is Passkey an addon to DVDFab

[alcyone]

You can only open it with passkey because it isn't reading for copy. It is only decrypting on the fly. So the reading proceess in dvdfab is diferent that passkey. When you open a DVD or Bluay with dvdfab it have to read to show you the content so you can chose what you want.

That's the main idea behind the "on-the-fly" decrypters. With Passkey running in the background, you can open DVD with recent copy protection even with old DVD Decrypter, which wasn't updated for ages.
As long as Passkey removes protections and corrects DVD structure, it can be even used in conjunction with non-CSS applications to "open" the disc, see the contents and choose what to rip.

[DarthCopier]

But I'll have to pay for the Passkey.
If I hadn't already bought those DVDFab options, I could buy only Passkey (whose price would certainly be less than the sum of the lifetime options I bought) and for example use free DVDFab HD Decrypter along with it.
See my point?

As for the "same decryprion engine" - yes, but with Passkey always one or two steps ahead of DVDFab, as is already the case...

There is nothing written in stone that says Passkey will always be one step ahead of Fab in decryption. It's ahead now, as I suspect Fengtao is trying to present a new product in the best light possible for people interested in it.

I fully expect Fab and Passkey to be updated simultaneously in the future.

Yes, you could use DVD Decrypter with Passkey if you so chose... but no one is twisting your arm to invest in Passkey, at whatever the to-be-established price, and you can still use the various modes in Fab (DVD to DVD, Clone, Customize, etc.) which would all be manual options with DD - along with a passle of other software (PGCEdit, FixVTS, etc.).

Passkey is not for the casual user, either, as to obtain desired results requires knowledge and techniques beyond the usual weekend copiers expertise.

I suspect the intent of Passkey was to lure users of the-program-that-shall-remain-nameless away from it and over to Passkey.

Besides... this'll all settle out over time, and these points will be forgotten.

DC

[alcyone]

Passkey: less money - more functionality

There is nothing written in stone that says Passkey will always be one step ahead of Fab in decryption. It's ahead now, as I suspect Fengtao is trying to present a new product in the best light possible for people interested in it.

I fully expect Fab and Passkey to be updated simultaneously in the future.

Hope you are right, but they have already abandoned DVDIdle Pro and DVD Region and CSS Free. Passkey may become top product, receiving most attention and recent updates... while DVDFab may become "secondary product".

Yes, you could use DVD Decrypter with Passkey if you so chose... but no one is twisting your arm to invest in Passkey, at whatever the to-be-established price, and you can still use the various modes in Fab (DVD to DVD, Clone, Customize, etc.) which would all be manual options with DD - along with a passle of other software (PGCEdit, FixVTS, etc.).

Well, I am trying to stress out the fact that one gets far more functionality for (probably considerably) smaller price with Passkey, than with DVDFab and its "decrypting options". For example, I can't use DVDFab to watch movies on DVDs with mismatching region, play movies with non-CSS DVD players or BDs on non-HDCP compliant hardware/software.
If I haven't already bought those DVDFab options, I would now certainly buy Passkey only (at the lower cost than DVDFab), getting more functionality.

Passkey is not for the casual user, either, as to obtain desired results requires knowledge and techniques beyond the usual weekend copiers expertise.

Don't know on what basis did you judge me as a "weekend copier"...
I have been using CD and DVD "cloning" applications from [the company that must not be named] along with their [product that must not be named] for about 5 years, even longer than DVDFab. Recently, I have some issues with "that unnamed program". Those CD and DVD copying programs work with Passkey, hence one more reason to feel very bad about spending a lot of money on DVDFab.

Besides... this'll all settle out over time, and these points will be forgotten.

No doubt, but that's not comforting at all.


Regards.

[madman22]

Hi all, The main problem to me is I bought a 2 year license and the MAIN function i require is to be able to decrypt a dvd or bd-r because i can't do anything with it until i get the files off the disk.Their are plenty of free progs that i can use to change the file afterward.
I had to use a trail version of [ the prog i can't name ] to open my disk.So if i need to buy a passkey as well to decrypt the whole thing becomes a bit of a JOKE.

[DarthCopier]

Hope you are right, but they have already abandoned DVDIdle Pro and DVD Region and CSS Free. Passkey may become top product, receiving most attention and recent updates... while DVDFab may become "secondary product".

On the other hand, Passkey may NOT become the top product, and DVDFab may NOT become "secondary product" - why assume the worst?

Well, I am trying to stress out the fact that one gets far more functionality for (probably considerably) smaller price with Passkey, than with DVDFab and its "decrypting options". For example, I can't use DVDFab to watch movies on DVDs with mismatching region, play movies with non-CSS DVD players or BDs on non-HDCP compliant hardware/software.
If I haven't already bought those DVDFab options, I would now certainly buy Passkey only (at the lower cost than DVDFab), getting more functionality.

Passkey is a transcoder... THAT'S IT!! What increased funtionality?? DVDFab can rip, burn, allow you to select full DVD, main movie, customize, clone, re-code for mobile devices... Passkey still ONLY transcodes...

How many non-CSS DVD players do you own?? How many pieces of non-HDCP hardware/software do you own? - and that's the one function DVDFab can't do... a dubious distinction...

Don't know on what basis did you judge me as a "weekend copier"...

Don't know on what basis you lump yourself in that category, as I was just making a general statement, and didn't mention anyone's name...

I have been using CD and DVD "cloning" applications from [the company that must not be named] along with their [product that must not be named] for about 5 years, even longer than DVDFab. Recently, I have some issues with "that unnamed program". Those CD and DVD copying programs work with Passkey, hence one more reason to feel very bad about spending a lot of money on DVDFab.

Were Brand X's minions in that forum not able to help you with your issues? Brand X, which you already own, will do much the same as Passkey... unless those issues are so bad that the program is unuseable now...

And another point, you say that the CD and DVD copying programs provided by Brand X work with Passkey... if you've already invested in DVDFab... why consider Passkey at all?? If Passkey is slightly ahead in decryption at the moment, that won't last...are there issues with Fab you haven't mentioned?

No doubt, but that's not comforting at all.

Even far less comforting was a couple of years ago, when Fab platinum disappeared, and it's current format was introduced, to the even greater screams of long-time Fab owners... this ain't bad, in comparison, at all...


DC

[calcu007]

Passkey is not a transcoder, it is a decrypter. Do you know what is a transcoder? Read first



DVDfab do transcoding, passkey not.

[alcyone]

....
I had to use a trail version of [ the prog i can't name ] to open my disk.So if i need to buy a passkey as well to decrypt the whole thing becomes a bit of a JOKE.

Well, for me it is more than just a JOKE.

[alcyone]

On the other hand, Passkey may NOT become the top product, and DVDFab may NOT become "secondary product" - why assume the worst?

Well, I became a pesimist over the years - changes have a tendency to make things worst.

Passkey is a transcoder... THAT'S IT!! What increased funtionality?? DVDFab can rip, burn, allow you to select full DVD, main movie, customize, clone, re-code for mobile devices... Passkey still ONLY transcodes...

What, a transcoder? Passkey implements a (lower) class filter driver to modify the IRPs leaving the main device filter, sitting at the end of the "IRP chain". That's how it does its "magic".
EDIT: Please take a look at the above informative post by calcu007.
About functionality: I can clone DVD, recode, customize or rip main movie with tons of freeware (like DVD Decrypter or somewhat more technical IfoEdit+PgcEdit), including free DVDFab HD Decrypter. The only component for this to work is a - Passkey. One purchase, instead of three DVDFab options. Further I can see R2 DVDs on my R1 drive, something that is impossible with DVDFab (unless the DVD is cloned and burned, which is an overkill).

How many non-CSS DVD players do you own?? How many pieces of non-HDCP hardware/software do you own? - and that's the one function DVDFab can't do... a dubious distinction...

Non-CSS DVD Players: VLC, KMplayer (free), BS.Player Pro, Elecard DVD Player (shareware).
Non-compliant hardware: nothing much, just my 21" monitor and a graphics card. And oh.. a 42" 1080p Plasma TV of an "old non-HDCP" kind...

Don't know on what basis you lump yourself in that category, as I was just making a general statement, and didn't mention anyone's name...

Guess I inferred incorrectly, then.

Were Brand X's minions in that forum not able to help you with your issues? Brand X, which you already own, will do much the same as Passkey... unless those issues are so bad that the program is unuseable now...

The problem is that Brand X implements some more features than Passkey. Like built-in ripper to folders/isos. And I suspect it is this additional functionality that creates problems for me, exhibiting random behavior present for the last two versions of their product.
Besides, Brand X's product is oversized and somewhat "overfeatured", so I prefer Passkey over it.

And another point, you say that the CD and DVD copying programs provided by Brand X work with Passkey... if you've already invested in DVDFab... why consider Passkey at all?? If Passkey is slightly ahead in decryption at the moment, that won't last...are there issues with Fab you haven't mentioned?

I'm repeating myself, but OK: Passkey is smaller than the Brand X competitive product, which is equipped with features I don't find useful. Furthermore, I can watch encrypted and region mismatched DVDs and BDs with my non-HDCP compliant equipment. Third, I can rip, customize, clone, {name it yourself} with free tools only. Should I go on?

Even far less comforting was a couple of years ago, when Fab platinum disappeared, and it's current format was introduced, to the even greater screams of long-time Fab owners... this ain't bad, in comparison, at all...

I was unaware of that, strange.


Regards.

[Complication]

To quote Dr. McCoy, "He's dead, Jim."

Thread closed.