[QUOTE=signals;141287]This has been discussed and explained many times in the forum. The connection is necessary to verify and protect the integrity of the DVDFab license system. Without it or something similar people could use the product without supporting the continued work on feature development and decryption updates, at which point it would become useless. It is also necessary to reach the database used for decryption of Blu-rays (and has been for some time even in v8). If your internet is down v9 will revert to HD Decrypter (free) mode and will still decrypt DVDs and write them in DVD-9 size to a HDD folder. While this may cause inconvenience occasionally, most I think prefer it to less frequent or non-existant updates. The internet requirement also has the benefit of not requiring a key file to be downloaded and misplaced. The need for a connection is clearly listed on the website as one of the system requirements.[/QUOTE]
I also am not very happy about this requirement. It already has caused me problems too and dread to think that every other SW manufacturer would pull the same. Wouldn't be able to do anything anymore without a connection. Think this is actually even more of an incentive for people to hack the license than that it reduces the chance.
BAD decision! Was almost going to upgrade to the all-in-one package, but I'm happy I saw this post before spending that kind of money.