Im trying to set up a home video server.
I understand I will need a lot of disc storage but i can live with that.

The plan is to use DVDLobby from Cinemar to select the movie for playback.

My problem is finding an equivalent program to iTunes for DVDs.

Does such a thing exist?

Any help would be appreciated

Copying DVDs is illegal. Try reading something.

Besides being illegal, it is a federal offense and there is an hefty fine if caught and sometimes jal time.
You might be better off buying a DVD 400 discs progressive scan player, like a Sony mode# DVP-CX985V.

J. Bond

OK, I've heard a lot of people mention that copying DVD's is illegal. It seems like a pretty cliche thing to say. I don't copy DVD's though I do admit to having tried downloading DivX versions of movies from the internet (I don't anymore). I believe in paying fair value to legitimit sources for movies I want.

But my question is: Is simply copying an original DVD that you own, for your own use, illegal?

I know that software that makes piracy easier is illegal. Especially if said software is sold for profit.

I know that distributing a copied video (for profit or not) is also illegal.

But I can't find any actual law that states the act of copying the video is illegal. It only refers to how you copy and what you do with the copy that makes the act illegal.

I'll take opinions from anyone on this from other countries. I'm from Canada.

Copyrights law on video and audio as well allows you to copy 3 minutes of total video & audio to be used on any kind of presentations you wish like (PowerPoint Presentations or video presentations) for education purposes and other presentations as well.

I don't know any websites that specifies this, but I guarentee you what I just said above is the copyrights law which I have recently aknoledged at a seminar on copyrights laws. I am sure you might get this information on google,com or a quick call to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) office will confirm about this issue.

J. Bond

Yes, but as you said, that's for re-broadcasting/printing permissions. Not legetimate personal, home use.

I'm really beginning to think that we've "Urban Legened" ourselves into believing that if we make a copy for legetimate, personal backup that the copywright police are going to bust down our door and seize our DVD players and Computers.

We instantly roll our eyes when someone asks how to back up their DVD assuming they're trying something illegal (distribution, copying rentals, etc) and for the most part, they probably are. I still don't think there's legal precident for someone legitimatly making a backup.

It doesn't really matter what you do with the copy of a movie. Obviously if you know how to copy a DVD movie, you will make a copy for yourself, a copy for your good friend John and another copy for uncle Paul, you see what the problem is.

It is understood that the companies that produce such movies are mostly after getting the big guys that make thousands and thousands of bootleg copies and sell them not only in the USA but overseas as well.

Illegal copies in the USA is a multimillion dollars businness that is damaging the movie industries and the consumer alike big times.

You might ask why it's damaging the consumer? Bacause in many cases the quality bootleg copies are garbage, the video and the audio alike is not reproduced properly, causing very poor video resolution and poor audio quality.

This dilemma will soon be stopped with the advent of HD movie making and broadcasting and one effective system to properly control the illegal copying of an HD video transmitted program or a movie is called HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) and they're also working to protect the copying of DVD movies as well.

J. Bond

This doesn't answer whether it's illegal to do in the first place.


I'm an honest person and just because I know how to copy DVD's, it doesn't necessarily mean that I'm going to turn it into an illegal venture by making copies for all my friends. Sorry, but it's not "obvious" to me. I'm not questioning that redistribution is illegal.

The rest of your post just deals with illegal distribution. I think history has shown that just about anything that can be made can be copied (money, paintings, DVD's, microchips). It won't be long before someone comes up with a method to copy newer DVD's. But it still begs the question: Is the copying illegal, or what you do with the copy?

I challenge anyone to provide proof (cite a legal passage - pick your country) that shows that it is illegal to make a backup copy for personal use. Not rebroadcasting or redistribution.

Challenge accepted.

Put in a movie and read the warning. Copying DVDs is illegal in the USA. Creating, importing, using, owning a device that breaks any sort of copy protection is now illegal. Note in the link below that it is the circumvention of the copy protection that is illegal. (more on this below) And the problem with DVDs is that the copy protection extends to both digital and analog processes, so no copies are legal.

It is called the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998, and it is stupid. It is being fought. Do a search for dmca and you will find plenty of info like this:
[Link: eff.org]

Here is the law, section 1201 in particular:
[Link: www4.law.cornell.edu]


Copying CDs is not illegal. You can make full digital copies of CDs one at a time as long as you don't give/sell them to anyone else. Also, you cannot make a digital copy of that digital backup. For comparison, you are not allowed to even make backups of DVDs. The reason you can copy CDs is because the copy protection allows what I just said. You can make digital copies, but no digital copies of the digital copies. Analog copies fall under the old rules for cassettes and VHS and other analog copies as there is no copy protection for analog processing on CDs.

This message was edited by Spiky on 09/01/04 12:53 ET.

I don't know about Canada, but the DMCA in the USA was enacted due to an international treaty that I would presume Canada is a part of. You can do your own search for your laws that came about as a result of the WIPO treaty.

Check this out:
[Link: copyright.gov]

Come on, James. Surely you jest! So you think HDCP will stop people??

Spiky, I'll acquiesce to your findings. But I found a few things interesting...

It's interesting that the references never mention copies for home or personal use. And they refer to legal copying for archives, but if they're recognized archives, why would they need to "copy" in the first place? The laws deal strictly and specifically with circumventing copy-protection technology. And it goes further to explain that it's for the express purpose of denying the ability to profit from it.

The DMCA defines copying as: "...a technological measure that prevents unauthorized distribution or public performance of a work" again, avoiding using the term "personal backup".

The law effectively makes making copies for home use an illegal venture, but for the wrong reasons. I guess this is why it's a hotly debated topic.

I really think the whole idea of a "personal backup" copy could be put to bed if DVD makers offered free exchanges for damaged disks. That could drive up the cost of DVD's though. I guess your only other options are a mega changer which doesn't protect the original, or something like the Kaleidescape for $27K!

Exactly why people are trying to get it altered or overturned. (do a search for dmcra) It was (is) crappy legislation that is not 'finished'. It leaves too many nasty loopholes for the recording industry to come after us.

I believe the fair use is under Title 17 also, you can look for it if you want. This is where it mentions that an archival copy of copyrighted material for yourself and no profit is ok. But the DMCA gets around that with its "copy protection" protection, basically making the older law a moot point with respect to DVDs specifically.

This message was edited by Spiky on 09/01/04 15:21 ET.

I know this is way off topic, but...
This thread brings the ReplayTV lawsuit about skipping commercials with a digital recorder to mind. Ever see this quote?:

"[Skipping commercials is] theft. Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots . . . Any time you skip a commercial . . . you're actually stealing the programming."
--Jamie Kellner of Turner Broadcasting

Later he said:
"there's a certain amount of tolerance for bathroom breaks."

Wow. Thanks for that one, Jamie. I wish I had been the interviewer, I would've asked if it was ok to blink.

This lawsuit still isn't decided. There was an update early this year I believe, but it's still hanging around.

YOMANK Spiky!

I found this reference to the Top Ten New Copywright Crimes.

Funny stuff! :)