Originally Posted by u-Bob

The law allows people to make a backup copy. It does not specify the technical means that are allowed to be used in the process.

We actually had someone ask a similar question in a TV show last summer. They were discussing the issue of piracy and there was a movie director, a rep from the local MPAA equivalent, a professor specialized in the legal side of things, a musician,... on the panel.

One of the questions they talked about (the audience could tweet questions or ask them on facebook) was from someone who wanted to watch a movie (she had bought the DVD) on her netbook (no DVD player). The panel agreed that it was legal for her to make a backup copy in a format she could watch on her netbook. Someone on the panel said "I'm sure there's software you can buy to do this". A follow up question then came in: "What if she downloads the movie in a format she can watch on her netbook instead of first buying additional software to convert the movie?" The law professor agreed that that would simply be another way to achieve the same result.