Ultimate Backup Tool?

[DVD Maniac]

Question - Will the ultimate Backup tool ever be created?

The advances made this year with the range of commercial and freeware tools has really transformed this whole backup lark. Mucking around with Rempeg and all those other subtitle strippers, authoring tools and audio correctors, overnight processing all seem like distant memories.

Despite this we still do not seem to be getting close to an all in one product which would combine all the features contained in the core products supported in the forum.

Currently I am using the following -

DVD Decrypter (for ripping)
DVD Stripper (for selective stripping or splitting)
Ifoedit (for other stripping or editing tasks)
Recode 2 (for main transcoding)
Menuedit (for menu tidy ups and vob replacements)

If you know what you are doing you can now produce perfect, high visual quality, custom DVD5 backups with these tools but it still requires a fair bit of work depending on the complexity of the original structure and how much you are changing.

I remember that Mackern was talking about getting the big hitters together to produce a combined tool - then DVDStrpper arrived so I can only assume this was not possible.

So now I am wondering if this will ever be done. Dual layer burners look like being around sometime in 2004 and it will be interesting to see how prices for the hardware and blanks stack up. Could mean the death of many of these tools if we can backup directly 1:1 on a DVD9 - just need to cut out the annoying copyright meesages etc. I think 2004 is going to see as many changes as 2003 for us all....

[fusion007]

the perfect backup tool.....are already here the new dual layer writable discs! now all i have to do is save up for one.

[mbbransc]

This is the first I've heard of dual layer burners, but it does make a strong case for making everything else obcelete. I imagine most of the people here like the power to manipulate the DVDs exactly how they want them, so custom software will still be needed.

I have to say though... I got my DVD burner over two years ago and started trying to learn all this stuff, and I thought it was IMPOSSIBLE!!! Trying to get ahold of and learn DVD Maestro was a full time job in its self!! I never did reach a point where I was able to use it. Finally I decided I was better off just buying replacement DVDs as opposed to spending weeks trying to back them up. Plus, DVD-Rs were about $5 each back then!! Mess two up and you have already spent the replacement cost!!

A few weeks ago my friend bought DVDX Copy (against my advice because I remember some of this software previously). I was AMAZED at the progress made in the past two years. Most of the software is so much more user friendly. So here I am trying to learn all of this stuff again - with MUCH more success this time.

So after all of that rambling, I can see a one-stop-shop ez software in the near future. JMO

[valnar]

Depending on the initial price of the dual-layer blanks, it may not be any cheaper than to buy a second copy of every movie!

-Robert

[rpboy]

Originally posted by valnar
Depending on the initial price of the dual-layer blanks, it may not be any cheaper than to buy a second copy of every movie!
I doubt they will be that expensive. I imagine the price will be in line with the prices that DVD-R and DVD+R were released at and then fall as more dual-layer burners are introduced.

I don't think any company realized the demand for recordable DVDs. Now getting all those people to switch to a new burner to do dual-layer discs will take some doing. My guess is prices will be fairly reasonable fairly quickly.

[MackemX]

Originally posted by DVD Maniac

#1. DVD Decrypter (for ripping)
#2. DVD Stripper (for selective stripping or splitting)
#3. Ifoedit (for other stripping or editing tasks)
#4. Recode 2 (for main transcoding)
#5. Menuedit (for menu tidy ups and vob replacements)


yep, I did ask but sadly nothing came of it :(

#2 is around now, #5 will hopefully come real soon and #1,#3 are in development. I'm hoping to put them all into one simple package which sadly won't be free :( but it will be very very very cheap :)

as for #4, I'll leave that to the user to decide as we all have our own preferences for the actual transcoder used, no matter what the features

please don't take this as spamming etc, or class me as 'commercial', it's just I'm trying my hardest to make things easier for me and a few others who want it but sadly I can't do all this for free like some of the great guys can :)

any input is welcomed as to what people would specifically like so just PM me. I've been playing with VC++ and I find it quite interesting as I've learn't a few basic things and if any knowlegable programmers want to help then please feel free to say so

[dragongodz]

answer - no. the simple truth is that no matter what features etc a tool has someone will always want something else added or the process changed/expanded/simplified etc etc ad-infanitum.

that does not mean extremely good programs will not be created as they are already being done today. it just means there will never be an "ultimate" IMHO.

[oddwunn]

#1. DVD Decrypter (for ripping)
#2. DVD Stripper (for selective stripping or splitting)
#3. Ifoedit (for other stripping or editing tasks)
#4. Recode 2 (for main transcoding)
#5. Menuedit (for menu tidy ups and vob replacements)

#1. SmartRipper can be substituted, but either program is *free*, so take your choice.
#2. and #3. Both can be accomplished by using IfoEdit exclusively, and IfoEdit is once again *free*.
#4. DVDShrink is arguably as good as any other transcoder, and wouldn't you know it, it's *free*.
#5. Never needed to use it. I just use IfoEdit, a *free* tool.

The ultimate backup tool does not exist, but you can get pretty close right now using several *free* tools. Nyplayer's AutoShrink comes pretty close to a true "one click" solution, but it doesn't yet have all of the versatility needed, and you gotta love it, as it's *free*.

I'm showing a definite pattern here - I like *free* things! :D

[MackemX]

@oddwunn, yep, you do have a point about 'free' stuff but there are a few things you simply can't do with Ifoedit even though it's my number 1 backup tool of choice :)

as for being 'free', I value my 'free' time very much and if it costs $1 or $100, as long as it saves me time which I value more than the cost then it's 'free' in my eyes ;). I wouldn't wish to calculate the price of lost 'free' leisure time in hours spent raking through the IFO's trying to strip & rebuild this, that and the other and produce a valid DVD :). It would be somewhere in the $1,000's

the total cost of my current backup tools are $20 (hopefully less soon) but it gives me the best options than any one tool (free or commercial) can offer for my requirements. It's saved me plenty of hours so it's now 'free' in my eyes ;)

HAPPY NEW YEAR :D

[oddwunn]

Oops, sorry, MackemX. I didn't realize that DVDStripper was "your baby" - a thousand apologies.

[MackemX]

Originally posted by oddwunn
Oops, sorry, MackemX. I didn't realize that DVDStripper was "your baby" - a thousand apologies. lol, no apologies needed, I'm just getting lazy in my old age and need looking after ;)

Hope you had a good New Year, I did :D :D :D :D