# Illegal To Copy/Rip Your Purchased DVD As A Backup on HD or DVD or Any Other Drive



## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

from homemediamagazine, 



> "United States Copyright Office has struck down a proposed exemption to copyright protection for DVDs, an exemption which would have let DVD owners legally rip their content for use on devices without disc drives."





> "The DVD CCA also noted that when consumers buy a physical DVD, they’ve purchased the rights to play that content on a DVD player only."


Guess this clarifies that one can't copy/rip dvd movies that one purchased to your HTPC or any other device as a "backup" since it is illegal to do so.


Any thoughts?


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

They would have a very hard time prosecuting an individual who does this with there own personal movies that they own however I see the reasoning as to why they would state this as there are some that like to bend or stretch the law and for example take these personal copies that in most cases has had the copy protection removed and show them at friends houses or to groups of 12 or more people.
They are not going to knock on yours or my door for having done this but they are making it clear that any form of coping is illegal even for personal use.


----------



## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

Yes. By going to the store and buying a movie, you are just "paying" for the rights to watch that movie. If on the other hand, you went ahead and illegally made a copy of that purchased movie, obviously, that in turn becomes another movie which you have not "paid" for the rights to watch so here it is illegal. Also, just to add, by making that new copy, that person is over-writing the copy protection that is on that dvd so that person is going against the protection already placed on that dvd. 

Moral of the story, just follow the FBI instructions that we all see in the front of the said purchased movies and do not copy said movie!


----------



## JQueen (Jan 11, 2012)

What about streaming the movie online?


----------



## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

JQueen said:


> What about streaming the movie online?


I believe the same would apply. The "spirit" of the law is no copy. So, in this case, you "purchased" said movie online for streaming to be seen any number of times within the confines of the rules for that streaming service.

i.e. you pay 99 cents for 2 days worth of streaming any number of times but after those 2 days, you have to pay again another 99 cents for another 2 days, etc. 

To bypass this you may think of copying that streaming movie but here again, it is illegal since you didn't "purchase" the rights of that new copy.. Just as in the case of the dvd new copy also, you are breaking the copywrite code that is in place to stop copies. 

In addition, this ruling was a result of a previous ruling that said copying was illegal but to clarify for those who argued they were not selling or distributing their own copies. they were just copying for backup purposes so here the court said No.


----------



## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

Some DVDs and Blu-rays come with a link or code to download a digital copy of the movie to play from your PC/tablet/etc. how is this any different from the user making his or her own copy (rip) from the physical disc?


----------



## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

Peter Loeser said:


> Some DVDs and Blu-rays come with a link or code to download a digital copy of the movie to play from your PC/tablet/etc. how is this any different from the user making his or her own copy (rip) from the physical disc?


I am guessing here but I think in this case, you "paid" for those extra services. Meaning, the price including those options.

Which is very different from someone going to some retailer and purchasing that dvd and then making a copy of it for home use as backup or any other reason. That second version or copy was not paid for.


----------



## JQueen (Jan 11, 2012)

YouTube has copied movies that you can stream for free
Seems like there's a grey area when it comes to that stuff


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Peter Loeser said:


> Some DVDs and Blu-rays come with a link or code to download a digital copy of the movie to play from your PC/tablet/etc. how is this any different from the user making his or her own copy (rip) from the physical disc?


It still has copy protection and is not meant to be copied to another form of media.


----------



## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

JQueen said:


> YouTube has copied movies that you can stream for free
> Seems like there's a grey area when it comes to that stuff


Well, I think a lot of that stuff is technically illegal but youtube is not enforcing it or are not able to catch the copies.. lol..

Obviously, the intent of the court ruling is simple.. Just to let people know not to copy something they purchased thinking they "own" that movie now but in reality folks do not own anything except maybe the physical dvd itself but not the content.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Think of it this way guys, 
If you drive above the posted speed limit its breaking the law however we all do it. Going 5 or 6mph over they wont pull you over but its still speeding. The same goes for this copy law just dont push it.


----------



## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

tonyvdb said:


> It still has copy protection and is not meant to be copied to another form of media.


Yes. and this is the whole point of the case. The copy protection is in place and has been held up by the courts and as such no matter the reason (backup or otherwise), by bypassing the copy protection to make a copy, the court is saying it is illegal to do so. 

So, if you are thinking you want a backup of a movie you purchased thinking the dvd may get scratched, etc. rendering it useless later, you have only one option -- buy another dvd of the same move so that one will be your backup! lol 

By making a copy of said movie onto another dvd or by copying it to your home theater hard drive or whatever else is there to hold that movie, it is by definition of the law a copy and as such it is illegal.


----------



## Sevenfeet (Feb 2, 2009)

It may be not be legal by this ruling but I still have a hard time believing that someone who has invested hundreds or thousands on Hollywood content and just wants the convenience of putting them in his own "home cloud" is a real target for the lawyers. As long as it's just for personal use and isn't transferred to anyone else (which is the real problem), the copyright lawyers need to spend time finding real pirates who copy and resell.


----------



## Dotball (Apr 4, 2012)

<quote>
from homemediamagazine,

Quote:
"United States Copyright Office has struck down a proposed exemption to copyright protection for DVDs, an exemption which would have let DVD owners legally rip their content for use on devices without disc drives."
Quote:
"The DVD CCA also noted that when consumers buy a physical DVD, they’ve purchased the rights to play that content on a DVD player only."
Guess this clarifies that one can't copy/rip dvd movies that one purchased to your HTPC or any other device as a "backup" since it is illegal to do so.


Any thoughts?
</quote>

Two things I got from this.
1. "legally rip their content for use on devices without disc drives". My HTPC has a disc drive so however the content gets to the television is within the true wording. Not the intent of the words but the actual words themselves.

2. "play that content on a DVD player only". Does that then mean I can't put that disc in my HTPC which has a DVD drive but not a "DVD player" in the true sense of the word?

And then how does this effect Blu-Ray discs as the wording is very direct in saying DVD.

Not trying to inflame the discussion but law is very much based on the actual wording not the intent of the words.

Cheers,


----------

