No media suite is complete without AnyDVD
These suites might promise the world, but there’s one crucial task that they’re plain incapable of: ripping the contents of a commercial DVD. Roxio, Nero, and other software makers must adhere to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which states that it’s illegal to provide technology that circumvents copy protection. But as we all know, there are perfectly legitimate reasons for copying the contents of a disc that has been legally purchased, such as making a backup or converting it for use on a portable player. That’s where SlySoft’s AnyDVD comes in (49 euros, www.slysoft
.com). Produced in and sold from Antigua, West Indies, AnyDVD has but one solitary purpose: to free your disc content of copy protection. Once installed, the app hangs out in your task bar; the moment you drop a disc into your optical drive, AnyDVD scans the contents and removes copy protection when necessary from standard-def content, freeing you to proceed with your activities. An HD DVD- and Blu-ray-enabled add-on costs an additional 30 euros. Check out the free 21-day trial. Purchasing the full version makes you eligible for free upgrades for life!
Testing these two massive apps has us believing that less is more
We hate to give two competing apps the exact same verdict, but Nero 8 Ultra and Easy Media Creator 10 have impressed and appalled us to similar degrees. In the end, we felt they were both merely adequate as complete packages. Yes, it would be nice to have the handful of apps that each package excels at, but all the other add-ons jack up the price and tarnish the shine on the winners. We believe we’d be smarter, savvier, more Maximum PC, if you will, by choosing just the media-creation apps that suit our purposes from the various resources at our disposal. After all, iTunes, Windows, DVD Shrink, AutoGK, and the wonderful world of the web all offer serviceable free alternatives that will augment the basic burning software that comes with retail burners. And if you require more advanced features, you’re likely better off buying a few single-purpose programs than a do-it-all hodgepodge. That’s just our two cents.
Comments are closed on this article
MadMonk
July 23, 2008 at 10:18pm
I was rather disappointed with the article. In particular, the writer conceded that both suites were mediocre at best. From past experience, the Roxio product is a complete waste of money. Roxio has a rather poor reputation among serious amateurs that goes back several versions. Nero, is in my opinion much superior to Roxio, but still falls short.
The writers conclude that they would have been better served by a software set more dedicated to the task, and I agree. The best I have found short of professional commercial grade software is Ulead's Video Studio 11.5. It is not for novices, and has a healthy learning curve, but once you learn how to use it, it will do nearly anything a serious amateur or semi-pro needs. It handles nearly every major format on the input side, and allows you to convert to WMV, MPEG2, H.264, BD, and other formats on output to DVD, web, and portable devices in both 4:3 and 16:9 frame sizes. You can also adjust the compression bit rate allowing you to fit your output precisely on 4.7G and 8.5G media (that's a pro level feature not found in most consumer software). It is worth every penny of the buy price.
As far as the other programs used to rip and copy DVDs, the two most useful I have found are not even mentioned. First is UltraISO. While not free, it is rock solid, versatile, and easy to use. I've found the best way to store DVD content on hard drive is in the ISO format. This program is indispensable to anyone who does a lot of DVD work. The other is the best DVD ripper out there. DVD Decrypter is so good, in fact, that commercial companies forced the author to quit updating it under threat of multiple lawsuits. It is still widely available on the net in its last version with a bit of digging. It can rip 99% of commercial DVDs to either ISO or VOB format, sidestepping every current type of copy protection, letting you burn a new DVD for backup or as a working copy. It does quite a bit more, and there is a lot of information on how to use it to its fullest extent on the web.
How about some reviews of these? I feel that would better serve your users.
Glen2low
April 15, 2008 at 7:02pm
I have used both for creating DVD's and they each have their pluses and minuses. Now I'm at the point of I have a DVD I'm trying to make and Nero will do most of the things I want (I have Nero 7) but it will not let me adjust the size of the title font. I can adjust the size in MyDVD but it is limited to 99 pics for a slide show. Old version of MyDVD, 5 to be exact. So I do my best to work around the limitations. What I'd like to see is a list of all them programs out there and where I can get them. I really don't want to spend money on something I use maybe 2 or 3 times a year!
JohnnyCNote
March 21, 2008 at 6:48pm
This is one of the best sites I've come across, full of reviews, links and a great forum: http://www.videohelp.com/ . You can find just about any free and non-free app there is when it comes to CD's or DVD's, along with download links and users' comments.
They have hardware, software and media reviews, how-to guides - you name it. I've learned just about everything I know, particularly when it comes to DVD's, on this site.
Johnny C-Note says "check 'em out!" . . .
Mike_H
March 24, 2008 at 7:43am
What about labeling of CD/DVDs? There's two camps now PhotoInk/Dye, and LightScribe. Both Nero Burning ROM, and Roxio have these abilities built into their software, BUT I have neve seen any type of competition between the 2 camps. I've seen both disc, and they're amazing (Depending on the Photojet Printer) Both camps can do CD/DVDs as well as Covers for gem cases/DVD cases. I think MaximumPC magazine should do a head to head competition.
Shalbatana
March 19, 2008 at 7:27am
There are many free alternatives out there. One just needs to know where to look.
I typically rely on Nero simply for ease of use and reliability. I do feel they are missing some great opportunities though. They should develop a "capture from LP or cassette" feature... though I hear there's a great stand-alone for that too.
I would also love to see them develop an intensive help system that even gets into setting up components, etc.
I use 6 Ultra, and find it invaluable, but tend not to install the bloat. That's the best way to use these products.
P.S. can someone, someday, come up with a media player that doesn't suck. Nero's is not only limited, it's fugly no matter the skin.
There's no time like the future.
Shalbatana
March 19, 2008 at 7:15am
There are many free alternatives out there. One just needs to know where to look.
I typically rely on Nero simply for ease of use and reliability. I do feel they are missing some great opportunities though. They should develop a "capture from LP or cassette" feature... though I hear there's a great stand-alone for that too.
I would also love to see them develop an intensive help system that even gets into setting up components, etc.
I use 6 Ultra, and find it invaluable, but tend not to install the bloat. That's the best way to use these products.
P.S. can someone, someday, come up with a media player that doesn't suck. Nero's is not only limited, it's fugly no matter the skin.
There's no time like the future.
bellz
March 18, 2008 at 12:52pm
Maxpc said "We believe we’d be smarter, savvier, more Maximum PC, if you will, by choosing just the media-creation apps that suit our purposes from the various resources at our disposal."
...yet endorsed Anydvd, when there's a free alternative called DVD43. http://www.dvd43.com/
I'm not sure why you didn't mention it, but now you know.
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