Customer Reviews

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

I bought the "Special Edition" DVD X COPY for Windows XP/2000, and it works fine with XP. I had NO PROBLEMS LOADING it up and using it. This was my first experience with burning DVDs, so I wanted something simple. I just bought Sony's new DVD burner model DRX-500UL and so far it works great.

Here are the GOOD THINGS I've discovered about DVD X COPY:
-EASY TO INSTALL and get started
-Only takes seconds for the program to determine size of DVD movie and if it requires one or two disks to make a copy
-Takes LESS THAN 1 HOUR to make copies(1 disc)
-The QUALITY IS PERFECT....Looks just like the original!
-For movies that would require only 1 disk if the special features were omitted, the PROGRAM WILL PROMPT you if you want to leave them on(requiring 2 disks) or to omit them so the movie can fit onto one disk...very nice!
-Allows you to choose which chapter, to a certain extent, to split the movie at if its going to require 2 disks. It also lets you preview the chapter that disk #2 will start at, so you can actually see what part of the movie disk #2 will begin with.
-The DVD-Rs I record on PLAY PERFECTLY on my Sony DVD player(2 year old).
-They also play on my Toshiba laptop-DVD drive(Also about 2 years old).
-They DID NOT play on an older(3 years) RCA model(with DIVX, remember that fiasco?) that I have. No surprise there.
-So far, the different brands of DVD-R disks I've used play fine. However, I burned a movie onto a DVD-RW disk, but could not play it on my DVD player or laptop. I'm sure this is a disk format compatibility issue with my player, therefore not a problem stemming from DVD X Copy.
-DVD X COPY puts a warning/disclaimer on each disk at start-up when playing the movie stating that it is a copy and is intended for personal use only, blah blah blah. Good or bad(depending on your intentions), this helps in the prevention of anyone thinking they might want to get into the movie-pirating business!

....BUT HERE'S MY BIGGEST BEEF WITH DVD X COPY....
The MAJORITY OF MOVIES REQUIRE 2 DISKS for copying!!!
I sat down one night and tested out about 60 MOVIES from my DVD collection and let DVD X COPY determine how many disks it would take to record each movie(I didn't actually copy them, it only takes a moment for the program to make it's caculations on a movie). To my disappointment, about 37 MOVIES OUT OF 60 REQUIRED 2 DISKS! Out of the other 23 1-disk movies, 8 of those were only able to fit on one disk if I omitted some or all of the special features. That means out of 60 DVDs, ONLY 15 MOVIES with all of their features could fit onto one disk!

I also discovered that the LENGTH OF THE MOVIE is NOT the sole determining factor on whether a movie will fit onto 1 disk or 2.

Consider the following examples.

The following LENGTHY movies will fit onto 1 DISK:
Air Force One.............125 min.
The 5th Element...........126 min.
The Man In The Iron Mask..132 min.
Rob Roy...................139 min.

The following SHORTER movies require 2 DISKS:
Dragonheart...............103 min.
Behind Enemy Lines........105 min.
Grease....................110 min.
Mission Impossible........110 min.

Why is this? I'm not sure, but it's probably got something to do with how much disk space was originally required for the DVD based on the quality and the way it was produced at the factory. I'm sure someone more savvy in this area could explain it.
The above examples are EXCEPTIONS to the rule, most longer movies(approx. 120 minutes) will require 2 disks, whereas shorter ones(80-100 minutes) should fit onto one disk. Thankfully, none of the movies I checked required 3 disks(I don't even know if that's possible with DVD X COPY).

CHEAP DVD-R disks can be found on many internet sites, usually in stacks of 50 or 100. I recently purchased a pack of 100 for about $.... This was cheaper than in local stores, where they ranged anywhere between $...-$.... each. If you can get them cheap, then splitting movies onto 2 disks doesn't seem too bad, although the CONVENIENCE OF 1 DISK CAN'T BE UNDERESTIMATED!

I've read some bad reviews here, but it sounds like some of them were because of COMPATIBILITY ISSUES with computers and whatnot. Read the system requirements CAREFULLY before you buy. There are A LOT OF VARIABLES INVOLVED HERE(type of DVD burner, computer specifications, DVD-R brand used, etc.) If your system is set up right, you should be as pleased as I was with the results.

IN SUMMARY...
DVD X COPY is very easy to use, even for beginners. Very simple and straight-forward, short burn time. I'm very pleased with the quality and playability of the copies I've created. It's only downfall that I can see is that the majority of movies(approx. 2 out of 3) being copied require 2 disks instead of just 1. I certainly hope that sometime in the near future 321 Studios(the DVD X COPY creators) figure out a way to correct this deficiency in an otherwise superior and user-friendly program.

If getting each movie onto 1 disk is of high importance to you, then you might try another program/recording format. For me, the quality and playability (on newer model DVD players) of movies using DVD X COPY outweighs the somewhat annoying inconvenience of 1 movie on 2 disks.

Let's hope they fix this soon in a later version! If so, they'll deserve 5 stars.

Until then, I'll give DVD X COPY 4 OUT OF 5 STARS.

Little functionality. I've learned to make backups of my dvd's using free programs from the internet such as DVD Decrypter and IMGtool. While the program is relatively simple to use, you don't have complete control over everything, like taking out separate audio or video streams in order to fit everything on 1 disc. It seems to me like 321 Studios just didnt try hard enough, and it can be extremely frustrating when the program tells you that you have to make a second dvd disc to include a 5 minute special feature. If you're new to making dvd backups, this is a great choice. But if you want to make a serious backup of your dvd for free, there's better programs out there that wont cost you a penny. (many dvd backup programs and guides are available at digital-digest.com)

I see a lot of people bashing this product and it really surprises me. I've been hanging out at the DVDXCOPY online forum since buying the software and have seen nothing but excellent support from the people using the software and the makers themselves. I've called their tech support on a Saturday to get information about how install keys are used and to my surprise got to talk to a live person. Try that with another software company!

I'm also not sure where the whole "pay-to-upgrade" spiel is coming from either. Since owning DVDXCOPY I have seen 3 version upgrades (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and soon to be released 1.5). I haven't had to pay for any of these. Simply download and reinstall. Done. Plus, if you bought DVDXCOPY early on when it was released chances are you'll get the Platinum version of the product for FREE when it is released. Episodic discs are currently the achilles heal of this software but that is soon to be rememedied (hopefully) in the 1.5 version and in the Platinum.

Now I will admit I have read some horror stories on their forum about guys having problems getting this software to work. As with anything PC based though it is hard to guarantee compatibiltiy with everything that is out there. I would suggest making sure you meet all the requirements before plunking down the cash for this software. But in DVDXCOPY's defense, I have had this software since January and have yet to make one coaster using my Sony DRU500A burner. I am also using DVD-R media bought in bulk. My average cost per disc (Meritline Accu media) is $.79 which in my eyes is a bargain. Granted many movies take 2 discs (there are double sided DVD-R's and I've used them successfully), but I don't think that is a big deal. Small price to pay. Plus, DVDXCOPY is smart enough that it will tell you if you can squeeze a whole movie on one disc by losing the special features, etc. This won't be for everybody as even I like special features, but once I've seen them once I don't usually watch them ever again.

I don't work for 321 Studios but I am a user of their product. I think anytime you get into a new technology such as this you can't expect perfect results. I have been fortunate to have an awesome experience with this product (so much so that my brother is now using it and having no issues). In about 35 minutes (rip to burn) I have a perfect copy of a DVD using 2x DVD-R. This will only get better and better as time goes on and drive speeds go up.

Before purchasing, examine your system then head over to the DVDXCOPY web site.... Hang out on the forum and ask some questions. I think with a little work up front you'll be better prepared and will have a better experience with this product. And once you get going with it you'll be blown away.

This is either an outstanding product, or not an outstanding product, depending upon your usage and technical knowledge and what you expect of it.

This software will lead to mixed results for the novice, but if you know your way around DVDs and how the files are stored, many of the problems people encounter using this software have simple fixes.

This software works largely good on "conventional" movie DVDs (DVD-5 (best!!) or DVD-9 (Ok.) formats) where all you may want to do is watch the movie, but not so great on multiepisode DVDs of TV shows (in DVD-9 format). At least this has been my experience.

Other factors include the DVD burning software and it's default settings which is already installed on your system. For example, ensure you can do UDF 1.02 format DVD disks for maximum compatibility. Type of media has an affect on the archive disks created from the software, as the "cheap" DVD-R disks sometimes suffers compatiblity problems that are avoided on the name brands. On some multiepisode TV show disks, I've encountered problems with the menuing setup on the second disk, which can prevent viewing of some material.

If you are anything like me, you've started noticing that the world of DVD copying is very confusing. There are lots of ways of doing it, and they all seem to have complications and the end product looks inferior to the original.

I love DVD X Copy. I have found no other product that allows folks to make personal backups of their DVD's, backups that include all of the original special features, and have the same digital quality. And as for all the "5 easy step" software packages, it's not easy if it requires 5 steps.

If you can stick in your store bought DVD, press a copy button, and then later put in a blank DVD, you can now copy DVD's. For that reason alone DVD X Copy is worth the price of admission.

Now, unfortunately there is no common standard for DVD's. The 4 versions of blank media available to the general public to write data to are DVD R, DVD RW, DVD R+ and DVD RW+, but they all can store about 4.7 gig. Some DVD players (especially ones that also write DVD's) are very picky about what they play, or what they play well. Many newer DVD players can play all 4 types, and they are definitely the ones to buy. The DVD media that professional DVD manufactures use can hold double the information (over 9 gig), so yes, 1 of your store bought DVD's may turn into 2 DVD's, especially if you elect to copy all of the special features on the DVD. Get over it! And if you are paying $5.00 per blank DVD, you are what is known by normal folks as a sucker. You can pick up spindles of 50 blank DVD-R for $25.00, and DVD R+ for less than $50.00. So the cost of making a copy is no where near as much as buying a new copy. And it will only get cheaper in the future.

Additionally, many DVD buring softwares, like Easy DVD Creator and Roxio, have bugs, and do not work well with Windows XP unless patches are applied. This makes many people think that DVD X Copy is not working. That's certainly what happened to me at first. Then I caught an episode of Screen Savers on Tech TV that talked about these software issues, and they recommended either getting all of the patches and re-installing, or buying Nero 5.5. I bought that software, and I have never had a problem burning any DVD since.

So, I think any complaints you might read about DVD X Copy are going to be as a result of people not understanding the technology, and supporting software packages. I mean, this stuff can be very confusing.

If you have a decent DVD burner, and a good DVD copy software like Nero, you will definitely be copying DVD's in no time, and I am sure you will find no better software to do so. Believe me, I've tried hundreds of dollars worth.

I've used version 1.4 for about a week, and so far it's done all that was promised. I'm using a Dell Dimension (2350 series) with a DVD+rw burner. I've used Fuji DVD+r's to burn 10 movies so far, with no mishaps. I've been able to play them in 6 DVD players, including my X-Box.
My rating is due to the fact that I've only used the product for a short period and the technical support is lacking. Based solely on performance, I would give it a 4. The main drawback is the inability to store copies into one DVD (most movies require 2), but even that is tolerable considering the $ you save. For instance, I rented "Batman Returns" for $ and copied it to one DVD+r , total cost being [not much money](not bad).
The following movies fit in 1 Disk: (Batman/ Batman Return/ Half-Baked/ Booty Call/ Patriot Games/ Star Trek 1st Contact/ Goldeneye/ The Birds/ Under Siege/ Tremors/ Goodfellas/ Ice Age/ Men in Black (w/o features)/ MI2 (w/o features)/ and I Spy (w/o features).

DVDXCopy does exactly what it says. To the reviewer above who complained about the fact 2 blank DVD are usually required to copy 1 DVD - of course! A blank DVD is about 4.7 Gb. The DVD's you own or rent are DUAL Layer (4.7 + 4.7) so of course it's going to require more than one blank DVD. This is NOT the fault of DVDXCopy. There are no DUAL layer blank DVD's available for consumers so now you see why the movies need to be split.
Before you go off on a rant, do your homework.

Did not work at all on my system. After reading DVD to hard drive, program would not continue (Drive is not ready). Using "standard" equipment (Sony DRX-500UL with Compaq Laptop 1.8 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB HD, WinXP).
After a whole weekend of trying everything I could think of I decided to contact the company.
No support from 321 Studios. No answer to my email. Live Technical Support can never be reached.
I'm sure its a great product if it works on your system, if not, don't expect any help from the makers of the program.

Basically, you can make an exact backup of a DVD with DVDXCopy with just a couple clicks of your mouse. The only drawback is if your DVD movie is bigger than 4.38GB, which most of the movies nowadays are, then you will have to split it into 2 DVDR's. This can get both costly and annoying. So if you'd rather do a one-to-one DVD copy, then this is not the software for you. There are however other software(some freeware) out that can recompress the DVD so it will fit on a single DVD recordable. The best thing about them is you can choose the level of compression for different sections of the DVD. So you can essentially do a higher compression on the extra features and such while keeping the compression on the movie itself to a minimal to retain as much quality as possible. You can even remove entire unwanted sections or audio tracks. Some such programs are DVDShrink, Pinnacle Instantcopy, and DVD95Copy, to name a few. But if you don't mind splitting your DVD's into two, then DVDXCopy is definately the software for you.

To the reviewer from Hawaii, I just read an in-depth article in PC Upgrade Magazine about this program. The problem is not with the program, it is the type of DVDs used in the originals.

Notice that the movies that fit onto one disc were older movies. These movies were put on DVD before the newer, double-sided/double density DVDs were being used. Now that they are being used for newer movies, the movie companies are able to put more information and better quality movies onto one disc. However, the DVD-R's that you use to burn a movie are only single sided/single density. That is, they only hold about 4.7 GB of data instead of 9 GB. Therefore, most "newer" movies (within the past two or three years) will require two discs. This is covered in the article on the program, though it is not covered in the program's documentation.