Options
There are plenty of options in DVDFab so that you can choose exactly how you want to copy your DVD. For example, in figure 3, I've configured Express Mode to copy the DVD movie only, the english audio, and remove the subtitles. DVDFab is flexible enough to allow you to make just the right DVD for your purposes.
Figure 3 - Copying Options
The Result
Now that you know about the copying options of DVDFab, you might be wondering about the resulting quality. I can tell you that in all of my tests (and I copied plenty of DVDs), the results were exceptional. Even in cases where I was compressing originals to a fair degree, the ouput was great. Unlike the free software that's available, DVDFab was able to copy every DVD I threw at it, including the aforementioned damaged DVDs.
Overall
It's true that you can get software to copy DVDs free, and one of those products might be perfectly capable for your needs. However, if you are like me and have a few precious DVDs that are slightly damaged and unreadable by other software, DVDFab is a lifesaver and well worth the price. In my testing, it was the only software that could reliably copy any DVD I threw at it regardless of condition.
Usability : 3/5
DVDFab would have been easier to use had they decided to put everything in one application dialog. Forcing users to choose between Express Mode or Gold Mode is confusing and there's no clear distinction of what's different between the two.
Interface : 3/5
The interface in DVDFab is unpolished in places with highly pixilated buttons, etc. It does get the job done, but there are some quirky behaviors (when selecting subtitles and audio tracks, for example) and the stark contrast between the interface in the two modes is sometimes confusing.
Intuitiveness : 4/5
Strangely enough, even though the interface is a little clumsy at times, DVDFab is quite intuitive. It's simple to create a DVD without reading any of the documentation.
Features : 5/5
DVDFab has all of the expected features in such a package.
Documentation : 2/5
Sadly, the documentation in DVDFab plain stinks. It consists of a Web page that runs through the major functions, but there's no context-sensitive Help and documentation on some of the more advanced options is light.
Price vs. Value Ratio : 5/5
It may surprise you that I rate the value quotient of DVDFab so high when there are other applications available that do the same thing at no cost. The reason is simple. Two of my family DVDs (priceless to me) were flatly rejected by every copying application except for DVDFab. That fact alone pushed this category to the top and earned DVDFab a 4/5 overall as well.
Reviewer's Tilt : 0/5
N/A
Overall : 4/5
As I've previously mentioned, in my testing DVDFab was the most reliable of all of the application of the kind that I tested. It does what it does well. I'd like to see some polish on the interface and a combined user-interface with an advanced panel or some other method of combining the Express Mode and Gold Mode. That one change would go a long way towards making DVDFab an easy 5. Even as it is, though, I'm confident that you will find it a capable tool for saving a ton of money that would otherwise be spent replacing damaged DVDs.
I must mention at this point that, as I've said before, it is illegal to copy DVDs that you've purchased. I won't get on my soapbox over this issue, but the fact is that such a law is just plain ludicrous. Like any parent, I purchase DVDs for my children to watch, and like any children, they regularly scratch them to the point that they will no llonger play. I'm sure the movie companies would love for me to purchase a new copy of each DVD every time it gets scratched, but that approach is certainly not cost-effective to me.
Just keep in mind that the movie companies are effectively making a criminal out of you if you decide to make a playable backup of DVDs for your children. The choice is yours.
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