DVD Shrink is a freeware program for Microsoft Windows that facilitates backing up DVD movies.

Features

DVD Shrink has a simple interface, allowing the user to choose specifically which DVD elements (video titles, audio tracks, menus, and subtitles) to retain on the ‘shrinked’ DVD. The program features a decryption algorithm and an encoder, and the user is also able choose how the compression is to be distributed across the movie. DVD Shrink will automatically recompress the video to as little as 47% of its original size (with a corresponding loss in quality) to allow it to fit on a standard DVD±R(W), a Dual-Layer DVD+R, or any user-defined custom size.

In addition to re-authoring DVD's to fit a specific media format, DVD Shrink also allows the user to make an identical backup copy without changes. In either mode, the program has options to facilitate the stripping of CSS copy protection, restrictions on user actions during certain portions of the disc (such as prohibiting skipping over previews or "FBI Warnings", and also allows the copy to be created for any region code (or as region-free).

Once the DVD has been downsized, the resulting output is an ISO file. It should be noted that the program cannot burn these images itself, as it doesn’t contain a built in burning engine. It can however pass the burning job to either DVD Decrypter (also freeware) or Nero as long as these programs are installed. This process appearing transparent to the end user. Alternatively, the resulting ISO file may be burned with any software capable of writing ISO files.

Current Version

The author of DVD Shrink, who goes by the name "dvdshrink", announced that he will no longer continue further development of DVD Shrink. As of now version 3.2.0.15 released on July 25, 2004 is the latest, with any further releases targeting bug fixes.

Legal status

On August 17, 2005, the official DVD Shrink website was updated to say that the site "is no more!", prompting many sites to mirror the latest DVD Shrink version and offer it for download. This was as a result of DVD Shrink's web host receiving a DMCA takedown notice complaining about the direct links pointing to the download of the DVD Shrink program. In this case, the links themselves were in violation of the DMCA because the program was never served by DVD Shrink's web host. After removing the "offending" links the web site was restored and in place of the download link was a Google search box.

External links

• DVD Shrink official homepage
• DVD Shrink guides
• Download DVD Shrink (Mirrors: [1], [2], [3])
• ShrinkTo5 A cross-platform open-source replacement for DVD Shrink.
• K9Copy a replacement for DVD Shrink for Linux.de:DVD Shrink