GParent
20th April 2005, 07:42
I am just verifying some really basic facts as I prepare for a debate with a friend who believes that backing up a DVD is going to generate a compromised copy.
ARE THESE FACTS TRUE ABOUT DVD VIDEO?
(1) All Video DVDs contain files that have error checking codes (like files on hard drives), and computer programs like Nero, DVDDecrypter, et al, can check for the errors when reading. The Sony ARRCOS, and similar schemes, bend these general rules. But its up to programs like DVD Decrypter to create clean error free facsimiles of the DVD being decrypted.
(2) Stand-alone DVD players generally lack the capability of checking for errors in Video DVD files and basically ignore them. Otherwise, the Sony ARRCOS scheme would not be effective on these stand-alone players, because it assumes the player will not react to errors on the discs, even if it could detect them.
SUMMARY:
My friend is claiming that Video DVDs backed up onto DVD-R or DVD+R is not as good as commercial DVDs, and therefore will sporadically fail when played on a stand-alone player which lacks the ability to check for errors. Especially, when you factor in the longevity of writeable DVDs and their scratch resistance.
My contention is that even commercial DVDs share these same problems. Also, not all stand-alone players are the same. I feel that its important to choose a good one that can play a wide range of writeable DVDs.
Lastly, it would be nice to have the option to have an LED light on the stand-alone player that would give a confirmation of errors, if they do happen. Sony ARRCOS (or similar) commercial DVDs would generate these errors, but they should not occur on most commercial DVDs, and all backed up DVDs.
ARE THESE FACTS TRUE ABOUT DVD VIDEO?
(1) All Video DVDs contain files that have error checking codes (like files on hard drives), and computer programs like Nero, DVDDecrypter, et al, can check for the errors when reading. The Sony ARRCOS, and similar schemes, bend these general rules. But its up to programs like DVD Decrypter to create clean error free facsimiles of the DVD being decrypted.
(2) Stand-alone DVD players generally lack the capability of checking for errors in Video DVD files and basically ignore them. Otherwise, the Sony ARRCOS scheme would not be effective on these stand-alone players, because it assumes the player will not react to errors on the discs, even if it could detect them.
SUMMARY:
My friend is claiming that Video DVDs backed up onto DVD-R or DVD+R is not as good as commercial DVDs, and therefore will sporadically fail when played on a stand-alone player which lacks the ability to check for errors. Especially, when you factor in the longevity of writeable DVDs and their scratch resistance.
My contention is that even commercial DVDs share these same problems. Also, not all stand-alone players are the same. I feel that its important to choose a good one that can play a wide range of writeable DVDs.
Lastly, it would be nice to have the option to have an LED light on the stand-alone player that would give a confirmation of errors, if they do happen. Sony ARRCOS (or similar) commercial DVDs would generate these errors, but they should not occur on most commercial DVDs, and all backed up DVDs.