Image quality will vary depending on what option
you decide to use when backing up the DVD. When you strip
out the extras, and stick with just one language and no subtitles,
the quality is pretty much an exact replica of the original
(there will still be some compression if the movie takes a
lot of storage space). When you copy the entire disc, including
the extras, the image quality can take quite a nosedive, especially
if it's a DVD9 disc. The quality drop is not that apparent
on a low resolution TV, but pipe it out to a HDTV or computer
screen and the pixelation can be very obvious.
On the otherhand, some movies don't use more
than 4GB of data. Star Trek: Nemesis for example was nearly
flawless.
I'll have to admit that I was quite impressed
with the quality, and it is more than suitable for backup
purposes.
Final
Words
Backing up DVDs is a touchy subject. The obvious
reason for Hollywood's outrage is piracy. A lot of money
is lost for every pirate copy of a movie when it is exchanged,
and naturally, this is bad for actors, directors, producers
and even consumers in the long run.
However, there are legitimate reasons why
one would want backups. In a household of children (or negligent
family members), the last thing you want is for anyone to
scratch your Director's Edition of Nitro Commandos of Mars.
You can make a backup of it, and let that one get abused,
while your original stays safe.
DVD X Copy Express does its part of respecting
Copyright laws, and DVDs created by the software still maintains
some form of Content Scrambling System. The warning before
each backed up DVD is as clear as day, making the viewer
well aware that the copy is a backup, and not the original.
The backed up content is still encrypted as well, and although
experienced DVD backup users can circumvent it, a backed
up DVD still has the same copy protection as the original.
As for the application itself, it is extremely
easy to use, churning out DVD backups in under 20 minutes
(speed will vary according to hardware and media used).
The interface is easy to understand, and depending on how
you make a backup, image quality can be a very close (if
not perfect) match to the original.
For those of you who are familiar with DVD
backups, and use the many freeware tools, as well as not
really being concerned with the legal issues, then this
program is not for you. DVD X Copy Express doesn't make
backup copies "right" if you intend on distributing
movies, or simply padding your movie collection, so if you
fall into the latter categories, freeware is the way to
go.
Those of you who are genuinely interested
in making backups of what you own, and want the easiest
method of doing so, this program is worth a look. The average
price seems to be between 25$
to 50$ USD so the monetary investment is not
huge. Is it worth it in the savings of your time? I think
so.
Pros:
Works as advertised, easy to use, and a real time saver.
Cons:
Same things can be done with freeware tools.
Bottom
Line: For those of you with little to no experience
backing up DVD movies, DVD X Copy Express is the easiest
tool that I've used for this purpose. Everything is wizard
based, and there aren't too many adjustments to make by
the user to begin DVD backups.
