Legally copying DVDs to a laptop
So I was hoping to setup a media server for our RV, to allow the kids to stream ripped DVDs to their Android tablets (especially while driving) when I encountered this note:
I researched this some more, and here's the scoop. Yes, ripping a DVD is illegal. But capturing the video output as a VCR or a DVR would is not. The law is such that cracking encryption is the illegal part, but copying the content for personal consumption is not. The catch-22 had been that in order to copy the content you had to crack the encryption. But not if you use video capture software, which is like having a DVR for your computer. They capture the video as it is being played on the screen, and the audio as it comes through your speakers.
(By the way, this is implied in the article Juan referenced. Go have a look.)
I found two pay-for programs that can do this, and if you read their FAQs it's clear they think this is perfectly legal:
https://applian.com/replay-video-capture/
http://wmrecorder.com/
CamStudio is a free program which possibly can do this if you disable hardware acceleration:
http://camstudio.org/faq.htm#Quicktime
It makes enormous files unless you use something like a DivX Codec to compress:
http://camstudio.org/forum/discussion/730/using-divx-codecs-with-camstudio/p1
See also this:
http://camstudio.org/faq.htm#Optimize
I think I'll encode my DVDs into a small format optimized for a tablet screen so that the media server computer is not taxed transcoding the video to a smaller screen. And this takes up less space on the hard drive.
This software can also capture Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. However, these services likely have terms of service that restrict video capturing. I read that Hulu does, and probably the rest as well. You'll want to read the terms for yourself.
As for me, I'll only use this for DVDs and services which do not have any such restrictions, if there are any out there. Probably YouTube and the like.
Be sure use these powers for good and not evil ;-) No piracy, please.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. (IANAL)
P.S. Not sure what media server software I'll use but Plex and VideoLAN look interesting. Other options include plain old SMB/Windows file sharing, FTP, DLPA, or HTTP.
Juan Carlos wrote:
Yup, it's illegal to rip a DVD you own if it's copy-protected, which of course they all are.
I researched this some more, and here's the scoop. Yes, ripping a DVD is illegal. But capturing the video output as a VCR or a DVR would is not. The law is such that cracking encryption is the illegal part, but copying the content for personal consumption is not. The catch-22 had been that in order to copy the content you had to crack the encryption. But not if you use video capture software, which is like having a DVR for your computer. They capture the video as it is being played on the screen, and the audio as it comes through your speakers.
(By the way, this is implied in the article Juan referenced. Go have a look.)
I found two pay-for programs that can do this, and if you read their FAQs it's clear they think this is perfectly legal:
https://applian.com/replay-video-capture/
http://wmrecorder.com/
CamStudio is a free program which possibly can do this if you disable hardware acceleration:
http://camstudio.org/faq.htm#Quicktime
It makes enormous files unless you use something like a DivX Codec to compress:
http://camstudio.org/forum/discussion/730/using-divx-codecs-with-camstudio/p1
See also this:
http://camstudio.org/faq.htm#Optimize
I think I'll encode my DVDs into a small format optimized for a tablet screen so that the media server computer is not taxed transcoding the video to a smaller screen. And this takes up less space on the hard drive.
This software can also capture Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. However, these services likely have terms of service that restrict video capturing. I read that Hulu does, and probably the rest as well. You'll want to read the terms for yourself.
As for me, I'll only use this for DVDs and services which do not have any such restrictions, if there are any out there. Probably YouTube and the like.
Be sure use these powers for good and not evil ;-) No piracy, please.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. (IANAL)
P.S. Not sure what media server software I'll use but Plex and VideoLAN look interesting. Other options include plain old SMB/Windows file sharing, FTP, DLPA, or HTTP.
