Amigo DVD Ripper
Homepage: www.amigodvdripper.com
Price: $34.95

Amigo DVD Ripper falls firmly into the DVD conversion category but sadly let down by a lack of attention to detail. The first and most worrying omission is the lack of an ASPI layer and Windows XP users are subsequently prompted to download this ASPI layer after install. (For the uninitiated, an ASPI layer is a piece of software that enable communication between the application and the drive). Although automatically providing a link to the relevant download, installation is far from straightforward. I would gladly wager most PC users would be unable to work out what steps are needed to install the layer following the included instructions. I'm also surprised by the omission of a DVD to DVD when VCD and SVCD outputs are provided, and particularly when DVD burners are now standard on most home machines.

As is now standard in Windows applications, Amigo uses a wizard interface to get you started. Although aimed at helping the end user work more effectively, Amigo's interface merely serves to confuse - DVDs are made of several "VOB" files containing parts of the video, and Amigo prompts the user to select the output option for each and every one of these files. This proves to be a long, time consuming method and ultimately led me to simply canceling the wizard in frustration. Moreover, there's no encoding options within the wizard interface, which must be selected in the hidden option after running through the wizard.

Encoding was also less than satisfactory, with no codecs coming as standard and an incorrect aspect ratio on conversion. Finally, there's no burning engine included in the software, so once you've muddled through the wizard and somehow managed to encode, you won't even be able to output your video to disc. A very disappointing piece of software.

Clone DVD
Homepage: www.clonedvd.net
Price: $99.95

Clone DVD's sits neatly in the opposite category to Amigo, offering only the ability to copy to DVD writable media. Clone DVD features a well designed user interface which smoothly guides you through the process. By ticking boxes you can select to copy the entire DVD, selected VOBs, or even selected chapters within these VOBs. There's also the option to encode "just" the movie, which is a great feature to maximise quality and ensure you've converted the whole movie!

The interface also graphically illustrates the amount of extra compression required to fit the video onto one disc (providing you choose the correct disc size option!) Although the inclusion of an internal burning engine is a welcome addition, the option to use an external burner engine is present and much needed: despite numerous attempts, every burn created a coaster.

DVD Backup Xpress
link: www.dvdbackupxpress.com
Freeware

In an age of a much increased end user awareness of "spyware", I was suprised to see a whole host of additional software install options on install. Although claiming to be spyware removal tools, this kind of practice has long been abandoned by the majority of software providers. The first screen of DVD backup Express managed the quite unique achievement of being is simplistic yet completely baffling!

There's little automation involved in the creation of a backup and Backup Express doesn't even auto select the DVD files to convert (you have to manually select the VIDOE_TS folder on the DVD disc). Neither does it auto select the main movie, and nor does it recompress the movie to fit on one DVD. It merely makes prompts the user to burn to two DVDs! I was also prompted to run my DVD software player a few times, which I presume was to circumvent the copy protection.Once again, burning failed using the software's own internal burner, but there was an option to use Nero. Although freeware, this application is little more than a simple DVD ripper, which is a role more than adequately filled by DVD Decrypter.

DVD shrink
Homepage: www.dvdshrink.org
Freeware

All software should be made like DVD shrink. A completely free application, this piece of software's streets ahead of even the most expensive DVD backup solutions. There's an extremely well designed interface offering the ability to copy the entire movie, or even completely reauthor a DVD to suit your needs. This re-author facility is again performed using an intuitive drag and drop method which is sure to be easily accomplished by any computer user. You won't have to worry about fitting the video to one DVD either as the wizard automatically takes care of recompression to fit to one disc. It's by far the best DVD copy only application, and includes as working internal burner. This freeware application really puts it's expensive competitors to shame.

Interideo DVDcopy
Homepage: www.dvdshrink.org
Price: $49.95/$79.95

I've seen too many disgruntled Intervideo user posts to expect too much from Intervideo's attempt at DVD copy software. But I was pleasantly surprised. There's no mistaking this is a professional product at the same price point as all the other pay software on offer. With a slick interface, you can completely re-author (choose bits you want), keep the original bitrate/quality (2 DVDs), squeeze to one disc, or auto choose "just the movie". You can even merge two or more DVDs, which is best used to creating divx backups. This hints at the possibility of encoding to MPEG4 (DVDcopy actually ships with Divx5) & WMV), but the unfortunately DVDcopy limits the choice to burning the movies to CD only.

Although the Encoding options are limited, Intervideo hit the right balance between ease of use and choice... but it;s definitely geared towards the novice! You choose quality output for MPEG4 encoding, then DVD copy provides a range of bitrate to chose from using a slider. This is a neat and intuitive idea. I was impressed by this Intervideo product and may have misjudged their editing software if this application is any indication of their quality! You'll also be pleased to know that the internal burner works.

Nero Recode 2 (part of Nero Ultra Edition)
Homepage: www.nero.com
Price: $79.99 (download) or $99.99 (retail) as part of Nero Ultra Edition

With so many DVD applications using Neros burning engine, it shouldn't be a surprise to see Nero muscle into the DVD backup arena. Nero have gone to great lengths to suggest their product is for "personal DVD productions" backup only, but I assure you this piece of software decrypts and copies commercial DVDs.

Nero Recode offers a whole host of options and is quite possibly the most complete DVD backup solution available. After selecting your option from the comprehensive and well explained list, Nero analyses the video and autofits to your selected media for ripping (one or two or three CDs, DVD5 or DVD9). There's even the option to deinterlace and the facility to recommend whether you should de-intelace of not. The software uses Ahead own MPEG4 codec, with whole range of presets and provides the option to burn directly to disc, create an image or save to HDD. There's also the option of real time encoding with 1-pass or 2-pass for the highest quality This package really stands out from the competition and is just part of a whole range of application included with Nero Reloaded.