The Daily Teaser — 11-3-2015

You know, sometimes, things are handy.

I’ve had a copy of RipIt — an app that let’s me back-up my DVDs, without the copy protection — for some time.

And only really ever used it to copy a DVD that HandBrake found otherwise difficult to access.

I realised — last night — that I might ALSO burn those copied contents of a DVD to a blank DVD.

I tried it, last night.

It worked.

Not that — as a result — I’m going to pirate DVDs and then sell them to my neighbours, obviously.

But it DOES mean I’ve a method of backing things up.

Always handy.

~≈Ï≈~

DVD Back-ups

You know, I’ve not written much about the technology I’ve got.

Much as I’d LOVE to be working for MacWorld … ?   Frankly, I don’t the technology know-how.

But … ?

I DO know that I write well: and that, when I feel I have something to write about, I try to: as clearly and as distinctly, as possibly.

This post is — hopefully — going to be one of those occasions.

It’s about … 

Backing up … 

~≈†≈~

Blu-ray Discs: Ripping Movies and Avoiding a Bag Of Hurt.

18th January, 2015.

I’ve occasionally written pieces, here, about DVDs.

DVDs, movies, TV series, all sorts of media.

Occasionally?

Occasionally, I’ve written about how to use a programme called HandBrake to rip DVDs.

In other words, to re-code the contents of a DVD — whether those contents are TV shows or movies — into a form that can be played on a computer, iPod or other media player, or tablet.

Partly as back-up.

Partly because I feel if I’ve bought a copy of a film, it’s my copy of the film: and I should be able to watch that film on whatever device I own.

Whatever that device happens to be.

~≈®≈~

In The Mouth Of Madness: That’s An Experience … !

In The Mouth Of Madness

5th January, 2015.

Hmmm … 

That’s … frustrating … 

I’ve been watching a movie, tonight: and patient letting my computer back up to an internal hard drive.

Which — for some reason — is now, suddenly full!

Oh, at least, not backing up, as Time Machine suddenly need more space than it used to, under Snow Leopard.

Money being what it is … ?

I can’t actually afford the £60 to buy a new internal drive of the size my machines telling me it needs.

It’s FRUSTRATING!

Especially when you consider I HAD the money … 

And had to spend it on the extra drive — and the associated carrier — in the first place … !

Effectively, if you’ve got £60 you can spare … ?   I’d LOVE to hear from you … !

That’s if moving my iPhoto library doesn’t work*!

~≈Â≈~

Copyright, and Back-ups.

You know, you wouldn’t believe the amount of discussion a simple mention of something can cause.

Or possibly you would …

But I mentioned, the other day, that I have a new exterior drive.

Mostly to store backed up video files on.

And I’ve had a few people quietly mention that iffy legality of the practise.

Hmmmm …

Let me try and briefly summarise here, for you.

I’ve quite a few TV series and films on DVD.

And I keep back-up copies — mostly done with HandBrake, MacTheRipper or Fairmount — in case any of them get damaged: I should also add that none of them leave my exterior drive, for love nor money.

But from what I’ve been told, or able to find out … ?

That — with-in the UK — is illegal.

As is — as I and many others have sone — using iTunes to copy music from my CD collection to my iPod.

Although I believe there’s a set of government guidelines that allow for this.

However, those regulations don’t cover DVDs.

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Now here’s where I’m possibly going to be contentious.

The law that states this is bloody stupid!

As I see it, I’ve paid you, the artist, some of my hard earned cash for a film, song or album you’ve made.

I believe that I, as the owner of that copy, have the moral — if not legal — right to watch or listen to that copy when I want, and how I want.

And more to the point, where I want.

I like to watch Dr Who when I’m writing the Teasers, for example: I find it a lot easier to do this with QuickTime, rather than on the TV.

I can also see myself upgrading to a video capable iPod, at some point: I’d like to watch them on that, and don’t see why I should pay double — by buying the episodes from the iTunes Store — for the privilege, when I’ve already bought the DVD versions.

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Now, if you’re in the States, things are slightly easier: you can copy DVDs for personal use, so long as those don’t come from copy-protected DVDs.

Which sounds just as arse-about-tit, from where I’m sitting, given the amount of copy-protected DVDs there are, out there. Spain, as a counter example, allows you to back up any DVD you own, regardless of whether it’s copy-protected. Or even a legal copy.

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So I’m hoping that those creatives out there won’t be annoyed — too much — if I put their work on my external drive, so I can watch it at my leisure.

The way I see it … ?

I’ve paid the piper.

I get to call the tunes …