Should I return my DVD-RW/+RW?

Well I'm asking for a little advise here about the DVD-RW/+RW I picked up. I guess I sort of jumped the gun a little when buying it.

I picked up a Sony DRU500AX thinking it was a good way to back up my DVDs. Both my GF and I have DVDs players and movies bounce between the houses a lot. I wanted to backup all my DVDs so I can have a copy at both houses. Anyway after reading (I should have done some research first) I am noticing backing up my DVDs isn't as easy as it seems and the DVDs aren't exact copies. I don't mine learning how to do everything and spending the time to backup my DVDs..

1)Is it worth it? $350.00 for DVD-RW/+RW, $2.00 for DVD Media and 2 hours to record one.
2)How long does the average DVD take to rip and record?
3)Should I just return it and wait for a 1:1 recording solition? Right now I really have no need for a DVD-RW/+RW other then to back up my DVDs collection.

Basically I'm asking it is worth it for a novice like myself (not really looking for a new hobby either) to get into DVD backing up right now or should I hold off and wait for better hardware, media and software to come out?

Thanks for the help. I know I should have done some research before hand but whats done is done and now I seek your help.

 

its so simple to back up a dvd, it might as well be 1:1

takes 5 minutes to rip and 1x:45 minutes, 2x:30 minutes, 4x:15 minutes to burn.

 

T2K what software are you using? I have DVDXCopy and all the other freeware out there. I haven't tried to copy one yet just read the post from other people here and on doom9.

I was really looking for a TRUE backup of my DVDs. I'm guessing doing a split(2 disk) copy would work but getting up to change to disk two seems like a sucky solution.

 

all the software you need is avalible at this site....if the dvd your trying to copy wont fit onto one disk then i recomend using "dvd2one" or "dvdsqueeze".

 

T2K I downloaded all the software from this site but I'm wondering if burning a DVD9 to a DVD5 with compresion is worth it? If not will a split record be an exact duplicate of my DVDs?

Basically I'm looking to duplicate my DVDs not really make a "watchable copy" of it.

 

Hello

Yes I think its worth it. From a definition point of view a split copy will not be exact, because you did something to it(ie split the files). However it is the exact same quality and you havn't lost any information. If you want a comprable quality, then DVDexpress is good as it will squize it onto a single disc with out any major Computer knowledge. But for close to original a two disc backup would probally best for you. The saving becomes know when you have a movie that can only be bought in New Zealand, and you live in Canada. I do the oposite of what your sugesting. I keep my originals hidden and only watch the backups. Then if a backup gets scrached I can make an other backup, puting a second disc in the player is not that much work and the exercise is good for you.

 

Thanks Prisoner.. I think I'll keep it and try and few split DVDs.. I wish I read more before I picked up 20 single side DVD+R's.. I would have ordered double sided so I can have one movie on one disk(two sides)..

Again thank you both for your replies..

 

Thanks everyone. I backed up a few of my DVDs this weekend and everything came out great. Two of them needed minor compression. I recorded movies only and left out all the extras since these copies would be at my GF's house and I would always have the original in case I needed the extras.