Call it a gift from a group of anonymous software engineers. Anti-piracy activists might call it criminal. Highly compressed .ratDVD format takes DVD sharing to a whole new level.

A group of 6-12 programmers working in shifts have created ratDVD, making it easy to compress all DVD components into a single file-not just the movie itself, but also the extras, the bonus footage, the directors commentary, the alternate endings.

Before the new program, movies that have been compressed into one file for transfer have been limited to the movie only. With ratDVD, all clickable features are left in tact.
The programmers created the software because most movies available on the Internet came without the special features.

The potentially popular software offers full anamorphic picture, seamless branching, multiple video angles, multiple audio channels and subpictures. Users can keep movie versions (directors cut, theatrical version, etc.), alternate story endings, video commentary, deleted scenes, complete menus, navigations and features.

RatDVD format can be converted back into DVD format and burned to a DVDR and watched on a regular DVD player or computer.

As one might imagine, the anti-piracy groups don’t like it.

“I think it’s a bad thing,” said Mark Ishikawa, chief executive officer of BayTSP. “What this means is you now have the full DVD experience online, where before you just had the movie.”

The new software doesn’t support encrypted DVDs, but DVD decrypters are available online.