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General discussion

Is it legal to make backup copies of my purchased DVDs and Blu-rays?

Jun 1, 2012 8:01AM PDT
Question:

Is it legal to make backup copies of my purchased DVDs and Blu-rays?


I am wondering if there is a way to make backup copies of my media. Back
in the day when I purchased a new album (black acetate records), I
would copy it to reel to reel and put the album away for safe keeping.
I still do the same today and I also make backup copies of all my
CDs. My problem is what can I do to make backup copies of my DVD and
Blu-ray collection. I would hate to see something happen to them and
have to purchase them new again. Is there a way that I can do this?
But first is it legal to do as I get conflicting answers that it is
illegal to back them up even if I purchase them for my use and own
them. What's the difference between this media and my records and CDs
that I have backed up? Please help explain this. Thanks.

--Submitted by Michael

Discussion is locked

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As it has been explained here, you can only copy material t
Jun 9, 2012 11:28AM PDT

As it has been explained here, you can only make copies of material that has not been encrypted. But I guess that if you asked permission from the intellectual owner, in this case big companies, to make copies, I don't really think they would grant it to you. With that said, us as the consumer have failed to demand more solid products, such as more resistant materials because you have a valid reason to want to have a copy of your very expensive dvds. So on our end, we have to accept whatever they throw at us, but they won't accept valid reasons for us to have a copy of our own libraries. Imagine this situation. If your car breaks and you want to replace the engine, you cant. The only way for you to replace that engine is to get an exact copy from the manufacturer. Do you picture the scenario? That's what's been happening with the entertainment industry. They want to sell you a cheaply made product at a very high price, and they make a big profit in the process. Now, if they don't want people to burn movies, why do they sell you a burner? Its like, we don't want you to smoke pot, but here are the seeds.can you see the wrongness in this? I think, we as the masses should have a bigger voice than the few. The masses should be dictating the laws that favor us, not the other way around because we live in a democracy, right? We should have a government by the people and for the people, not corporations or companies. You tell me if I'm wrong, and if I am I accepted humbly.
Thank you.

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Maybe!
Jun 9, 2012 8:10PM PDT

Even if it is illegal to make copies of any media, and you do it and don't share it with anyone but yourself, then who is going to know that you ever made a copy? The software recognize you by your License Key, not the Setup. So as long as you are the only user of that license, who cares? and who would know?! Happy Though distribution in any form would be a crime.

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Fair Use
Jun 9, 2012 10:24PM PDT

Whilst fair use is an accepted practice - copying for your own use and not making a profit, or putting free copies on the market is not a criminal offense in most parts of the world, you can hit problems if you travel through border controls (anywhere). The new legislation makes it legal for all your IT to be checked and if you have any copies that are not legally bought, you can face a hefty fine or jail. Much of the music you have on personal stereo units will be okay because it is almost impossible to show that it was not downloaded without excessive prying; videos might be a little more interesting for the authorities.

One way out of this is the use out of copyright material 0 Old Time Radio shows etc, although extensions to the copyright life will put a damper on this too.

The bottom line though is that unless you do something to attract attention to your collection - like posting a blog about how extensive it is or you try to pass it on to others in a big for profit way, then you will be okay; nobody is likely to stop you in the street or knock on your door to demand to check your IT hardware.

regards

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What about MP3downloads?
Jun 10, 2012 1:22AM PDT

In my earlier posting, I firmly stated that any copying is only for my personnal backup and never, never would I sell a copy.....let them buy their own! But when I buy MP3s on-line, they are already copied on my big PC from which I never replay them. Because I listen to music in my car or sailboat, I have to make a CD on my PC or how else can I play them??????? Some fine day there will be a satellite in the sky from which we can receive music from any location thanks to a chip implanted in our heads! But that ain't happened yet, at least to me!!!!

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Serialized Files
Jun 10, 2012 6:18AM PDT

They should really sell serialized mp4's of all movies as an option. The file would have an embedded serial number and you register your copy with ID at the time of sale. If it ends up on a hard drive on Craigslist it will be you paying the fine or **** the time.

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is it legal?
Jun 10, 2012 1:49PM PDT

Michael, lets put it this way. If it's just going to be a back up, for your own use, and not get sold, then you have nothing to worry about. It is illegal under one law, but now the question is, would you get caught. If you don't sell them, then there is no way for them to catch you. so, I say, go ahead and make backups. Just don't give or sell them.

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What can I do to make backup copies of my DVD and Blu-ray?
Jun 10, 2012 1:59PM PDT

That was his main question. Not just a bun fight about is it legal. There was a 'legal' program years ago called DVD Decryptor and its comapnaion DVD Shrink which backed DVDs. Don't know if there's any software to backup BluRay.

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That's the point, it's illegal and therefore...
Jun 11, 2012 9:05AM PDT

we cannot discuss how to do it because it is against the law. And in these forums it is part of our usage policies that reads:

"Piracy or unlawful activities
This community forum is a place for ideas and constructive participation, and not a place to violate any laws or to discuss illegal activities. This type of activity includes, but is not limited to, advocating or asking for information regarding software piracy or unauthorized emulators of software or hardware, sharing or distributing viruses, licenses, registration information, software keys, "cracks," or other information designed to do harm to or allow unlawful access to any computer hardware, software, networks, or any other systems. Please refrain from posting this kind of message"

Sorry.
-Lee

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we cannot discuss how to do it because ...
Jun 11, 2012 4:22PM PDT

OK sorry Lee. Everyone please don't try those programs I mentioned above. Wink

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If you want it legal....
Jun 12, 2012 8:31AM PDT

simply use the right equipment and keep it updated religiously. Please read my previous posts for clues. Happy

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depends whether you get profit
Jun 10, 2012 7:25PM PDT

It depends whether you get profit from it. It is legal to backup your DVD for safe storage.

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Is it legal to make back up copies...
Jun 10, 2012 8:48PM PDT

Laws and bylaws are made keeping in mind to protect the fundamental rights and interests of common man. The point is here to safeguard the interest of the buyer as well as that of seller.
If we analyze the problem we can safely drive that the buyer is trying to save his future situation that could arise because of damage/ misplacement/unusable CD/DVD-Blue-ray Disc and he is forced to buy a new package if he does not have a copy of the existing CD/DVD/Blue-ray Disc. So to secure his this future position and precisely to say to save some money for the same CD/DVD/Blue-ray Disc, he intends to make copy of these CD/DVD/Blue-ray Disc exclusively for his personal use only. Fundamentally, the law considers it and may/should (from country to country) grant him permission to do so. Now we think about the seller. The seller tries his best to protect his interest that could be jeopardized in future by the buyer by making copies of the same CD\DVD\Blue-ray Disc and trading thereof or freely distributing to family & friends - indirectly denting the seller's profit; so the seller tries his best to enforce the condition to prevent the buyer to do so. In the process he has only one alternative to do so to use the copy-right act against such act or dealings. In a way the law now is helpless. But here we miss the vital point of Law or arbitration - the fundamental rights of the common man which should be considered fairly and the preference should go to buyer but it all depends from country to country. Moreover it should be kept in mind that such CD/DVD/Blue-ray Disc is being sold to buyer and not being given to him on lease basis therefore, ethically it is transfer of title of the CD/DVD/Blue-ray Disc to buyer. However to make the law more strong and fair to safe guard the interest of the seller, seller must be bound by law to provide second copy of the CD/DVD/Blue-ray Disc to buyer free of cost if situation demands so; off course with his conditions and rights he deems fit.

These are my personal views and have NO consequences whatsoever relating to different Laws from country to country.

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Wal-Mart Can do it why can't we?
Jun 11, 2012 12:29AM PDT

This weekend i seen a TV add for Wal-Mart that if you bring in your DVD's they can turn them to digital copies. So I guess if a Corperation can announce that they can convert your DVD's to digital copies then you also can. Just get yourself 3 to 6 gigs of hard drive space and purchase DVDFab and you can copy all your DVD's and Blu-Rays to a Hard drive that can be accessed accross your network and watched on any media player that can access your network. I use my Samsung Blu-Ray player that is connected to my network to watch my over 300 DVD's I have copied to my hard drive. It takes a while to do and space to do it, but it can be done and your main DVD's and Blu-Ray's once copied to your hard drive can be packed away.

Hope this helps.

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Code breaks
Jun 11, 2012 1:14AM PDT

You may be able to copy some commercial DVD'S (rented or purchased movies) depending upon software that you have but typically it is not that easily done. It has long been considered a copyright infringement issue and can/could be construed to be "PIRATING" which is a no no. Many do this anyway, for personal use, not for sale and it generally involves specific software(s) to do the code break(s) and can be quite an involved process.If it is merely copying data that is created by an individual it is a non issue.

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Here how it works
Jun 11, 2012 9:02AM PDT
http://www.pcworld.com/article/253873/walmart_launches_vudu_disctodigital_store_program_heres_how_it_works.html

It's legal because they use Vudu service and technically there is no physical conversion taking place.

Only a few studios are participating in it so there is a chance the DVD or Blu-ray you want to convert is not going to be available.

Hope this clears it up. Use of DVD Fab is circumventing/cracking copyright protection and against the law. However if the commercial DVD doesn't have copyright protection, you can back those up to your hearts content.

Cheers,
-Lee
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here's another way
Jun 11, 2012 4:31AM PDT

Just a thought, if you were to record from analog outputs, even for HD content, you wouldn't be bypassing any encryption, and therefore, would be unencumbered by the DMCA. You'd be free to exercise your legally established fair-use rights for making personal copies (not just for backups either. Long ago, for example, your right to make a cassette of a record you own to play in your car was legally established as being within your fair-use rights). You would sacrifice some quality and it's not the most convenient, but it is an alternative.

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and video games, too
Jun 11, 2012 4:41AM PDT

What about video games on DVD for WII, etc.? They're a lot more expensive than blu-rays and handled constantly by little kids. I have kids whose ages are low enough in the single digits. I shudder to think how often I'll have to replace the disks. Any game-copying software out there (for personal back-up)?

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It depends on how do you use it.
Oct 7, 2012 7:07PM PDT

It is legal if you don't spread your copy file, I mean it is legal if you just use it for personal use.

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rip purchased DVDs and blu-rays
Jul 31, 2013 6:35PM PDT

I think it is OK to do this. For me, I use Aunsoft blu-ray ripepr to rip my blu-ray movies. It is not convenient to watch with blu-ray drive every time and the discs are easily to be scratched.

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If you don't use it for commercial, it's legal.
Jun 9, 2015 3:00AM PDT

If you don't use it for commercial, it's legal.

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Copying is harmful for the greedy filthy rich's insecurities
Dec 4, 2015 11:01PM PST

If we continue like this, soon we'll be paying licensing fees for using our bodies to the companies who will have patented the full human DNA. And of course reproduction on our own free will, will be out of the question as that will result to illegal spread and modification of their licensed DNA code -as the DNA code is very similar to the software code you're licensing today.

The only way to stop this paranoia and dystopian present and future, is to start making independent joints of artists and software creators that will produce and give their art/software for free, with full copy rights and a completely different business model to keep it profitable eg based on low profile sponsorship.

Imagine big fancy movies to be produced and made available like this to the public (easy today as 90% of each of those movies is computer graphics).
Who would you prefer? The greedy ones, who require multiple payments and are doing everything they can to abolish your human rights, or those who respect you as a human being and are so kind to give you their art for free to enjoy? I bet you'd love the later and they would make far more money than the former.

So, do what YOU feel right no matter what they say, and if you become or already are an artist or a software creator, think about it, if you don't want your future or your kids' future to become like the dystopian science-fiction movies you buy!