I'm looking to make an exact 1:1 copy of a DVD with all menus and special features. I have DVD X Copy Platinum, with boasts it can do this, but what is the best program to use to do this?

you will not be able to make an "exact 1:1 copy" unntil dual layer burners and disks make it out. even the best copy program right now cannot make a perfect copy from a 9GB retail disk to a 4.7 GB DVDR. to fit the movie and menus onto a 4.7 GB disk requires compression which degrades the quality of the video even if only slightly.

personally I currently favor CloneDVD and AnyDVD.

dvd x copy ---> dvd shrink ---> burnatonce

As you can see from just two replies best is subjective, everyone has their own opinions. ;)

Check through some of the forum posts on some of the software mentioned and then try some out. DVD Shrink is FREE www.dvdshrink.org/ and excellent on most things. Many people, myself included, prefer Pinnacle Instant Copy on DVD's that require a lot of compression such as TV series etc. But try a few and find out which one suits your needs, only way of finding out. :)

Pinnacle Instant Copy all the way..

a bit slower but worth it

Lazza, www.dvdshrink.info is also a better site, it has a forum.

PacFu what are you system specs?

Pinnacle Instant Copy and DVD Shrink for me as well. I don't like the X COPY program for it's copy protection and backup warning that it puts on all of it's DVDs.

"have DVD X Copy Platinum, with boasts it can do this, but what is the best program to use to do this?"

You already have it, so no need to ask us :-)
There are alternatives though.

dvdecryptor to rip , pinnacle ic8 to compress

As ish uses, but I find Clonedvd very close on quality to Pinnacle

Try as many as you can and you'll find your own favourite

So Pinnacle is the best?

any dvd and clone dvd if dvd5
or
dvd decrypter to read AND write if dvd5

Clone is better than Pinnacle. Pinnacle is STILL buggy and works well most of the time but never ALL the time. Clone has been bang on the money every time for me. As for speed again Clone is tops. 20/25 min a pop.

DVD X COPY EXPRESS does the work great.
By the way - how do I start a new Tread here ??

OK, I'm closing this now. Not because anybody has done anything wrong but because the whole thread proves a point of fact.

There is NO best. :)

It is all down to each users personal opinion pure and simple so the only way to find out which is best for you, and I'm tired of saying this, is to try them all out and see which one suits your needs and "eyes". After all most do a free trial and DVD Shrink which many feel is the best is FREE so that would be the obvious starting point naturally.

If we could avoid threads like this in future it really would be to the benefit of all, I'm not knocking any member for asking btw but as I've stated above the answer to this question will *always* be the same. :)