...I have a question that is not addressed in the FAQ and it's certainly not indicated in the product "sales brochure". Why is CloneDVD 2 called "CloneDVD 2", when according to your own FAQ CloneDVD does not actually "clone" a DVD?

I've been a CloneCD user for years and it "cloned" audio, application, and game CDs just fine (except for copy-protected ones). It allowed me to make virtually identical backups to use so that I could protect my software investments (aka the retail CDs). Why not DVDs? Don't try to repeat the "line" listed in the FAQ because that's manure! It has nothing to do with the capacity between DVD-5 (aka 4.7GB DVD+/-R) disks and DVD-9/DVD-10 Double Layer DVDs. Especially since there are at least 2 other DVD Mastering products that I know of that have no problems "cloning" a DVD-9 disk to two DVD-5 disks with full menus/extras intact. But it's a option, just like coping the main movie is just an option.

Naturally there are people that do not want all the extra "frills" (or garbage, as some might call it), but why handicap your product for those of us who want exact duplicates and expect such from a product name CLONEDVD? You did it for CDs and you should at least include it as a software option for DVDs. Especially since PC application and game software is now being released on DVD. Otherwise the DVD is not a "clone" or even a complete copy. It's the DVD equivalent of a SVCD!

By the way, neither of the two DVD Mastering products I mentioned require AnyDVD or any other CSS/anti-protection measures to clone copy-protected DVDs. And I'll bet you know the name of at least one of them, since it borders on trademark infringement with you.

Look, I'm not trying to be a punk. I've used and loved CloneCD for years and still use it today. I'm just very disappointed that CloneDVD is less than it claims to be. I recommend adding the stipulation that it does not copy "copy protected" DVDs to the list of features/limitations, since it doesn't without "other intervention". You should also revise it's description since by your own admittion, it does not actually "clone" a DVD disk. Perhaps rename it to "DVD Movie Copy" or such, because apparently that's about all it really does and ONLY if the movie is not "copy-protected". Can you tell me of any movie DVDs outside of "porno" that ISN'T copy-protected?

I hated having to register here just for this single post, considering that I will not be purchasing CloneDVD 2. If it truly becomes a DVD "cloning" product, I'll consider it again...but as it stands, there are better tools on the market that doesn't require additional software tools to do the job! And I already have those!

CloneCD copies DVDs 1:1 just fine. Maybe you need to upgrade to the most recent version.

elby CloneDVD2 does this, and in my opinion extremely flexible and extremely well. Better than anything else I've seen.

Wow, what an interesting post. First off, Tru handled a few of your complaints quite well. To see the reason they separated AnyDVD from CloneDVD and CloneCD, you need only look at DVDXCopy and what happened to them. Anyone who owns CloneDVD and AnyDVD have no complaints at all as it's a very elegant solution. Also, I'm not sure I follow your "problem" with CloneDVD...it can produce a copy of a DVD with no problem when used in combination with AnyDVD. And it doesn't require that you rip it to the hard drive first. The only thing CloneDVD can't do is preserve the original layer break information. So? If you really want that, use CloneCD in combination with AnyDVD and you'll get a flawless backup with original layer break information. Again, I don't really see the point of your post or the issues you appear to have with Slysoft's products. They never said CloneDVD works on protected discs as far as I'm aware. Maybe I'm confused and don't understand what you're trying to get at...

The problem here is your misunderstanding of what a Clone is, a Clone is not an exact duplicate it is a genetically similar copy. There is no need to do an exact duplicate of a DVD what you want is a working copy.

If you want to keep it the same quality as the original DVD then make sure the target DVD has enough space on it to take the copy without compression.

CloneCD also copied DVD's and CloneDVD using the middle button and a dual layer DVD will copy the whole DVD without quality loss.

The trade mark of CloneCD/DVD is simply a name that is used with the intention of giving the end user an understanding of what the product does. it doesn't actually use sperm and an egg to re-create human life.

it doesn't?! I've been swindled!

Two things to keep in mind:
When CloneDVD came out, Elby was still owner of CloneCD. I think.
When CloneDVD came out, there were no Dual Layer discs. So Exact 1:1 copies were not possible anyways.

Now it does make 1:1 copies of video discs (so does CloneCD), provided you have a DL drive. I have always wondered why they limited CloneDVD to video dvds...Why not include simple data dvd copies?

because CloneCD already does this.

I find this sentence confusing. CloneDVD and CloneCD always were and still are owned by Elby. Slysoft is simply a distributor but they do not develop either.

No, SlySoft has bought CloneCD from Elaborate Bytes AG (including Borland C++ Builder and all other tools to build it)
Actually, in the beginning we only wanted to buy CloneCD because of its good reputation and the well established brand name.
But Elaborate Bytes AG offered us a very early version of "AnyDVD" as well, as they couldn't do anything useful with the program because of DMCA, EUCD, ... (or was it still called "CrackDVD" at this time? All I remember is, that it had a really cool desktop icon - a "punk sheep")
It was based on the (now retired) elby DVDRegionKiller.

Wow, interesting. I was not aware that you purchased CloneCD outright like that. I had assumed that Elby was still developing it and you were reselling it. Very nice. Thanks for the info! (Borland...cough cough )