I'm sure this is a great piece of software, but I just can't see myself giving 99 Bucks for it. When You can get Dvd Shrink For Free or DVD2ONE for half the price! Also Backing up my Movies to 2 Dvd+r Disc isn't very cheap for me, compared to 1 disc using DVD2ONE. Just thought I would throw in my 2¢.

---

I wish they'd get off their butt and release platinum before the various court cases are settled. I love their compression on Xpress, but I really like to save the menus, etc.

---

This is a very fine piece of software,and I really think the price is ok for what it does???
backing up your personal dvd movies can not get easier than xpress,, just press the green and gooooooooo
nice :) but I am agree with ookami,,, platinum ==+ will be ,,, a great dealllllll

Labrat: XPRESS is the equivalent to DVD2One, Shrink, etc -- a transcoding tool that shrinks the movie to one disc. You can purchase is separately if you don't need the splitting option that XCopy itself provides. I think XPRESS costs pretty much the same as DVD2One, although XPRESS doesn't support episodic discs (yet) -- but then again, it includes a burner and ripper.

But in any case, its good to have such a huge selection of tools available, everybody can pick which one they prefer to use.

---

I think 321Studios has done an awesome job and having more then one option as dRD has mentioned is good. Keeps "competition" alive. Don't want one program to dominate. Besides, depending on the application (movie), you may want to span the movie over two DVD's. Of course, if you don't want to do this,...don't. That's my bit of info for the day. Must let brain cool down.

---

I have all three programs and must agree ... versatility is the answer. Each one are more than adequate to do the job but I'm sure these guys are not going to be satisfied with what they have right now. As we have seen advances in winzip, winrar, winace etc as compression gets better I can't help but expect the same thing happening in video.

I think you are all nuts even considering spending $99 for this piece of software. I understand it is very good, but it aint hard to back up a movie with DVD Shrink, which also isnt hard on your bank account. Donate a dollar or so to the cause and thats you!

---

get it for free dvdxcopy 1.5.2 with keygen

*removed-by-webmaster*

Xpress 2.0 copies will run on Toshiba. Whatever changed in Ver.2.1 and 2.5, change it back! Why is this so hard? Xpress works great by the way. Need platnium ASAP with the Toshiba correction.

---

Goodbye Chinga. Also I agree with you Oriphus.

---

If the money seems to be an issue ... which it looks like it is then why not stay with the SVCD format, buy yourself an APEX dvd player and be done with it. The dvd format makes a good data storage media ... by the time you invest in 2 dvd blanks I think your defeating your purpose. Just a thought.

lol - Labrat - Chinga was an idiot!!

Bob, i dont mean to sound rude in any way, but are you completely nuts? Buy an APEX DVD player and use SVCD??

Ok, first of SVCD looks like a VHS tape on long play, ie: rubbish.
Secondly, blank DVD's are only 79p each, thats not expensive?
Thirdly: 2 Blank DVD's, aint you heard of compression?
Fourthly, what planet you live on?

Lol

Im a smart ass - i know and you know it

---

Oriphus, I don't think your sounding rude but maybe maybe slightly presumptuous.
First ... if you notice under my handle it says ( newbie ). Not stupid just ignorant of some things.
Second ... best price I've seen on DVD-R blanks are $1.09, so you probably have the inside on that.
Third ... I have svcd copies that equal my DVD copies and my APEX does a great job.
Fourth... Yes, I've used compression but when cdr's are 5 cents a piece or less I feel that's an exceptable challenge.
Fifth ... Most likely we may be on the same planet but maybe not the same continent:)

lol - i like your style bob!!

---

Oriphus: As much as I appreciate free tools, I personally think that Shrink has its own userbase and commercial counterparts have their own -- IMHO, Shrink's quality isn't quite on par with DVD2One or XPRESS, but that's my opinion of course.

And for quality-wise, there are thousands of people who think that even DVD quality simply sucks and they want to preserve the quality as well as possible (thus, copy the DVD to two blanks without compromising the quality -- shrinking down a movie that takes over 7GB is pretty insane, the quality drop is just too big). If you've watched DVDs on really big screen, you can easily see how big pixels are (720 pix width isn't exactly that much if you have TV screen wider than 1.5m).

---

JUST THOUGHT I,D ADD MY CONGRATS TO 321 STUDIOS, DOIN A GREAT JOB WITH DVDXCOPY AND XPRESS. CAN,T WAIT FOR PLATINUM!!! KEEP UP GOOD WORK 321.

Then again, if what you're looking for is quality AND full menus in a 9 to 5 app, nothing even compares with Pinnacle InstantCopy. It takes much longer, but the results are amazing (and you get all the extras).

AMIGO ,,Pinnacle InstantCopy as a ccs issue,,, plus,,, it is hard to get compariable with your dvd/wr unit. If you are going to back up your ps2 games ,, this is the way to go,, but no your movies.
321 studio just get better and better with their programs,,,but I am really agree with the others members about having more tools to back up your dvd,, it is really nice,,,
thanks

To be honest, when i back up a movie, i remove averything except the movie and 6ch ACS or DTS track. That includes menus, extras and sometimes starts and ends. By doing that i can usually get a 7GB down to around 5-5.5GB (sometimes less). Compression at 5-10% isnt noticeable on a 36" Panasonic Tude and is virtually un-noticeable on a Panasonic 42" Plasma. At 15-20% you can notice the difference in quality on the 42" Plasma, but not on the 36" Tube. Above 20% i can notice it on my 20 and 25" normal TV's.

I do appreciate the quality of the picture on the DVD X Copy Gold, but i personally wouldnt spend that sort of money on it.

Why i was saying i thought Bob was nuts (i dont really, just kidding) was that he suggested SVCD over DVD Compression. His reasons were justified by his cost element, however, from a quality perspective, compressed DVD wins hands down.

At the end of the day, as i always point out, DVD Shrink is a free tool and does an outstanding job. If it is more than adequate for the tasks at hand, then there is no reason to purchase DVD X Copy Gold, for me anyway. I also appreciate those with 60" NEC plasma screens, etc.. do wish to have the best quality possible. My advice to them? If you can afford 60" screns and projectors etc.., just buy two copies of every DVD ;-)
No seriously, i understand the need for these programs but my opinion has been voiced.

I read in a magazine that there are people looking into dual lasers, top and bottom, in writers and players, so as to allow us to use DVD-10 discs, but without having to take them out and change them over. Im not sure what stage of development it was in, but it was an interesting idea.

dRD: will you PM with the url for that when you have finished it ;-]

Chris

---

Obviously SVCD is not nor ever will be as good as DVD but on the same hand when you engage in huge amounts of compression you will see it on larger screens as properly noted. I guess it all boils down to " 2 squeeze or not 2 squeeze" ... that is the question. Shrink is my preference but then I only use a 36" tube. Being someone that is a bit of a control freak I can't see the money for DVDXCOPY GOLD either because the I don't see the ability to tweak there at all. All done :) Even an old squirrel finds a nut once in awhile:))

Caution required with the 321 rebate! Examine the last line of the rebate coupon: if you redeem the rebate, you no longer get the satisfaction guarantee from 321 studios. In you don't like the product, you eat it! Hell of a marketing ploy!