I could not possibly disagree more.
1. dvdfab doesn't help me when I want to play original discs on my system from other regions
2. dvdfab doesn't offer subtitle transparency on the fly when I want to watch dvd movies
3. dvdfab does not decrypt on the fly, allowing me to use almost any other program I want--faster for almost
all releases (with the exception of some of the newer Sony/Lionsgate releases; and for that Anydvd ripper
since 6.1.4.2 now provides full disc backups with Shrink )
dvdfab also doesn't do the following:
# Prevents automatic launching of 'PC-friendly' software on video DVDs
# Allows adjustment of your monitor refresh rate for both NTSC and PAL monitors
# Allows execution of external programs on disc insertion and removal
# Allows speed control of your DVD drives
# Works transparently for the operating system: DVDs can be shared over the network and copied with the command prompt or with Windows Explorer, etc"
Here's something else dvdfab doesn't do: http://www.cdr-zone.com/news/anydvd_tackles_sony_drm_rootkit_virus.html
Anydvd
6.1.3.2 2007 03 15 (you'll note that's in March; dvdfab provided an official solution in May)
- New (DVD): Added support new versions for the "Protect DVD-Video" copy
protection to the option to remove "Protection based on unreadable Sectors"
Examples: "Wer früher stirbt..." and "Perfume", both R2, German
- Note: With the help of AnyDVD, discs protected with "Protect DVD-Video"
can now be played on Windows MCE 2005, with Windows Media player or
Zoom Player. WITHOUT ANYDVD RUNNING, THESE DISCS CANNOT BE PLAYED!
Shame on the makers of this really bad protection.
They don't do their customers a favour, if they cannot watch the
original disc!
We really hope that they get these discs slapped in their faces by
their (ex)customers."
*cough*
http://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?t=3986
"6.1.4.2 2007 05 03
- New (DVD): AnyDVD ripper rewritten from scratch. It is no
longer based on FixVTS code but on the powerful copy engine of
CloneDVD2, licensed from Elaborate Bytes AG. If you want more
control (stream selection, main movie only selection, ...) we
recommend elby CloneDVD2 available at http://www.slysoft.com
- New (DVD): AnyDVD ripper can now handle heavily protected discs
- New (DVD): AnyDVD ripper output is now fully compatible with
DVD Shrink and Nero Recode
- New (DVD): Protection removal of AnyDVD core is more compatible
with DVD Shrink and Nero Recode. Some heavily protected discs
like "Perfume" (R2, German) can now directly be opened with Shrink
without prior ripping to harddisk.
- New (DVD): Added support for new copy protections to the option to
remove "Protection based on unreadable Sectors"
- New (Blu-ray): Improved detection / removal of region code
Multi region (e.g. Region A+C) discs are now handled correctly
in "automatic" region removal mode
- Change: Workaround for registration problem on Windows Vista
- Change: Removed AnyDVD ripper shortcut
- Fix: Title 10 of "Perfume", R2, German was damaged
- Some minor fixes and improvements
- Updated languages"
That means Anydvd ripper works for full disc backups of all current Sony/Lionsgate releases with Shrink.
Anydvd is a superior solution for Shrink and Recode users because they do not require, with the exception of the newer Sony/Lionsgate releases, Anydvd to rip first. Dvdfab, in all cases, does need to rip first if it wants to provide compatibility with Shrink or Recode. dvdfab's real competition to Anydvd (namely css+regionfree and dvdidle) hasn't been updated since Oct. 2006, and development on those programs appear, for the moment, to be "paused":
visit http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.php?p=1766255&postcount=79
Consequently those programs (css+regionfree/dvdidle) can not handle, at this time, the newer Sony nor the newer protect-dvd releases from Germany.
While dvdfab platinum does provide its own transcoding and burning solution, I sincerely doubt any well-informed Shrink or Recode fan would switch to dvdfab platinum just for that reason.
Regardless, for Shrink and Recode users, Anydvd, since the advent of Anydvd 6.1.4.2, is the better solution.
You're welcome.
Dvdfab is, I'm sure, a very nice program, but as it is not a driver (nor decrypts on the fly) comparing dvdfab to anydvd is fairly pointless; they both do different things. For what I want, Anydvd provides greater flexibility.
A lot of people like and use dvdfab; I'm not discrediting them. But anydvd does what I want better.
agree 100% as i use recode whenevder i can,but i have 3 new burners(PHILIPS SPD2413P GP02 2007/03/01- liteon 20x & hp 940i) that anydvd will not work with- no matter which program(dvdshrink - clonedvd or recode) dvd's still show up encrypted with anydvd- but dvdfab works perfectly with these 3 drives- have an hp 1040i on the way, i hope their's not a conflict between this drive and anydvd