Are There Any LEGAL Ways to Rip DVDs to My iPod?

The title probably says it all. I would like to rip some of my DVDs to my iTunes/iPod in the same way that I rip CDs. Are there any legal software tools out there that would facilitate such a thing? It seems like I ought to be able to do this, since I have legally purchased the media (just like CDs), but I can't find any. Thanks.

No as it's illegal to Rip a DVD

BIG D 04 said:

No as it's illegal to Rip a DVD

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No its not. It is perfectly legal to rip your own DVD's to your computer

http://handbrake.m0k.org/

It is illegal...

http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/24/commentary/ontechnology/dvd_burning/

It's also illegal to circumvent the Copy right Protection on a Disc, which if I'm not mistaken you have to do to enable you to copy it.

BIG D 04 said:

It is illegal...

http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/24/commentary/ontechnology/dvd_burning/

It's also illegal to circumvent the Copy right Protection on a Disc, which if I'm not mistaken you have to do to enable you to copy it.

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Well I'll be. I had been going based on Fair-Use/Betamax logic this whole time and didn't even think that the DMCA had made changes to DVD abilities.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7613_7-5135505-5.html

I was rather surprised especially given the record companies got so much flak for the newest rootkit's and copy protection that they offered exchanges and instructions to bypass the protection in some cases.

Well copyright doesn't currently reflect the uses of a Modern Society and it's well out of date I think UK Copyright Law is 50 years old (Core Element, maybe Some Amendments Added after).

It's simply not reasonable to expect people to buy Movies for every format therefore you are infact Entrapping people to break Copyright Law. That you have the assumption underlaw that it's acceptable for people to ake Backups of Material they have. but then you have the Official Group representing the said Law giving a different message.

And DRM is only causing more confusion and not stopping Copyright Theft, All though I doubt you could be prosecuted for it though, as I don't it could ever be seen in the Public's Interest so a Prosecution would be highly unlikely.

It's also illegal to rip CDs to MP3 players, at least it is here in the UK. I was reading an article on it...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/10/bpi_to_legalise_cd_copying/

last week whereby the BPI are trying to alter the license to allow people to do this.

Currently they are officially not allowed to rip to their iPods or whatever but unoficially noone will prosecute if the user has the original CD.

So does that mean as we can talk about the iTunes Import button, we should be able to chat about how to rip the DVD into iTunes? Or perhaps we should no longer be able to chat about the Import functionality in iTunes as it is clearly illegal

No its not. It is perfectly legal to rip your own DVD's to your computer

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Actually, you're right: If the DVD is without copy protection, you are allowed to rip it.

It's only the ones that have copy protection that you aren't allowed to rip in certain countries.

But the entertainment industry would prefer it if you bought a seperate copy of their film every time you want to watch it on a new device.

One copy of Matrix on DVD, one in hi-def, one in iPod format, one for your mobile phone, one for the future hi-def iPod etc.etc.

Don't like it? Contact your representative.

I don't like it...but I contact my Computer instead and he agrees with me!

There's plenty of ways to circumvent this, also I find it highly unlikely that you wouldn't be able to Appeal under the fact that this isn't in the Public's interest to prosecute you. Therefore do what you want....You decide but you've been told the risks.

Well, interesting debate. Thanks folks, I guess I know the story now. Now where did I put that URL again?

I thought the answers were interesting in that they reference U.S. and U.K. law. So that leaves how many other countries where it might be legal? Hmm. I guess it depends where you're living.

One thing for sure, users want to use what they consider their property in what ever format they prefer at the time of viewing. It would be nice to see the laws keep up to the peoples fair use wishes.