How can I put copy protection on a dvd?
 

How do I go about putting copy protection on a dvd? Is this something that the higher end NLE's have or is this strictly done at an post production house?

You'll have to send your DVD off to get that protection...
Check out Macrovision RipGuard-MOD: Protecting DVD Content Owners from Consumer Piracy.

Adobe Encore has a built-in lower level protection.

Keep in mind that copy protection schemes on DVDs are relatively superficial. There are a number of ripper products that defeat copy protection.

What's the point of copy protection on a DVD? It won't stop any serious counterfeiting operation (or even slow them down). All it will do is perhaps keep a few folks from giving a copy of your DVD to a friend here and there, and even then, only the ones who don't know how to rip a DVD (which isn't exactly what I would call challenging).

That's exactly what I said in my earlier post in this thread (which seems to have been deleted). It's just not worth it and only deters the casual copier of the DVDs.

Andrew

Fully agreed.

I think a note saying something along the lines of "by purchasing this DVD you will contribute to [fill in the blanks], while making unauthorized copies just makes my life a heck of a lot harder..." is a lot more efficient.

I've already seen DVDs from smaller production houses who sell thousands if not tens of thousands of copies without any copy protection.

It's so easy to break, not worth locking. BluRay was barely emerging two years ago and the copy software was already floating on the internet, for free.

I am adding to what is being said. You can put copy right protection if you want. DVDA have that feature. Copy right is only good prevent copy DVD to DVD but it will not prevent from RIP it. They are a crap loads of programs can do that easy as pie.

And don't be too concerned with putting the standard legal boilerplate on such as the record companies do.

Just put "Copying this DVD is wrong." which I imagine is more effective at communicating the issue than something a lawyer might come up with. Put it back on their conscience.

Andrew

One way is to use a DL printable. Most people try to do a DVD to DVD copy using a standard DVD and it won't work. If someone wants to "rip" the DVD, there is not much you can do.

Actually that's a pretty handy idea there. The expense overhead that has hindered wide-scale adoption of the dual-layer DVD could well be the thing that can save the day for this issue.

Andrew

Other than the most observant computer techie... Nobody expects the master to be on a Dual Layer DVD when the program is under 2 hrs.

Gary: Wouldn't a simple "fit-to-DVD" checkbox in Toast or the comparable over-the-counter copy and disc management software circumvent that or am I missing something?

I am sure it would, but if you can fool just a few of them it would be an improvement. From my experience, most of the people who do this would not even try to to check the box and after the first try would figure it was copyguarded and maybe stop.

sure we dont find running and having special software and ripping a dvd challenging, but the people who are BUYING the dvds have what? standard computers, built in software, and limited skills.
If you can put on the cheeziest copy protection, to stop it from drag and drop instant copy off of any computer sold with an operating system, i think you do reduce the "who Cares" blind copy and passing to another person that you will now not sell one to.
Turn around an look at some of the BS people have gone through to rip-off a copy of somones protected stuff, and you wonder if a job flipping burgers woudnt be easier, then they can just buy a copy.
many people have jobs that would easily pay for the DVDs and they have computers and burners and all that suff paid for by the same jobs. But they arent nessiarily natural born pirates (err brilliant tech geeks), or have spent thier time decoding some protection, or spending hours on web sites to find the right virus filled software to crack this weeks protection scheme. They have a normal life, and with Zero protection, they have a normal computer and a copy done with a few easy steps.

so the first Level of protection would be anything that stops Normal humans that dont live on computers, from putting the DVD in a normal computer, and pushing one button and it working, and all aspects of it working, the menu, the chaptering, everything you did gone in one press of a button on a machine they already own. If they have to "work" for it, they can do thier real job and easily pay for it :-)

oh wait the first level is getting paid for everything you do, so who cares if they copy the DVD :-)