Is it legal to convert rental/library DVDs into a portable format?

[Clams]

I should amend my prior reply...

The DMCA and other ridiculously contradictory laws that leave grey areas cause headaches. I view the situation from a moral one.

What is OK to do with a rental or borrowed disc (SD DVD, BD, HD-DVD):

(1) Watch it in your own DVD player
(2) Watch it on your HTPC with with AnyDVD running in the background

What is not OK to do with a rental or borrowed disc (SD DVD, BD, HD-DVD):

(1) Copy it to your HDD
(2) Copy it to a blank disc to view in a standalone
(3) Copy and convert to another format to view on a portable player.

Therein lies the "moral" vs "legal" problem. While #2 is indeed a moral problem, #1 and #3 = fair use to an honest person. As you know.. I have no remaining copy of anything I watched via #1 and #3.

-W

 

[Clams]

Since you have to break copy protection, to make a copy on a portable device, it is illegal. Just because you think or want it to be "fair use", doesn't change the law! Period!

Thank God this country (USA) was founded by people who understood that financial rape via statute gaming was wrong.

In other words - fair use laws MUST trump copy protection laws.

0W

 

[Webslinger]

In other words - fair use laws MUST trump copy protection laws.

No. They do not.

The DMCA makes it illegal to circumvent copy protection to backup your dvds, and this supersedes your right to make backups in the United States. Your rights take a backseat here. However, it's unlikely anyone would prosecute you and win for making a backup of something you legally own: http://forum.slysoft.com/showpost.php?p=16901&postcount=49


Anyway, this has been discussed previously.

Thread closed. oliceman: