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Mac guy buys a PC and needs help. Go figger.


EffBee

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OK, I wanted something extremely portable, that I could watch movies on, that I could use to check e-mails, and from which I could check this board. So, with prices dropping to $299 at Wally World, I bought an Acer Aspire One. I also bought an external DVD rewriter, since the little bugger doesn't come with an internal one. As for the OS, the Acer comes with XP Home.

 

One of the more PC literate guys at work helped me do the initial set-up, including installing MS Office and AVAST, so now I have some protection and can work spreadsheets on it if I have to. But when it came to downloading from my DVD library, it would play the flick just fine from the external optical, but I couldn't get them loaded onto the Acer's hard drive (120Gig). I tried copy/paste. NG. Then, with the DVD in the optical drive, I'm going to My Computer, right clicking on DVD drive, and then clicking Explore. Whew! Lotsa files. So, what's next? Is this the way to go or do I need to do something else? Remember, I'm a PC NOOB so write s-l-o-w and don't skip ANYTHING.

 

Thanks in advance and yes, it's OK to laugh.

 

 

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Look up a tool called Handbrake. Works on all common desktop operating systems. Ripping a DVD requires more than just file copying. DVD manufacturers also do things to try to break ripping software (with a significant degree of success) so some disks require fairly extreme measures to rip, passing through several software apps. Handbrake should function for the majority of disks, though.

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This doesn't answer your question, but since you mentioned the AA1, be aware that it's being phased out (which is why the prices have suddenly gotten so good).

 

The best online offer in the US is probably the 16GB SSD Linux AA1 sold for only $239.99 by Newegg, with free shipping. Since Linux is fairly efficient, as delivered, there is more than 10gb of free space on the 16gb solid state drive, and the AA1 has a clever arrangement whereby an SD memory card inserted in the left slot is treated as part of the disk drive space.

 

For someone willing to roll up his sleeves with Linux, $240 is an incredible buy. 1 kg weight, 1 gb RAM, and 16gb SSD make the AA1 ideal as a motorcycle computer. As delivered, the version of Linux (Linpus) is pretty locked down, but it's not too hard to free it up, or, for the more adventurous, replace entirely with another version of Linux.

 

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Welcome to the dark side!

 

I don't watch or rip movies, but I did copy my BMW service DVD to a folder on my desktop. (I'm running Vista)

I created a folder on the desktop first, right click anywhere on the desktop go to "new/Folder." (I named it "BMW Service")

Then I "open" the DVD, (In my Computer) and go up to Edit/Select All/Copy

Now I go to the destination folder (BMW Service) and open it and Paste.

It took a few hours but it copied the whole DVD.

 

Good luck, you'll enjoy the new LT. Wow $300, that's about the same price as an IPhone.

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DaveTheAffable

Commercial (ie Movies) DVD's are "Copy" protected. So, copying (moving all the little files needed) from a DVD drive to a hard drive isn't easy.

 

It wouldn't matter if it was a MAC or a PC. There are software products on the internet called "Virtual Drives" that will allow you to "rip" all the info off of the DVD and into your laptop, where they will show up as "Virtual Disks", there by allowing playback.

 

I have not played with any for several years, and "technically" they are frowned upon by the industry as a work around for those who would illegally copy and reproduce for profit their DVDs. That obviously is not you. You just wanna play a stinkin' DVD!

 

I can't recommend a particular software... I'll ask some of my IT guys at work today.

 

+++++

 

Has the area you're at recovered from the flooding?

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DaveTheAffable
Look up a tool called Handbrake. Works on all common desktop operating systems. Ripping a DVD requires more than just file copying. DVD manufacturers also do things to try to break ripping software (with a significant degree of success) so some disks require fairly extreme measures to rip, passing through several software apps. Handbrake should function for the majority of disks, though.

 

Good tip.... but they too are struggling with copyright issues.

 

November 2008 -

"Of course, if you’re thinking that all this good stuff can’t come without a price, you’re right. Due to infringement concerns, the latest version of Handbrake no longer has built-in DVD decryption. The code that handles the decryption circumvents the copy protection present on commercial discs, and therefore violates copyright laws like the DMCA. We’d argue that copying a movie you own from a DVD to your iPod or iPhone falls within the bounds of fair use, but current laws state otherwise.

 

However, before you freak out, bear in mind that all you need to do to get it back is install VLC, which still ships with the libdvdread library which handles the dirty work of decoding."

 

Translated, they give you some files, or tell you how to get them, that allows you to modify their product to do something that they're unwilling to do when they send it to you.

 

It's doable, Effbee. But you may not like the "foolin around to get it to work" aspect.

 

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You might want to try this...

 

Link

 

I found it at http://filehippo.com There's all kinds of good stuff there.

 

We all know you don't want to infringe upon anybody's copy write. Right? It's just convenient to have this stuff on your HDD, and not have to carry around a bunch of disks.

 

Good luck,

 

 

 

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Dick_at_Lake_Tahoe_NV

Welcome to the World of Microsoft. A lot of us believe "Microsoft Windows is a Virus!" ;-} Anyway, one thing you need to learn as a Noob PC user is, if your computer locks up, the simultaneously press Ctrl, Alt, Delete, and you can stop the program that has you locked up.

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I use two commercial products to handle this: AnyDVD and CloneDVD, both developed and published by the same company, SlySoft. If the DVDs you're ripping to your hard disk aren't protected (and by the way, pretty much all commercial DVDs are protected), you won't need AnyDVD.

 

I buy a lot of DVDs for my kids to watch, and kids being kids, they love to watch them over and over again. They also get their greasy kid mitts on them, reducing their serviceable life considerably (uh, the DVDs' life, that is, not the kids'). So as soon as I buy a DVD, I rip and burn a copy for the kids and hide the original. Because so many of the DVDs are from the big studios (Disney, Pixar, et al.), they update their protection scheme with each release, rendering many of the freeware rippers useless. AnyDVD is the only protection-buster I've found that stays on top and foils the scheme. I've never bought a DVD I couldn't rip with AnyDVD/CloneDVD, which is why it's easy for me to recommend them so highly.

 

 

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FWIW, I'm sitting here looking at the business card of a fellow that came by the office for a meeting last week, the regional director of anti-piracy operations for the MPAA . . . :wave:

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As mentioned you are working against two issues, one that the structure of a typical 'movie' DVD isn't compatible with PC/Mac operating systems, and two that commercial DVDs are encrypted. Just look for AnyDVD or DVD Decrypter (both free) and they will handle the job nicely.

 

As to the legal issues, IMO breaking encryption may be a violation of the letter of the law but not the spirit (as long as you have paid for the DVD and are using the copy strictly for your own personal use) since the mere act of shifting your viewing form one device to another is not depriving any entity of any compensation. IOW I don't think you need worry about the Feds breaking down your door...

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FWIW, I'm sitting here looking at the business card of a fellow that came by the office for a meeting last week, the regional director of anti-piracy operations for the MPAA . . . :wave:

Be sure to tell him, "Sean sez 'Hi'. Oh, and to go blow yourself," the next time you see him. :wave:

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DaveTheAffable
Welcome to the World of Microsoft. A lot of us believe "Microsoft Windows is a Virus!" ;-} Anyway, one thing you need to learn as a Noob PC user is, if your computer locks up, the simultaneously press Ctrl, Alt, Delete, and you can stop the program that has you locked up.

 

Not a hijack... an honest question. Does a MAC handle this DVD issue any differently? :eek:

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This doesn't answer your question, but since you mentioned the AA1, be aware that it's being phased out (which is why the prices have suddenly gotten so good).

 

The best online offer in the US is probably the 16GB SSD Linux AA1 sold for only $239.99 by Newegg, with free shipping. Since Linux is fairly efficient, as delivered, there is more than 10gb of free space on the 16gb solid state drive, and the AA1 has a clever arrangement whereby an SD memory card inserted in the left slot is treated as part of the disk drive space.

 

For someone willing to roll up his sleeves with Linux, $240 is an incredible buy. 1 kg weight, 1 gb RAM, and 16gb SSD make the AA1 ideal as a motorcycle computer. As delivered, the version of Linux (Linpus) is pretty locked down, but it's not too hard to free it up, or, for the more adventurous, replace entirely with another version of Linux.

 

There is a newer Aspire One, but it will not be available until the end of February (this according to an article I read in today's Washington Post Technology section). It will have a larger screen, be heavier etc. The author of this article was not convinced that all the changes were improvements, save perhaps for the larger screen. I have the 2008 version (running Win XP) and it's great for the bike.

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Not a hijack... an honest question. Does a MAC handle this DVD issue any differently?

No. In fact, in terms of available software to remove CSS encryption from DVDs, the Mac lags behind Windows.

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Jerry Johnston

If you wish to copy a DVD movie that is protected an excellent program that has never failed me is called FABDVD. It's not free but is less than $100 and has a lifetime upgrade policy. There are many programs that will play the DVD - I use PowerDVD.

I think you made a good choice of portable laptops. It had a great writeup and has a very good keyboard. I have a freind that has purchased 4 of them to give to grand kids.

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hi ...

 

let me explaind you what happend...

 

i disarm my bike engine cause i was think was broken...

 

but hooo sorprise nothing goes wrong inside of my bikes engine...

 

but when i reassembly my bike`s engine i forgot place a spot or mark for put in the same place the gear and the chain timing on my bike...

 

i try to do this only placcing in the end point the cylinders an the valves too ... but my bike runs and make a strange noise ... not like a metal noise ... if like a carburation noise ...

 

i think that is only a littel bear out of timing time

 

could you give me any directinon with pics or diagrams for try to solve this mater

 

tks

 

felipe

 

 

I think Sean C. might be able to help ;)

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