Disk Shrink

Disk Shrink is an easy to use free program that will copy a DVD onto your hard drive. (Download it here; info on how to use it is here.) Once the DVD has been copied to your hard drive, you can then burn (i.e., write) it to a blank DVD. Disk Shrink was designed, so they say, to allow you to back-up the DVDs you own, but I'm here to tell you that you can also use it on rented DVDs. Of course, copying rented DVDs would be wrong. I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing myself. But in the interest of science and in the pursuit of truth, I ran a test and it certainly looks like it works. Maybe I'll run tests on the next 30 or 40 or 200 movies I rent. You know, just to make sure.

The only "backup" I've made thus far plays perfectly in the DVD player that's attached to our TV. It doesn't work at all on the computer. I'll investigate and report.

". . . plays perfectly": The trailers and the movie itself look fine to me. However, there is a gap between each piece. So, with the disk I tested, I got:

• an intro screen
• a blank screen for about 20 seconds,
• trailer 1,
• a blank screen for about 20 seconds,
• trailer 2,
• a blank screen for about 20 seconds,
• title screen with menu
• movie

". . . you can then burn (i.e., write) it to a blank DVD . . . ": I paid real American money for a DVD burner a year ago. It's a good one: easy to use and burns both CDs and DVDs. However, I'm sure free DVD burners are also available. You might look here. Alternatively, this one looks like it might be pretty good. But hey, the one I use is only $25. What are you saving it for? Go buy Cheetah.

Update: Stop the presses. Don't buy Cheetah. Get it free! (You do have a blog, don't you?)