Hello everyone,

Just my thoughts on CloneDVD....

First the pluses....

Easy to use interface.

Fast transcoding engine.

Ability to write directly to media or as an ISO file.

Main movie or full backup selection.

Excellent file size prediction.

Ability to strip unwanted streams, file sets.

Minuses....

Completed file has many artifacts, esp. with fast motion scenes. I have verified this by processing the Matrix NTSC DVD 16X9 as a test sample using the following programs. Pinnacle Instant Copy 7.0.3.140, DVD2One 1.1.3, DVD Shrink 2.3, CloneDVD 1.6.1.1.

Titleset deletion brings up gray screens during playback. Although it is a novel idea, if you were to strip a two hour extra out you would have that gray screen on for the extra's normal run time. An option to return to the menu, or automatically jump back to the menu would be better. Reworking the DVD with IFOEdit may help before processing the files.

Quality comparison test.

The following parameters were used for the backup. No cropping of filesets or deletion of them. Full movie backup. AC3 5.1 sound for main movie. English subtitles only. AC3 2 channel for extras. Final file size to fit one DVD-R. Test files made as ISO or Video_TS folders.

IC=Main movie 52.94% compression extras/menu 45.99%

DVD2One=Full Movie backup set at 4482MB final file size.

DVDShrink 2.3=Menus checked Still Movie, Main movie file Comp. level 7, extras level 10 compression.

CloneDVD=Full movie backup.

Results in order of quality...IC, DVD2One, CloneDVD, DVDShrink, In order to be fair, IC actually recompresses the files, so it may be moot to include it. DVDShrink actually had better playback during the movie but because I had to use still movie to compress the menus it seems CloneDVD had the upper hand to produce a backup with FMV menus.

I believe the main improvement to the program would be a more tweaked or improved transcoding engine. The Titleset deletion could be improved also, maybe with a line like "Selection not available" with a three second delay before returning to the main menu. Possibly an option in the preparation to replace the titleset with one created by CloneDVD to replace the deleted one, to keep the structure intact. If the author could improve on these two, the program would be an excellent backup tool.

As stated in the header this is only my opinion.

To Olli, I believe you have a great program you have developed. As a first time release the potential is there. I look forward to its development as I intend to purchase it as I did CloneCD a few years ago.

Regards to all,
Glocker

Thanks for that.

Slightly off-topic: where/when did you get Instant Copy 7.11.6.1? Where are you reading the version number?

-Pete

Sorry, got the version number mixed up with CloneDVD....Instant Copy version 7.03.140..