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Slysoft, makers of the popular DVD and Blu-Ray copying software AnyDVD has closed shop effectively immediately.
The official homepage contains a short statement why AnyDVD is not available anymore: "Due to recent regulatory requirements we have had to cease all activities relating to SlySoft Inc." but no other content at this point in time.
AnyDVD users are probably wondering how this is going to affect their version of the software when it comes to its functionality. While it should work fine with current and past releases, it may not support future releases due to a lack of updates.
Note: DVD or Blu-Ray ripping, copying or converting, or the circumvention of copy protection methods, is illegal in some countries. Other countries allow you to copy or convert discs that you have purchased.
Update: It appears that AnyDVD is back, sort of. The software is now called RedFox, and hosted on a site in Belize. A new version of the software has been released for existing customers who can upgrade their version of AnyDVD to it to regain connections to the key server.
The following selection lists AnyDVD alternatives that you may want to try as they may replace the program on your system fully or partially.
bitRipper
BitRipper converts DVD discs to the AVI video format. It is an easy to use program that requires less than five clicks to convert DVDs to the AVI format.
Put a disc into the drive, pick a track (usually the default is what you want), pick an output path if you don't like the default, and hit "start ripping".
Experienced users can modify conversion parameters under settings if they so desire. The program supports CSS protected DVDs.
DVDFab HD Decrypter
The program supports older DVD and Blu-Ray formats only. If supported, you may copy the full disc or the main movie to the local computer system
DVDFab Passkey Lite
The free version of Passkey comes with a handful of limitations. While you can use it to watch Blu-Ray movies on your PC, it cannot be used to backup these movies to the hard drive like the commercial versions of Passkey can be used for.
MakeMKV
MakeMKV is a free cross-platform (Windows, Linux and Mac) DVD and Blu-Ray conversion software that converts the video clips found on discs to MKV files.
While that is not the same as creating a copy of a DVD or Blu-Ray disc, it opens up options to do that later on by using software that burns any video format to DVD or Blu-Ray.
MakeMKV can be used to create a full disc backup on the hard drive as well.
MakeMKV reads protected and unprotected DVD and Blu-Ray discs, preserves chapter information, video and auto tracks, and meta information, and requires no additional software to convert the media.
The program itself is dead easy to use. Pop in a DVD or Blu-Ray, wait for it to be loaded and click on the "open disk" button that is displayed in the interface.
MakeMKV displays the content of the disc to you giving you options to check or uncheck individual items as you see fit.
Once done, set an output folder and hit the "make mkv" button to start the conversion.
Other free alternatives
These alternatives may be worth a try. While they may work well, they may not have received updates in a long while.
The following commercial AnyDVD alternatives are available currently. Please note that some of these programs are found regularly on sites like Shareware on Sale or Giveaway of the Day where you can snag a copy for free.
DVDFab Software
DVDFab had its run-in with the authorities as well as several company domains were seized in the past.
The company operates out of China currently where all of its programs are available for international buyers as well.
The company has created six commercial programs that copy or convert DVD or Blu-Ray videos.
They are:
WinX DVD Ripper Platinum
The program supports DVD discs only. It reads free and copy protected DVDs, and can convert them easily in different formats based on your specification.
Apart from creating video files directly, it ships with profiles that you can make use of to create videos for Android, iPhone and other devices that you own so that you can play them on said devices without having to worry about formats and other technical information.
Other commercial alternatives
The following programs may be suitable alternatives to AnyDVD and AnyDVD HD.
Now You: Did we miss a program? Feel free to post suggestions in the comment section below.
Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.
I’m more interested in how to get a CloneCD 5 licence now (for €30 or less).
Depressing news. :( AnyDVD + Isobuster for ripping was my very handy tool set.
Hopefully they popup again in some other country that allows them to operate.
What I will miss the most is Virtual Clone Drive
You made the same mistake as me, i had to check who made Virtual Clone Drive and found out it’s made by Elaborate Bytes and not Slysoft.
Oh yea you’re right. oddly it was always on the Slysoft website too.
What for? Windows 8/10 can mount ISOs natively. Windows XP/Vista/7 users can use WinCDEmu.
Another lifetime license gone. Still recovering from the demise of my Outpost Security Suite Lifetime License. Makes me wonder if these licenses are worth the extra money?
Reasoning (from their forum):
“I regret you that, but you are wrong. SlySoft is under massive pressure since 2007. From Websheriff over Irdeto, US department of Justice to AACS-LA. He resisted for many years. More than anybody else. So please, be fair. ”
Some more interesting information tho bout Slyfox’s AnyDVD
“DVDs: All DVDs should continue work. OPD is only used to speed up things, it is optional.
HD-DVDs: All work.
Blu-Ray AACS: AnyDVD contains data for roughly 130000 discs, these will continue to work. Discs not included in AnyDVD will need the OPD. OPD results will be cached locally, if you copy the cache, you can move it to another PC.
Blu-Ray BD+, 20th Century Fox: Recent discs (1-2 years?) need OPD. Older titles work. OPD results will be cached locally, if you copy the cache, you can move it to another PC.
Blu-Ray Java protection (mostly Lionsgate): Recent discs (1 year?) need OPD. Older titles work. OPD results are not cached.
Blu-ray cinavia: Will continue to work with current players & software.
Note for the technical skilled: The servers are still running, probably as long as the bills are paid, but their DNS entries are removed.
If you have a router with a DNS proxy or can edit your Windows hosts file, you can add a key.slysoft.com with an IP address for one of the key server proxies.
I don’t know how long the servers will continue to run.”
More reads here: https://forum.slysoft.com/threads/slysoft-closed.68304/
Also DVDFab won’t support/decrypt AACS 2.0, according to this article: http://www.myce.com/news/dvdfab-we-will-not-decrypt-or-circumvent-aacs-2-0-in-the-days-to-come-78698/
It’s shame the US Government has such a far reaching effect, yes it’s illegal to make backups or format shift media you own in some countries like America but (afaik) it’s not illegal all over the world
I like freemake video converter
cdfreaks.com was the earliest memory I have for ripping. I flashed cd drives to make then write more than 650MB. Slysoft was a reminder of those days.
I’m not get use to these software, question: isn’t enough Passkey full for CD\DVD\BD and then use ImgBurn (to ISO) or BD Rebuilder (to BD) or Vidcoder (for mp4\mkv conversion). Ok, still missing DVD to DVD; is still necessary? Never use MakeMKV but it has good reviews at Videohelp.
They should sell movies and music albums on (Micro)SD cards
“some” years ago a company in Germany tried it
http://www.computerbase.de/2005-06/musikalbum-im-mp3-format-auf-speicherkarte/
Still weird to see anything DVDFab related being recommended after the issues people claimed it had years ago (to the end that AnyDVD was the only thing being recommended in terms of paid software for the same purposes).
Are the above solutions good for different region DVD’s? I have a large collection of Movies I bought when I used to live in the UK and want to convert them to MKV or MP4 so I can watch them here in the states.
You can play mkv or mp4 that you have created in any region.
thanks for the reply, however I was referring to the actual software. would the software (MakeMKV, DVDFab Passkey Lite, bitRipper etc) be able to read the original dvd in the drive so that I can convert it to mkv or mp4 or would I need something like anydvd installed to bypass the region lock first?
No, you don’t need additional software for that usually.
Thanks Martin!
Actually DVDFab is of no use at all. They announced earlier that it won’t update it’s software to decrypt the next protection system AACS2.
So DVDfab will just have the same functionality of anydvd and is not an alternative. Both can only decrypt AACS encryption and DVDFab will not implement AACS2 in the future.
Back again !
http://www.slysoft.com/en/
Now that is a surprising turn of events. Hacked? Change of heart?
Now it is returning a 404, maybe someone pushed the old site back and noticed the error.
Martin the software is back.
I also installed the new version:
http://fs5.directupload.net/images/160302/juwi7tvo.jpg
Changelog:
https://forum.redfox.bz/download/changes_anydvd.txt
Download:
https://forum.redfox.bz/download/SetupAnyDVD7691.exe
These programs are only alternatives if you used AnyDVD for ripping. I used AnyDVD (years ago) to get around my first LCD TV not being HDCP compliant. Nowdays I use it so I can present an (unencrypted) network BD drive to Kodi on my tablet.
I was at one time a Life Time License owner of Any DVD. Personally, I do not think it’s fair to say “Slysoft is belly up but we are keeping the software” to re-sell back to it’s clients, and at the same very generous discount of 20% just like before, but only for 2 months for previous license owners.
I have to seriously question the new folks of Any DVD, they state it’s nobody’s business of the Any DVD software copyright, They close any threads of peeps questioning the responses about no discounts to previous license owners ( I know…20% but it always was 20% before too). and I have no trust in ANY DVD just from the attitude of the new owners.
I too have looked around and found MakeMKV just before I read the article. I tried it out and it works very well. If you need to convert the .MKV filke to a .TS or a M2ts file, you can use tsMuxer. Both of these programs are free and open source and it just works on my Windows 7 Pro operating system.
:)
Martin, MakeMKV is free and very reliable. You imply it cannot create a copy of a DVD or Blu-ray disc. Actually, MakeMKV can create a decrypted backup of a Blu-ray disc on a hard drive. The decrypted backup will contain all the files from the original disc and the M2TS files will be decrypted (both AACS and BD+ will be removed). See http://www.makemkv.com/faq/item/4
Frank, thanks for letting me know. I have added the information to the review.
To be honest, if you have a blu-ray drive on your computer, you almost HAVE to have one of these programs such as Any-DVD in order to get anything to play. I don’t think that is right. I should be able to put a blu-ray in my drive and have it play discs from my region without any problem, but that seems not to be the case. And it isn’t right.
Thank you for your share.