DVD X Copy is a DVD ripper and DivX encoder, yes. The attractive part is you don't have to know anything about A/V codecs, compression, or anything else, for that matter. It is extremely simple to operate (which I need!). You can copy an exact duplicate of the original which takes 2 discs or copy the whole movie on one DVD without the extra features, extra language soundtracks, etc. Just the movie and it's soundtrack (all I really care about; the other stuff is fluff - nice, but not worth spending $15 on). So -
Burn away! You can dupe any movie in around 30 minutes or less! The operation is only a couple of clicks, that's it.
Peter - I can appreciate your sentiment of supporting innovation; I do (I buy everything you make!). If I thought that buying every DVD commercially would get me better movies or actors instead of richer studios and actors, I would. I know this is a simplistic view, but there ya go. I am one of those people that think top actors and atheletes should be paid quite well for doing something the rest of us cannot. I also think that their salaries have become ludicrous; studios/sport franchises don't take the extra high salaries on the chin, they pass that on to us in the form of higher ticket prices!
I didn't mean for this post to be preachy; just wanted to tell my brother and sister CPF'ers about it. Don't hate me 'cause I like movies! If it helps anyone, I wouldn't think of selling them, etc. They're just for my family.