DVD Cloner 4 - Suits All Whether Newbie or Pro

DVD Cloner 4 is fast. Really fast. It combines an incredibly simple interface for new users with an advanced interface option that will satisfy even the uber-est of users.

Basic (or Express) mode offers a foolproof way to copy DVDs, and it takes only one click to copy your DVD. Basic mode is perfect for beginners, though the lack of any options in this approach seems almost too spartan to me. Advanced (or Expert) mode is more professional and customized, and you will become a DVD copy expert with it. There are lots of options in the Advanced mode. For example, you can shut down your computer after the process completes automatically--very convenient for making overnight copies or for slower systems. The Full DVD Disc Copy function is also enhanced. Now it can remove various protections (Region, CSS, ARccOS, and so on) during copying.

Other cool features and tools in DVD Cloner include an enhanced decrypter to defeat all up-to-date DVD protection mechanisms. The software comes bundled with free DVD-to-AVI, DVD-to-MPEG, and DVD-to-SVCD format capabilities, making DVD Cloner effectively four great products in one. Finally, the burning engine has been redesigned to make burning more stable and dependable, and DVD Cloner 4 is fully compatible with Windows Vista.

I found little to complain about in the software. If I had to nit pick, the "remaining time" meter is slightly deceiving. It shows the time remaining for ripping a DVD, but in actuality, that's only 50 percent of the process, since you still need to burn it. DVD Cloner's flexibility to do more than just copy, however, makes it a great value at $59.99.

For just under $60, you have a full-fledged DVD copying and backup solution that includes a decrypter, so this really is the only software you need to begin copying.

Installation and setup couldn't be easier. The install is quick, with very few dialogs. Setup varies: the basic interface requires no configuration at all, while the advanced mode has several easy checkbox options. It's as simple as one would hope, and allows users to be able to instantly achieve their goals without having to read any manuals--or even very many dialog boxes, for that matter!

The only complaint I had with the setup is that the

The features DVD Cloner 4 includes are not only useful, but also a breeze to use. For example, the Copying feature lets you copy just the movie and saves you some space, allowing for a higher bitrate. If you must have the menus and other extras on your copy, you can pick and choose which to install. DVD Cloner will also automatically choose the best compression, or you can just copy the entire movie and extras and be as aggressive on the compression as you'd like. The quality is much better than you would think, but even better when you leave off the extras and copy just the movie. I found the quality of my copies to be very close to the original; no pixelating in the dark, action-packed scenes, even!

Another feature, DVD Fix, allows you to repair damaged DVDs. While I didn't have any to experiment with, this will be a useful feature for people who have younger members in the family, and have learned the hard way that it's prudent to back up your treasured movies.

My only complaint is a rather insignificant one. When you're doing a task, DVD Cloner has a feature that calculates the time remaining, and shows the time elapsed. The problem I found though, is that during my DVD copy (since I have only one DVD drive, it copies to the hard drive's temporary folder, and then over to another DVD), it showed the time remaining but in actuality it was just the time remaining for the first stage--I still had to burn the file from the temp folder onto a DVD. Luckily, this isn't a huge deal since the speed of copying is fantastic.

Functionality-wise, the interface is great. In the Advanced mode, icons are clearly associated with a task, such as "Copy a Full DVD & Extras from a DVD9 to a DVD5," and there's text when you roll over the images as well. In Basic, the Start button is clearly visible and red, with as few customizable options as possible. Basically, this mode makes it really difficult to make mistakes copying a DVD.

DVD Cloner 4 does not have the most attractive user interface in the world; the color schema has many annoyingly bright colors. And the large pointing digital man is not only unnecessary, but also a waste of space. If I had to give the best reason for using the Advanced interface, it's so you don't have to look at that guy.

The fact that DVD Cloner 4 includes a decrypter gives it a performance benefit over other similar programs. I was able to rip and copy a full DVD9 movie (just the movie itself) in roughly 35 minutes.

For support, the DVD Cloner website has some nice FAQs that are fairly detailed. Their organization is not the cleanest, but they do a good job of answering some common questions.

The e-ticket system is fairly decent and tries to qualify customers as much as possible, asking--albeit in a vague manner--for system specs and other details. Personally, I think this could have been done with fewer boxes, but the idea is there.

Additionally, a nice and rather unique approach is that customer support not only guarantees a response within 24 hours, but also a direct contact to a supervisor. While I have no idea if an e-ticket actually goes to a supervisor, it may have a calming influence on frustrated users who at the very least think they'll have a higher-up contact to help them.

Like similar products, DVD Cloner's publisher forgets who its target audience is when it comes to support. I understand that phone support costs money, but when you design an application for the most novice/basic users, you must understand that the majority of them will get frustrated with FAQs and email time delays, and desire immediate help over the phone. Unfortunately, there's no telephone number provided with DVD Cloner 4, only an e-ticket system and the FAQ. Again, advanced users probably won't have a problem with this, but believe me, basic users who spend $60 on a piece of software are not going to be pleased when something doesn't go smoothly.

There isn't a feature I can think of that DVD Cloner does not have, and the inclusion of DVD9 support covers future-proofing. It's just a matter of time, however, until high-definition formats become the buzz, so DVD Cloner will eventually need to add that support.

To put it simply, DVD Cloner 4 is one of the best copying tools I have ever used, and is currently my preferred choice. Its dual interface makes it a product I can recommend to novice users and pros alike. It's fast, effective, and does its job as advertised.