I've read a couple threads dealing with this, so far all I've seen is directions to get SS's burning program to go with AnyDVD. At the moment it's not an option, DVD Cloner is what I have and I can't afford at the moment to buy anything more than the AnyDVD program. I have to try and work with AnyDVD and DVD Cloner 2.6. Does anyone here know how exactly that can be done or if it can be done sucessfully? The Sony ArCoss being the issue.

AnyDVD should work completely in the background - the best thing to do would be to download it at www.slysoft.com - and give the 21 day free trial a go.

I have no experience with DVD Cloner, however, if it doesn't work, you could always download Shrink - it is free, but no longer developed.

If you use the ripper function on AnyDVD (right click on the little fox icon) - it should remove all protection and correct the file structure, so in theory any program should see the resulting files as totally unprotected.

Oh, and I did forget to say, that if you buy both AnyDVD and CloneDVD2 together you do get a discount as well!!

So AnyDVD Doesn't just remove all that stuff while it runs in the background, you have to right click for it to remove all that junk and then I could even use my Nero burning software that came with my new Sony drive? Oh and apparently DVD Cloner really IS DVD Shrink, it's built into it (go figure) something I didn't know when a purchased over a year ago but it always worked well until the Sony ArCoss protection cropped up. I may eventually buy both but right now I simply can't afford to get the Clone DVD2. If I were to buy that down the road, will that integrate with AnyDVD or do those open seperately?

AnyDVD runs transparently in the background, presenting an unprotected, region free DVD to your favorite ripper,shrinker,burning program(s). With AnyDVD running in the background you only need to open CloneDVD2 (when you get it).....

I'm wondering if the same process would work using DVD Cloner then too? Seemed in another thread that this guy said DVD Cloner read it alright but when it went to the actual burn process (where it tells you to insert a blank disc) he had to close out AnyDVD to do the actual burn. Unfortunately he didn't say if the burn was sucessful or not. I've been looking at alot of programs, they're definately more complicated than what I've been using until running into ArCoss problems. I see all the technical jargon fying around in regard to these programs and I scratch my head ALOT. Time for a reeducation I guess, heck I don't even really know how Cloner worked. It shows it save it as a temp directory but other than that, I have no clue. I see al VOB and _TS and ISO, save to harddrive or any number of other options etc...giving me a headache already!

Hehehehe - don't worry about it - AnyDVD will normally work totally okay in the background and do it's thing without you even knowing!! However, it has just recently added FixVTS, which can sort out a lot of problems with the newer movies, you only have to do this occasionally (and I have not had to do it at all, but I also use CloneDVD2) as it sorts out some problems with file structures - you have to do that by using the right click button on the fox icon and selecting Rip Movie to Harddrive - but as I said I have never had to use it yet.

You should really try the 21 day free trial - it is the full working version, and if does work, you just use it for 21 days and then buy it!!

Just a question...is DVD Cloner one of those edge case programs that require AnyDVD to run without safe mode? I'm honestly asking as I've never used DVD Cloner at all. But if it requires safe mode to be turned off, that could be an issue with brand new AnyDVD installs with version 5.9.5.3.

try the built in anydvd ripper as suggested
ie right click icon and rip to harddrive first
this will be the whole movie
when finished you will be able to use dvdshrink on the the ripped movie and nero to burn


IF you can't afford Cloneddvd and above does not work to your stisfaction
then I suggest you get the latest version of VobBlanker
It is free
use it in conjunction with anydvd
leave at all defaults and rip movie to hard drive
when finished you will be able to use dvdshrink on the the ripped movie and nero to burn

Thanks guys! Samuri, I honestly don't know the answer to that question. DVD Cloner is a very simple one click operation. It has it's own pre-sets (no real set-up like you have with these other programs). That in part was why I liked it before and don't NOW. Some movies that have seen alot of use need a slower burning speed, which you can't adjust in DVD Cloner. Shrink is built into it, not integrated and pops up when needed and adjust the compression on it's own. You get to 5 percent and it pops up in the background and does it's thing, you really don't have alot of say in the settings. It wouldn't be so bad if I could JUST use the Shrink in the program but It's contained within the program and not in a seperate file.

I gotta say that doesn't sound like a very useful program. I'd probably have to advocate using DVD Shrink (freeware) over that, tbh. Now I'm a huge CloneDVD fan, so, I would always recommend that, but, I understand not wanting to purchase something else. If you use AnyDVD's rip to hard disk feature, you should have no problems using DVD Shrink on the output. Just burn the output with whatever you have available and you're golden.

@ Lin731,

Quite possibly the problem you are encountering with your DVD Cloner 2 v2.60 software program is that you are using old outdated software. The developers of DVD Cloner 2 released newer updated DVD Cloner lll v3.00 on 20 Nov 05 to handle the newer Commercial DVD Movie Title copy protection schemes.

Suggest visiting the DVD Cloner software developer and requesting assistance from them (http://www.dvd-cloner.com).

Below is their Customer Support Web Page ->

http://www.dvd-cloner.net/support_client/ticket.html

Best Regards,
bjkg

bjkg, trust me I'm familar with their customer support page LOL...Been there TOO many times lately. They did give me a free upgrade to 2.6 version but it is my understanding that the DVD Cloner 3 doesn't deal with Sony ArCoss so why would I spend a further 29.99 to upgrade to something that still doesn't address the problem?

Samuri, how do you rip to your harddrive though? With DVD Cloner it simply inserts it in a temp file, burns it to disc and then when you close the program, it auto deletes that file. Some of the programs I've looked at have you doing through a gagillion steps, creating file folders, sub folders etc...Is that in essense what you are referring to? Sorry to be so dumb-as-a-post here but with a one click software, these are all things I've never had to do before and am uncertain as to how to do them.

A quick run down of what I would do if I were you and wanted to get a decent backup for the least amount of money.

1) With AnyDVD running, insert the DVD
2) Right click on AnyDVD and select Rip VIDEO-DVD to Harddisk...
3) Select a folder on your hard drive to rip to
4) When it's done ripping, open DVD Shrink

(I haven't used it in a LONG time so my memory may not be good here)

5) Open the DVD from the folder you ripped to in step 3
6) Reauthor as needed...remove unwanted features, languages, subs, etc.
7) Run the shrink process
8) If you have Nero installed, you can use it to burn directly from Shrink. Likewise if you have DVD Decrypter installed. Otherwise you output to a separate folder on the hard drive or an ISO image so that you can use whatever dvd burning software you wish to burn the output.
9) Enjoy your backup.

That seems like a lot of steps, especially considering you're used to a 1 click solution, BUT, the difference is you have control over the entire process. And once you do it a couple times, it becomes automatic. Of course, if you have dual layer discs like I've been getting lately, I simply open CloneCD (NOTE: CloneCD not CloneDVD...simply for reasons of Layer Break issues), read it to my external hard drive, stick a dual layer blank in my drive, and write it back out. Flawless backup every time. For shorter movies that will easily fit on a single layer disc, I use CloneDVD and remove trailers, languages, and subs to make room. If the compression comes out to less than 85% I'll skip the dual layer disc and just use a single layer backup with CloneDVD. But, you've said you don't want to purchase new software, so, for you DVD Shrink makes the most sense I think.

yeah my new Sony DVD Write drive supports Dual layer and double layer burning as well. What is layer break (if I might ask)? Thanks so much for the simple instructions by the way! I've waded through so much technical jargon since I started encountering problems that you begin to feel overwhelmed with too much info. I'll say one thing though, given the huge amounts of money companies like Sony have invested into these protections, all they're really doing is making people more educated on how to work around them. You'd think at some point they'd stop wasting their time given that real pirates aren't bothered by any of that to begin with and they're just messing with Joe consumer who actually DID buy the movie and simply wants to keep the original intact. So much for "fair use".

I've heard the same argument before and I completely agree...DRM only screws the honest person and never hurts the pirate. In any case, you're in the right forum to become educated on these issues. The people here are a wealth of knowledge and as long as you're respectful and polite they are more than happy to share that knowledge with you.

As for your question, the layer break is where the disc switches layers during playback. A "dual layer" disc literally has 2 physical layers upon which data is written. I like to keep the original layer break when I back up to dual layer media. There are two easy ways to accomplish that goal and both generally require AnyDVD to break the latest protections. The free way (assuming you already have AnyDVD which you do) is to install DVD Decrypter and simply read and write in ISO mode. DVD Decrypter will preserve the layer break and Reasonsnotrules will appreciate that I'm dedicating time to this approach. The way I do it is with CloneCD doing essentially the same thing...reading the disc and writing it back out. It will also preserve the layer break. There is a third option, as well, but, it's not as widely discussed here. You could theoretically use AnyDVD to copy the disc to your hard drive either by dragging the VIDEO_TS folder to your hard drive or using the aforementioned Rip VIDEO-DVD to harddisk option. Once it's on the hard drive, you can also use CloneDVD's write existing data function which will preserve the layer break as far as I understand. I once saw Tru mention this, anyway, and he's one of the more knowledgable members, so I trust the information is highly accurate.

In any case, if you're trying to keep to freeware, give DVD Shrink a shot. Combined with AnyDVD, you shouldn't have any problems. Many people in this forum swear by that combination. I stick to Slysoft products for the most part, myself, but, that's simply a choice I made long ago. I also use DVD-RB Pro on occasion but I find myself using it less and less as the cost of DL media continues to drop in my area.

why don't you try clonedvd2, as you've already got anydvd and they work great with each other, and i don't think you'll have the same problems as your having just now, why pay for upgrades every few years when slysoft/elby give you them for free (hope they don't read this )

try the trial version, which is fully functional for 21 days and see if your still having problems

It has come to my attention that I was incorrect in my interpretation of what I thought Tru said. Please reference this post:

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.ph...20&postcount=8

Thanks!