Copy a DVD

[jhunter]

A client asked me to copy a DVD that they had made (by a company that
went bankrupt). I've never been asked this question before and wasn't
sure if it's legal or possible on my WinXP notebook (I have a DVD+-RW
drive). It's simply a DVD (like a DVD movie you would buy at the
store) that a marketing company put together for them. Anybody know if
this is legal or possible?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

A client asked me to copy a DVD that they had made (by a company
that went bankrupt). I've never been asked this question before and
wasn't sure if it's legal or possible on my WinXP notebook (I have
a DVD+-RW drive). It's simply a DVD (like a DVD movie you would buy
at the store) that a marketing company put together for them.
Anybody know if this is legal or possible?

Legal? Depends on the contents and such. No one here could definitively
answer that given what you have - nor would you be best served seaching for
legal advice in a forum such as this.

Possible - given the information you have so far - no, not with just Windows
XP and a DVD +/- R/RW drive.

If you do have third party software that allows you to copy/burn DVDs -
sure. That is the only piece of the equation you have left out. Windows XP
does not natively write to DVD +/- R/RW...

 

[Unknown]

I am NOT an attorney but often hear it is legal to copy something if it is
for personal use. Such as making a backup
of a copywrited item. However, your best bet is to ask an attorney.

 

[Xandros]

Sure it's possible given the right software but it might not be legal to
reproduce the contents of the disk just as it is not legal to copy retail
movies.

 

[HeyBub]

A client asked me to copy a DVD that they had made (by a company that
went bankrupt). I've never been asked this question before and wasn't
sure if it's legal or possible on my WinXP notebook (I have a DVD+-RW
drive). It's simply a DVD (like a DVD movie you would buy at the
store) that a marketing company put together for them. Anybody know if
this is legal or possible?

It is always legal to make copies - as many copies as you want.

Where transgression occurs centers around what you DO with the copies!

Most copyright violations center around whether your copying has, or could
have, a financial effect on the the copyright holder. If, for example, you
copy and distribute a movie DVD, you deprive the movie's producer of a
potential sale and you are, as a result, in violation of copyright laws.