[Resolved] "Confused" Transformers2 Canada

[Webslinger]

1. Since the OP was scammed - he wasn't really using DVDShrink at all. It remains unclear if the real DVDShrink has any serious issue with this title.

I don't believe it does on the entire disc, provided you do enough passes. But who wants to compress the entire disc anyway? Certainly there's no issue with removing unwanted stuff--and then compressing.

By the way, I really dislike this scam crap that occurs all over the place now with software. There's a really lame program that uses the name "Any DVD" now--just to suck in sales from people that don't know the legit, good product is one word. So many scammers out there . . .

Similarly, my parents are in the market for an HDTV. My mother was complaining that some of them hurt her eyes. Well, a lot of these departments stores and electronic stores have the displays they want to sell showing with contrast and brightness ramped up like crazy to catch the customer's attention. Samsung LCD HDTVs (which are decent once they are calibrated properly) come with a demo or "sale" mode that has the contrast, brightness, and everything all screwed up to basically catch the consumer's eye. The average person knowing nothing about buying HDTVs doesn't know any better. And it's not as though some salesman is going to let you hookup a player with a calibration disc and start calibrating the television set properly either. If I had to watch a poorly calibrated t.v. for awhile, my eyes would probably start bugging me too. Scam, scam, scam . . .

 

[DrinkLyeAndDie]

1. Since the OP was scammed - he wasn't really using DVDShrink at all. It remains unclear if the real DVDShrink has any serious issue with this title. I didn't see the board "light up" - so I suspect nothing of consequence.

2. Other than having to give verbal support for a huge myriad of programs (including Shrink) that succeed only because AnyDVD does the magic it does, I don't see where Slysoft has ever gone out of its way to "resolve issues" for DVDShrink. Quite the contrary, every time a DVDShrink user has any sort of issue - it's immediately exploited as a marketing oppertunity to try to sell him a copy of CloneDVD2. Both the DVD Standard and (the real) DVDShrink are set in stone, never to change. So as long as AnyDVD can produce DVDStandard outout - the world will remain round and happy.

-W

My purpose in responding with this post isn't to argue or debate. I'm really not annoyed or upset with what you said but I do feel that a rebuttal is necessary. My reply is for the benefit of others reading the thread.

Frankly, I really couldn't care less about DVD Shrink. I'm just being honest. I have zero need for it and believe most people should move on to better options such as encoders. Nonetheless, I wanted to rule out an issue with AnyDVD so I took interest in the issue.

There does appear to be an issue with DVD Shrink in that Charlie stated that you need to remove some content before compressing. If I am wrong in that it will compress the whole disc without removing anything then I hope Charlie corrects me but that is not the way it appears to me. This is, in fact, an inherent flaw in DVD Shrink whereby it has a limitation/bug as to how much data can be compressed to fit on DVD-5 backup. This isn't AnyDVD's fault.

I offered multiple solutions: use the real DVD Shrink while following Charlie's instructions or check out CloneDVD which is, hands down, the best ripping software for use with AnyDVD. That's not a debatable issue. It's simply a fact. I don't even care to discuss transcoding quality because it's irrelevant to what I have stated in this thread.

You may feel that a problem with a specific movie or movies and DVD Shrink is/are exploited as a marketing campaign but, frankly, I disagree with you. Suggestions, alternatives, options are given because they make sense. CloneDVD is the best and most compatible ripper for use with AnyDVD. If and when a problem exists with usage of CloneDVD and AnyDVD then it will be fixed and usually the fix is extremely quickly. That can't be said for all programs and, in the case of DVD Shrink, there will never be a fix for a problem that DVD Shrink has because it's abandonware. Lastly, this is the Slysoft forums and they do also resell CloneDVD so it really goes without saying that people will make the suggestion. People can use the trial version of CloneDVD and if they like it they can purchase it and if they don't then they certainly aren't forced to buy it. Any other forum in a similar situation would also suggest a similar option.

In summation, I'm glad we pinned down the problem, I'm sorry the user was scammed because that is really unfortunate, I'm glad to see this isn't an AnyDVD issue, and in my book this is yet another nail in the coffin for DVD Shrink.

 

[Clams]

I'm glad to see this isn't an AnyDVD issue, and in my book this is yet another nail in the coffin for DVD Shrink.

No debate needed:
I remember back when the same (too big) thing happened to CloneDVD vs The Dark Knight. The original policy was to tell people how to deselect and work around the problem. The original policy also included a position that CloneDVD would not address the issue becuse it was such an anomaly to begin with. Granted, CloneDVD eventually adressed the issue, but it was never a "nail in the coffin" for CloneDVD back then. The original position was that it was "a fluke - so forget about it".

Speaking of "strange marketing" practices vs scams: Why does CloneDVD charge a huge premium for "lifetime updates"?

Since the DVD standard is cast in stone, and since AnyDVD handles all the work of dealing with the ever changing encryption, it seems to me that any updates to CloneDVD would strictly be to fix something that's broken. And it seems to me, that it's a rare enough occurence to be able to fix what's broken for free, if it really is broken.

Mind you, I'm not suggesting that CloneDVD ever provide a free upGRADE for anyone. But unless it does actually upgrade something (like the transcoder) I'm not sure why the marketing people want to charge so much for rare, minor, fixes that shouldn't even be broken to begin with?

I mean, we all know why AnyDVD has to update... but that's not the same model as why CloneDVD updates at all.

(Nero even gives away "Nero Recode" as a free "Craplet" on copies of Nero that come bundled with a DVD burner. I personally see CloneDVD more as a similar "craplet", that outta be bundled with AnyDVD. But since we all know that's never gonna happen - at least someone could speak to the huge fees to maybe, if needed, get minor fixes.

-W

 

[Webslinger]

No debate needed:
The original policy was to tell people how to deselect and work around the problem.

Yes

The original policy also included a position that CloneDVD would not address the issue becuse it was such an anomaly to begin with.

I don't recall an official response from Elaborate Bytes anywhere.

Speaking of "strange marketing" practices vs scams: Why does CloneDVD charge a huge premium for "lifetime updates"?

"Huge" is subjective, and protections have been shown to attack Clonedvd--just as they also attack Anydvd. Clonedvd is cheaper to maintain than Anydvd; Clonedvd is cheaper than Anydvd. And a new function was added to Clonedvd in the latest beta. And it costs money to provide support for software no matter what.

Since Shrink is abandonware, it will never be updated to include anything.

Whereas you find Clonedvd to be "crap", I find DvdShrink to be completely useless. Clonedvd is faster at accomplishing what I need, and I find it far more intuitive with respect to quickly removing content I don't want prior to ripping. The only time I run Shrink is to try to help someone.

 

[Clams]

I don't recall an official response from Elaborate Bytes anywhere.

When the initial whines happened in the CloneDVD forum.
James basicly said that it was "a fluke - so don't hang by your hair waiting for a fix" (that's me paraphrasing it)

To move on... isn't HC encoder free? Why can't CloneDVD license it on the cheap?

It would be great to get the super easy interface - and a transcoder that doesn't suck all in one package.

-W

 

[Webslinger]

When the initial whines happened in the CloneDVD forum.
James basicly said that it was "a fluke - so don't hang by your hair waiting for a fix" (that's me paraphrasing it)

Well, we know James is a Slysoft developer. I don't think he necessarily represents Elaborate Bytes.

To move on... isn't HC encoder free?

Yes . . . Well, more accurately, I think it falls under GPL licensing.

Why can't CloneDVD license it on the cheap?

Good question

It would be great to get the super easy interface - and a transcoder that doesn't suck all in one package.

You're talking to the converted. I've had long conversations about this that you're not privy to . . .
The bottom line is I doubt any Slysoft employee nor any Elaborate Bytes employee doesn't know that I want to use an encoder when I compress.

 

[klopf]

Burned

You feel burned, because you were indeed burned.

DVDShrink is not able to defend itself anymore. This results in scammers (of many kinds) using it for thier own agendas.

I've used the real DVDShrink for years with total success. I guess here that makes me a "fan".

-W

Well, what can I say. Downloaded DVDShrink3.2 as per Clams, and did as per Charlie; with ANYDVD Riper (6.6.0.5 beta). Imgburn burned it but doesn't play on playback (dirty disc). Nero Burning ROM could not burn it - too many errors. However, I downloaded James's ANYDVD 6.6.0.6 beta, ripped the movie again then imported it with SDVDShrink3.2 (removing AC3 5.1 Spanish) and it was successful burning to the single layer media.:rock: This was all not in vain... good job guys, I mean everyone on this post:clap::clap:

 

[klopf]

Resolved

My purpose in responding with this post isn't to argue or debate. I'm really not annoyed or upset with what you said but I do feel that a rebuttal is necessary. My reply is for the benefit of others reading the thread.

Frankly, I really couldn't care less about DVD Shrink. I'm just being honest. I have zero need for it and believe most people should move on to better options such as encoders. Nonetheless, I wanted to rule out an issue with AnyDVD so I took interest in the issue.

There does appear to be an issue with DVD Shrink in that Charlie stated that you need to remove some content before compressing. If I am wrong in that it will compress the whole disc without removing anything then I hope Charlie corrects me but that is not the way it appears to me. This is, in fact, an inherent flaw in DVD Shrink whereby it has a limitation/bug as to how much data can be compressed to fit on DVD-5 backup. This isn't AnyDVD's fault.

I offered multiple solutions: use the real DVD Shrink while following Charlie's instructions or check out CloneDVD which is, hands down, the best ripping software for use with AnyDVD. That's not a debatable issue. It's simply a fact. I don't even care to discuss transcoding quality because it's irrelevant to what I have stated in this thread.

You may feel that a problem with a specific movie or movies and DVD Shrink is/are exploited as a marketing campaign but, frankly, I disagree with you. Suggestions, alternatives, options are given because they make sense. CloneDVD is the best and most compatible ripper for use with AnyDVD. If and when a problem exists with usage of CloneDVD and AnyDVD then it will be fixed and usually the fix is extremely quickly. That can't be said for all programs and, in the case of DVD Shrink, there will never be a fix for a problem that DVD Shrink has because it's abandonware. Lastly, this is the Slysoft forums and they do also resell CloneDVD so it really goes without saying that people will make the suggestion. People can use the trial version of CloneDVD and if they like it they can purchase it and if they don't then they certainly aren't forced to buy it. Any other forum in a similar situation would also suggest a similar option.

In summation, I'm glad we pinned down the problem, I'm sorry the user was scammed because that is really unfortunate, I'm glad to see this isn't an AnyDVD issue, and in my book this is yet another nail in the coffin for DVD Shrink.

I think we can call this one now resolved! :clap::agree::clap::rock:

 

[Charlie]

You are correct DlAd. I am in the same position as you over the whole DVD Shrink. I just took the time to see the issue fix it so I can help out the folks here. That program was aweful dusty before use this time.

 

[Clams]

Heh..... I was gonna snag it today to run my own tests.
Thanks to a brain fart, I wound up with Term Salvation and didn't catch it till I got home.
I feel like such a douche...

-W