Unlike other DVD backup software that has succumbed to movie industry pressures, RealNetworks’ RealDVD gives you a new way to copy DVDs to your computer caked with so much DRM that you’ll question why you went through the trouble in the first place. (But maybe that’s the point.) Fully approved by the DVD CCA, RealDVD rips DVDs to your hard drive complete with CSS encryption…before they’re layered with an extra topping for RealNetworks’ DRM.For $50, or $30 for a limited time, RealDVD allows you to rip standard DVDs in perfect quality to your hard drive (no Blu-ray), complete with bonus features, menus and such. The process takes anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes and requires 4-8GB of space. The catch is that these video files can only play in Real’s player and cannot be converted for use by your other devices, like iPods or phones. RealNetworks’ solution is that you can buy four additional licenses for $20 apiece to view your content on other PCs. And it’s not a very good one. Then again, it’s important to note that this is the DVD copying solution that the industry has allowed. And even with the strict limitations in place, it’s surprising that you don’t need to have the actual DVD in the drive to play the ripped files. [RealDVD]
Tech News
RealNetworks RealDVD: Legal DVD Backup, No Real Point
By
Mark Wilson
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