aware that they can rip their movies, and will help create public pressure to make the practice legal as it is with CDs.
Why is it illegal anyway? I'm only watching it on my PMP!
I agree, this is a nice start, and its good to see a company not afraid of the MPAA. I have never been a fan of Real and their products, but still this is a step in a positive direction.
"why is this illegal?"
It's fine in the UK. I think it's just America that has suffered.
Hi Shaun...
...But those tech savvy people don't have a way to display thumbnails and other meta data in an nicely laid out interface with all the original extra DVD features included.
Therefor legal or not... this is a first.
It would just be nicer if this program could use some of the newer codec's to make the files a little smaller instead of keeping the original DVD's file size.
If I'm wrong, correct me by giving me the name of some software that can do it.
Yeah, I'm definitely paying for software when I can find a free alternative in less than 5 minutes.
What are you talking about? What other type of software? Name at least one piece of software that can copy your complete DVD library with all the special features and menus, then organize it all with Cover Art, Genre, Actors and lots more meta data.
Then of course.... play it over your network! I don't know of any other software other than the one here. RealDVD !
I just wish the DVD's when copied... used a better codec like Mpeg4 or something.
@Duncan, its called Handbrake, look it up.
Ok, I realized after I made my post that Handbrake does not do absolutely everything you asked, but it will rip the DvD at a very high quality into a format that can be streamed across your network.
True, it will not find DvD artwork, but it will rip the files without any nasty DRM on them, which I think more than makes up for that.
Umm, dude, it doesn't say anything about playing it over your network, unless you mean playing it on another Windows PC.
If it could do the things real people actually want like:
a) rip a DVD, including extras and cover art
b) allow that to be played on an iPod or even a Zune or Archos player
c) allow that to be played on an Apple TV or even an XBox 360 or PS3 or Roku Netflix or ...
Then that would be cool. Since this only allows you to watch DVDs on your PC, its much less useful. Sure you could use this to rip a DVD and keep a copy to play on your netbook (with two copies of the software), and that's a useful function. Might even be worth the money for some people who can't be bothered with looking for DVD Decryptor. But it ain't quite the holy grail.
Hi Fan Foot,
Software doesn't have to support streaming over a network to stream over a network. All you do is Map a shared drive over your network. Then the software thinks it's just a local drive.
Also...
I've found a windows solutions that does everything:
General Equipment:
* File Server - Win XP Pro - PC-A
* Home Theater PC - Win Media Center Edition (WMCE) - PC-B
* A Home Network (obviously)
Process:
1. Install "Movie Collector" on PC-A and start creating your Movie Database
2. Convert and/or shrink your DVD's to ISO's on PC-A using "DVD Shrink" - http://www.dvdshrink.org/
* or you can use DVDFab HD Decrypter
3. Link your ISO's with the corresponding Movie in "Movie Collector" on PC-A - http://www.collectorz.com/movie/faq.php?qid=236
4. Associate Windows Media Player with ISO Files so it can play them on PC-A and PC-B - (Do I have to mount all the ISO's at once?)
5. Link "Movie Collector" Database on PC-A with Windows Media Center (PC-B) - http://www.collectorz.com/movie/windows-media-center-mce.php
6. Use Windows Media Center (PC-B) to view and play all your movies
7. Use "Movie Collector" on PC-A to update your database
Presto! All your movies playing the way they were originally intended to be seen with an easy to use interface that your whole family can use to navigate and search.
But... I don't have the money right now to buy a WMCE Box nor do I want any extra equipment in my living room when I can use my PS3 as a linux box.
So... I'm looking for a similar solution but with a linux box instead of WMCE Box.
No thanks, I have a better idea. It's called DVD Shrink.
Why DVD Shrink?
All that does is make a backup DVD or copy it to your computer? That's not even close to as good as RealDVD's potential.
> "Why DVD Shrink? All that does is make a backup DVD or copy it to your computer? That's not even close to as good as RealDVD's potential."
You can use DVDShrink to rip an ISO to your computer, and mount the ISO and play it. You can control the compression to make the files small too. Oh, and people like DVDShrink because it's great and we've been using it for years!
RealDVD might be awesome... but I don't really trust RealNetworks watching me rip my DVDs and injecting its own DRM into my computer. The reason people illegally rip their own DVDs is to be able to do anything they want with them. Instead, RealNetworks will be watching you...
I had no idea it was illegal to rip a dvd to my harddrive for personal use
As long as you don't share it you can't get in trouble, as they wouldn't know about it in the first place
Now if you copy movies from netflix or something on the other hand...
@Lazarpandar
Sad but true. Because you have to circumvent the copy protection used on DVDs in order to make a copy, even for personal use, you are in contravention of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Laws outside the US may vary and could be even worse.
I haven't touched a product with "Real" branding in years... and I don't plan to ever again either. It's like Michael Jackson choosing a little girl over a little boy.... not going to happen. Yes I went there.
Wow so instead of using DVDfab Decrypter for free I can pay Real to put DRM on my copy and then charge me for watching it on different PCs in my own house WOW, and I'll get pop ups from Real message center for free ? What a deal ! LOL
The funny thing is they want to charge you about the price of a DVD to watch your own movie on your own computer. This is the dream of the MPAA and RIAA- have you pay over and over again for the same content. I haven't paid $20 for a single DVD in a long, long time- and yes, legally. I but DVDs used from Netflix for 5.99, or 9.99 when I just can't wait, or from Costco, or wherever. It's outrageous to think that I'd be paying someone to watch a movie I have a legal right to watch on whatever player I want to.
Besides the obvious reasons of cost and the outright cheek of this solution, the future is streaming media. You have a couple big solutions out there that this probably won't work on- Windows Media Center, Apple TV, and Tivo; now you are back into the realm of the tech-savvy user networking computers together or burning discs or whatever to get the content from one player to another- and still bound to the PC Screen.
If Microsoft got off their duffs and offered a solution like this, they would get alot more interest in their cross platform players- Vista, Media Center, Zune, Windows Mobile, UMPC, whatever.
Once DVD ripping is as easy as CD ripping you will see a viewing revolution. I agree this is a (mis)step, hopefully someone is looking at this and laughing and thinking "I can do a MUCH better job"
Doesn't DVDFab HD Decrypter just Decrypt your DVD or Blu-Ray Discs? If that's the case, cool! But, it would still be nice to have a way to organize all your content and have search tools with meta data.
There are half-baked solutions but not nice one like Real DVD yet.
Just to note- there is no message center.
Tough it's illegal to rip a DVD (didn't know this), Real sells software wich allow people to pay for each DVD copy they make. Quite smart, but I aint Real's bitch.
It's *not* illegal to rip a DVD for personal use. The DMCA makes a specific exception for fair use, and the courts have held that "personal use" is fair use - not for DVD's specifically, but there's no reason why a DVD would be different than, for example, a CD.
Yes it is illegal. The DMCA has not made any exceptions for the encryption on DVD. You however copy the DVD to a media server as long as the encryption stays in tact. I believe it was Sonos that won that court case.
CDs are not a good example as they do not have encryption of any sort.
...Buffering....
does this preserve menus, extras, etc? The first software that can do that has my money.
You realize there's tons of free software that does that, right?
name some. I've tried tons and none do it without the use of a proprietary player. No file structure standard exists to allow the playback of a file/folder based DVD across multiple platforms.
Any DVD ripping program that rips the entire disk to a .VOB rather than compressing it will still retain all it's menus. It sounds like you have been ripping and compressing rather than doing a complete disk backup.
To answer your question, yes. All of the menus and art are saved.
Pure garbage. Real is really reaching on this one, they must be hurting for cash.
1. Real sucks, they always have and most people know this..
2. Real software sucks, buggy, invasive, pure garbage.
3. Wow, whats next Real? Are you going to claim a new invention, the wheel? maybe a lightbulb? This idea has been there, done it and got the t-shirt.
Noone will buy this.
I didn't know people still watched dvd's. As far as I'm concerned, the dvd is dead
Even all the good cheese and milk products from Real?
ooOOOOoooo
lets put MORE DRM on our media. that's a fantastic idea.
oh I'm sorry, is that the REAL from real player?
i hope they go die in a fucking fire
How is this company still around?
They aren't targeting anyone that read Engadget.
Wow, I've been waiting for a program like this forever! I don't know why no one has ever made something like this before...
1. Copies the FULL DVD to my hard drive (with extra features and menus)
2. Organizes all the Movies/Shows with Thumbnail, etc...
3. Play the movies over my network
4. Easy for everyone else in the family to use
My only WISH... is that the file sizes where smaller using some of the newer codecs. I'll wait until they integrate that.
Time to start setting up a media center PC in the living room to connect to my Media Server in my home office.
P.S. If you know of some other software that can do this.... Please mention NAMES.... because I've search the net and can't find anything.
Wait...what?
Did someone at Real come in one day and say "I know! Let's create a service for something everyone already does for free, and charge more than the DVDs themselves cost!"
Brilliant!
once you buy the software.... you only have to pay a license per movie if you are putting the movie on more than 5 computers. Read the review on cnet.
You only have to pay a license fee if you distribute it to more than 5 computers.
Umm excuse me?
How many of you fuckers commenting on this post work for Real anyway?
The problem is that the studios would like to allow this functionality -- but want to be sure the people uploading DVDs own them. An obscure group that controls the DVD license is actually preventing the studios from allowing this "managed copy".
The reason it is illegal otherwise is that studios provide movies in both rental and sell-through form (both from electronic download and from DVD sales). This enables studios to charge less for rental than they would have to charge for a sale. If it was legal to pay for rental and keep a copy for ever (or to borrow from a friend and keep a free copy) then studios would have no way to pay for movies - or would need to eliminate the rental model and assume every transaction is a sale. People DO like to see movies and ARE willing to pay for them - but big picture, unlimited copies would prevent that from happening.
Wait... Let me get this straight... They want us to pay 30 bucks for software which rips a DVD, which BTW can be played on ANY DVD player, and makes a "single" copy that can be ONLY played on ONE machine while at the same time adds an additional layer of DRM.
*Facepalm*
DVD Decrypter. Nuf Said.
Agreed to all the nay-sayers...the limitations outweigh the benfits on this one.
Don't limit stuff I ALREADY own...that's just wrong and so Corporate America.