| Many people "burn" copies of their CD's - | | | | In the interest of protecting ... well, their |
| Compact Discs - making copies of music, | | | | interests, Hollywood studios came up with a |
| e-books, data files and just about everything | | | | little encryption system known as CSS or |
| else. But what about DVD's? Do you know how | | | | Content Scrambling System. This encryption |
| to copy a DVD and is it legal? | | | | doesn't have anything to do with free speech |
| | | | issues - it's all about money! The Hollywood |
| Let's look at the legal issues first, and | | | | studios figure that if they put all their |
| then we'll examine how you go about copying a | | | | cash into making the movie, the least you can |
| DVD -- a movie, for example, to a writable | | | | do is pay them a royalty. It's amazing how |
| disc. Many of us are used to copying files to | | | | many people aren't willing to do that, which |
| a CD - using "drag and drop" technology, | | | | is why the software was developed that allows |
| which involves dragging some files across | | | | you to go around the encryption. Otherwise |
| your computer screen and releasing them to | | | | your DVD copies just would not work. |
| the drive where the CD rests. But copying a | | | | |
| DVD involves quite a bit more and there are | | | | Now, of course the Hollywood studios and a |
| legal problems to consider. | | | | very few others have the so-called "keys" to |
| | | | this system - after all, they designed it! |
| Before we even get started on exactly how to | | | | But the rest of the non-paying public has to |
| copy a DVD, you need to become familiar with | | | | depend on those free, independent spirits out |
| two important terms - encryption and | | | | there to come up with a way around that |
| copyright law. LEGAL DISCLAIMER TIME: Now, I | | | | encryption, as indeed they did. |
| am not an attorney and do not play one in | | | | |
| real life so make sure you consult one in | | | | Circumventing this encryption is generally |
| your area of residence before doing anything | | | | known in the biz as "ripping" a DVD (and of |
| on your own with this information. From what | | | | course copying the files to your computer |
| I understand it's perfectly legal to burn a | | | | hard drive) - see, you're already well on |
| copy of a DVD - if it's for your private use | | | | your way to becoming a computer geek - "geek |
| in your own home as a backup copy. For | | | | talk" and all. If you rip the DVD to the hard |
| example - say you have an extensive | | | | drive of your computer, you can tell if the |
| collection of DVD movies, but you are worried | | | | size will fit on a regular DVD. If not, |
| about your DVD's getting scratched from using | | | | you'll need to make one of the choices |
| them so much - so you may want to make copies | | | | available to you - such as compressing the |
| of all these DVD's and keep them in a safe | | | | data, removing or splitting part of it so it |
| place in case some of them get scratched. | | | | takes up less space. |
| That's fine. | | | | |
| | | | When choosing a software package that will |
| But if your DVD is encrypted (as most movies | | | | allow you to rip DVD's you'll need to choose |
| are) - most software that allows you to make | | | | one that fits your needs. By that I mean |
| copies won't get around the encryption. | | | | there are packages out there that will allow |
| (There are multiple sources that offer this | | | | you to do it all - rip, compress, remove or |
| type of software now, but it's up to you to | | | | split data, in addition to utilities that |
| find them.) Bottom line - if it's encrypted, | | | | will let you play with the settings on your |
| you're not supposed to be able to copy it. | | | | DVD and affect the quality of your final |
| Why? Because copyright law says you need to | | | | copy. If you're not a computer geek, you may |
| pay a royalty to the person or studio or | | | | not need all those extra features - the |
| whoever made the DVD - otherwise you're | | | | quality between a typical DVD and one that's |
| guilty of copyright infringement. If you copy | | | | been ripped is usually very slight to the |
| only those videos for your own use, you're | | | | average user. If you plan on going in the |
| probably ok, but start burning them and | | | | geek direction, you may want a higher quality |
| selling them on eBay you'll be in trouble | | | | end product - in other words, if you're |
| with the Hollywood studio system and the | | | | picky, choose a program with more features |
| government in a hurry. | | | | that gives you more control. |
| | | | |