[MPlayer-users] Re: Rescuing a scratched DVD

[HR]

> [mailto:mplayer-users-bounces at mplayerhq.hu] On Behalf Of 
> Tobias Diedrich
[...]
> HR wrote:
> 
> > Currently I do
> > 
> > dd if=/dev/dvd of=movie.iso conv=noerror
> 
> You should better use 'conv=sync,noerror', otherwise dd will not write
> an output block for unreadable input blocks.
Yes, Rich already pointed that out yesterday, but thanks anyway. That's
what I'm doing now, but judging from the time it's taking, the DVD is
really messed up. I'll let it finish just to see what I end up with, to
give me an indication of whether there is a point to this sort of
"rescue"... at all. Would polishing/wet rubbing/lapping the DVD do any
difference? Softening the scratches/levelling the surface surely helps
the laser tracking? I know it's a waste of time for a movie, but I'm
curious how much can be retrieved from such a disc...

As for the other discussion on this thread; replacement copy, licence
and the sort; The company should absolutely not have to replace the DVD
free of charge, but a replacement copy should have cost less, since a
substantial part of the cost for a DVD far exceeds what is justifiable
from production cost and gross margins - which is what governs most
trade in the free world. If DVD's, music CD's and such were priced
according to such principles, I would expect piracy to almost be limited
to the communities that would do piracy regardless the cost - even if
the DVD's were (next to) free. I guess it's another principle of free
trade that applies to the greater extent - the price is what the market
is willing to pay - or simply has to pay, because the manufacturers have
unofficially agreed on a price range, a more common problem in so-called
free trade than most people think.

HR