If I have a region 2 DVD and I wanna copy it by changing the code on my computer DVD player will I be able to burn it and eliminate the region code on the copy?

Region code? Never heard of that. I just use X-Copy Express or X-Copy Gold. Works every time.

The issue is ... will the copy I make be region free not how do I make a copy.

Explain the whole region thing please. Not everyone knows what you mean (including me). Its fun to learn new things!

hometheater.about.com/cs/dvdlaserdisc/a/aaregioncodesa.htm (http://hometheater.about.com/cs/dvdlaserdisc/a/aaregioncodesa.htm)

Ok that was an eye opener.

The limiting factor into the region code is the PLAYER. if you make a copy of a region 2 DVD on a burner whose player function is set to Region 1, it will still make the copy, since its just copying down a file format just like it was copying a text file. It will still be a Region 2 disc since thats what the file says its coded as being. If someone asks you to make a copy of something written in Spanish, you could do it just fine, since its still the same alphabet with only a slight variation. Unless you actually can SPEAK spanish though, then the words you just transcribed do not make any comprehensiable sense. That analogy is not really all together true, since the Region code is just a FLAG embedding in the disc coding and not an encryption form. So, if you change your burner/dvd player region setting, all you did was just change the player function and the flag it looks for, not the copying. The copier doesn't give a shit where the DVD is from, because it doesn't need to read a region code to do its magic. Its not a flag it needs to check. What you need is a player that doesn't care what region the movie is, since it can intrepret any one of the regional codes or just plain doesn't recognise the movie as being in a format where it has to look for a regional code. Make sense?

Also since I was bored and have a few beers in me, I poked around the Web a bit to see whats out there. There are software players that get around regions:

dvd.golddownload.com/DVD_X_Player_Professional.html (http://dvd.golddownload.com/DVD_X_Player_Professional.html)

Probably works well if you have an "S" video cable to your TV set from your computer or just have a decent sized moniter for viewing. Pretty much eliminates the need to worry about where the DVD was sold, as long as you play it on your computer with this software. Doesn't do you any good if you want to play it in a stand alone DVD player though.

Or you can find a ripper and change the DVD's format into a DIVX AVI,VCD, or SVCD copy. Again you might be stuck with a computer only player solution but from what I understand, many DVD players also will play VCD. If the player thinks you are looking at a VCD of someone's home movies of a wedding it might not think to look for a region code. Also, you can maybe track down a stand alone DVD player manufactured for a non-US or European market. Supposedly there are players out there that will read ANY Region DVD, because it doesn't even have the firmware built in to check for the Region code flag. They tend to be cheaper models for the Asian market.

It all seems to center around what the PLAYER will let you do. You can either find a computer software that lets you play any region CD (guessing what you or a friend of yours really wants to do is WATCH the damn Region 2 DVD), change the firmware of the player (bad juju unless you really know what you are doing and thats only doable with computer DVD-ROMS) or change the format of the DVD coding to something else in order to "fool" the player into thinking its not actually playing a copyrighted movie. Guessing the ripper is the way to go, because its what has Hollywood's attention and the courts, probably more than likely due to it holding the key to getting around Region codes. I know in the military, they show first run movies that are just as good as quality, digital, and are NOT in a file format that is DVD. They are not even stored on a disc but in the form of a digital tape media like what people back up servers with. I don't know what format it is, but it can be duplicated onto a recordable DVD format, region free, and is what you are most likely to find posted on the Internet, if its not some piece of shit made by someone sitting in a theater with a digital camcorder. It works because its not in a standard DVD format so the player doesn't think to look for a region code.

There you have it. I drank 2 beers in the time it took to learn this exciting new information!

Now see that contradicts everything I have learned about tonight. Burned DVDs turn out region free because the region code is only a small part at the front of the disc that tells the player not to play it, the copy process doesnt encode this part of it. That is why you can switch your computer DVD rom to play any region in a simple click. At least thats what I was told.

well, I did find this:

In general, region codes don't apply to recordable DVDs. A DVD that you make on a PC with a DVD burner or in a home DVD video recorder will play in all regions (but don't forget NTSC vs. PAL differences, see 1.19). Region codes do not apply to DVD-Audio.

Found it Here:

www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#1.10 (http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#1.10)

So, hey, make a copy of that region 2 disc on your computer and see if it plays on your DVD player hooked up to your TV. If the player reads DVD+R/DVD-R etc, then it should play it. Worth a try. If so than what I wrote up there doesn't mean diddly but at least something was learned.

The true test is to see if that Region 2 disc will still burn even if your burner is set to play Region 1 discs. You are usually only allowed to change the region setting 5 times, so if it won't burn without changing the region setting than its not a habit you can get into, unless you have more than one burner unit.

I downloaded a program that jumps the disc over the region code. I am going to try and burn the DVD today and play it on my TV.

Well, let me know how it turns out. I am going to Japan for 6 months starting in december so I am kinda curious as to what my options are.

I believe one can get inexpensive chips to mod their DVD players and render them region-free so that ANY DVD no matter what the coding, will play on that machine. I'm pretty sure this is true for PS2 and X-Box, so I'd imagine it would be available for an actual DVD player as well. Just search for DVD mod chips or something.

Really the issue is my computer. Like I said I downloaded a program to fix the region code problem. I have yet to burn a DVD cause Im not sure I have a program too yet ... lol new computers and all that. Will add an update when I see what happens.

Christ people, don't you just email me this stuff?

www.dvddecrypter.com/ (http://www.dvddecrypter.com/)
www.dvdshrink.org/ (http://www.dvdshrink.org/)

These are the ONLY two programs you EVER need to copy ANY DVD provided you have some talent and they are both FREE.

DVDDecrypter can make a 1-for-1 copy of any DVD (DVD-5 or DVD-9) and remove all region codes, and PUO (prohibited user operations -- you know, the things that stop you from fast-forwarding during the Disney Previews).

DVDShrink will let you convert a DVD-9 to a nice burnable DVD-5. It will "auto" do it for you, or you can manually select what compression rates, video and audio tracks you'd like.

As an added bonus, DVDShrink will make your output in a nice tidy ISO that DVDDecrypter can burn for you -- meaning you don't have to go steal a copy of Nero any longer.

Dual-Layer DVD Burners are now available for $100, but media is still nearly non-existant. You can get yourself a nice 8x burner for under $70 any day of the week at Fry's, and you can get QUALITY (read: Ridata/Ritek) media for about $0.50 each in 4x from www.meritline.com (http://www.meritline.com) or www.supermediastore.com (http://www.supermediastore.com) -- and about a buck a piece for good quality 8x media.

Also, the Epson R200 is now a $90 solution for direct-to-CD printing. I've got the R300, but it prints nicely on the back of white-backed DVDs, giving me pretty discs.

Thank you much ‚æ.

Heh. Guess I'm gonna have to download a couple of programs tonight.

These are the ONLY two programs you EVER need to copy ANY DVD provided you have some talent and they are both FREE.


They couldn't tackle my Terminator 3 DVD (central europe version) like uhm two months ago or so, so I would rephrase that to NEARLY ANY DVD. But yea they work just fine for most DVDs.

Otherwise I could copy a region 1 DVD with my region 2 player to a region free result with them so yea they are good for that purpose.

Lummus, the bulk of the black market shit you'll see over there in Japan is gonna be universal. My dad bought around 200 DVDs ($1/piece) and brought them back over the course of his trips to China / Japan ... and they all work fine.

Grabbed the software and attempted to copy Return of the King.

DVDShrink said "this stuff is copy protected."

Fired up DVDDecryptor. Not sure how things really happened, but I ended up with a around 8 gigs of files on the heard disk. Hmm. Not really sure what to do with this.

Fired up DVDShrink again and pointed it to that directory. I said "pick the major files" and somehow ended up with a 4.whatever gig ISO. Burning it now, we'll see how it looks.

DVDShrink doesn't care if the disk is "protected." It will remove Macrovision, PUOs, and it'll write disks back out any region you choose.

I'd throw in my RotK, but I'm holding out for the "good" one.

The 4.something gig ISO you ended up with will work just fine.

Use the "Mode -> ISO Read" function in DVDDecrypter to pull ISOs from disks you have "problems" with (stripping regions and PUOs when you gram them), and then write them back out after compressing them with shrink -- but the "DVD Decrypter first" step is *rarely* necessary.

Palimax, I would like to know how to convert a DVD to SVCD, also in DIVX. Also is there a way to cut a DVD in many CDs, still using DVD image quality?

After the "protected" message, DVDShrink wouldn't continue. Btw, do rental disks have any different kinds of protection that purchased disks?

Anyway, I burned the ISO. THe picture quality seems as good as the original (but then I'm not THAT picky). sound seems OK, but I couldn't really test it - the wife was asleep.

I've gotta read the sites and understand how it was compressed to fit on a single layer disk. Cool stuff, though. I'll play with making a data disk in the next few days with this software.

In any case, thanks for the links.

I agree that DVD shrink is pound for pound the best DVD copy software on the free market thus far. I haven't had a need for dvd decrypter thus far though. As previously stated, dvd shrink converts region coding to region 0 so it can be played in almost any dvd player.

I personally prefer DVD-r over DVD+r It seems to me that the -r format playes in more older players then the +r format, any feedback on that? There isn't a superior format from what i have seen, although i only use Ritek media.

If anyone cares here is my collection thus far, soon i will rule the world with my collection. or I developed that "OMG I must collect them all syndrome that chinPokemon had on our southpark youth. www.darkhelmet.webhop.net

as long as you only grab the main movie clip it should fit with minimal compression. But seriously, why not buy LoTR. Its worth the price, or at least amazon it.

Most of the reason for the duel layer is for all the other bilge that they cram into a DVD, forign language audo tracks, comentary, and a TON of stills.

I only copy movies that I own, or atlease wouldn't want to spend the cash to buy. :evil

www.darkhelmet.webhop.net

DAMN you ezboard, make it a link!!!

why not buy LoTR

Oh, I will. I buy a lot of DVDs. But I'll buy the extended version.

LOL, thats my problem, I will too. I own both versions of fellowship, and two towers. But I only got the Book looking version, i didn't go for the book end package, however, now I kinda wish i had, so I could put my trilogy in there. That would have looked cool. Hm, i ma talking to myself again, damnit.

Ok, a couple of answers in no particular order:
<!--EZCODE LIST START--><ul><li>I buy tons of DVDs, including LotR, and I copy a jot of junk.</li><li>Rental DVDs, including Netflix (which I use) aren't special in any way.</li><li>I find DVD-R and DVD+R roughly the same, except you can't get 8x DVD-R media.</li><li>The best explanation of the "quality" of the rip is to compare them to Superbit DVDs. MPEG-2 is VBR (variable bitrate). It takes between X and Y bits-per-second to make a good movie. It's good enough for most people at X but they make a lot of movies at Y anyway. Superbit movies make Y as high as possible. Those discs with 2 old movies on them (or 3 or 4 -- look in the bargain bins) use a nice low X :) </li></ul><!--EZCODE LIST END-->

Thanks Palimax (/roleplay off. BTW. I would never thank you for anything in game) for sharing those 2 programs. This software really proves that the best things in life are free. I have yet to have a burn that was anything less than supurb and its nice to pop in a movie and have it play the movie...and thats it.

How do you leave off stuff you dont want? O and can you take a big movie and make it into 2 DVDs to keep from compressing it?

Ž„<3‘Å*Â�쎵Â�£

(a) in DVD-Shrink, click the "Re-author" button on the top right, then just drag what tracks you want to your new disc compilation. A lot of "crappy" films, I just grab the feature presentation and, then, sometimes the studio logo if it's a seperate track. Or the DTS intro track, or something to "announce" the movie is starting.

(b) Yes. You can select a range of the film to convert in much the same way. Say you feel that even though High Noon is in black and white, you're gonna need to use two discs to store it. Go to re-author, drag the title track into the DVD Structure area, then, use the [-> <-] button to select the start and stop of the section. Just do half now, and the other half later.

In more interesting news, you can get ONE dual-layer DVD-recordable, if you buy a 10-pack of DVDs from Meritline. So, buy a TWENTY FOUR dollar pack of discs and you can get one 8.5gb dual layer disc. Insanity. Keep waiting. High quality discs are still cheap.

Can any writer burn a dual layer disc?

Okay so I am really mostly interested in burning Japanese movies that are region 2 so I can watch them without buying a new player ETC. The problem is if I use the "reauthor" button the menus lose their functionality and I cant make a copy that includes the subtitles. Is there anything Im missing?

You can keep subtitles if you re-author.

You can keep the movie 1-for-1 by simply choosing appropriate compression options.

...but yes, if you re-author, you'll lose menus.

Im not sure how to keep subtitles then cause it wont add the language selection tracks.

It will :)

Take, for example, this Region-6 (PAL) copy of Around the World in 80 days. Lets pretend for a second that you can watch PAL videos (and don't need to convert it to NTSC like I did - sorta - long story).

Anyway, you just want the main track...

You go into Re-author mode, and you drag the main track over to the new DVD Compilation.. ..then, just click the compression settings tab on the far right, and you're back in the same sort of view you're normally in when just compressing a disc. Then, feel free to decide what audio and subtitles you'd prefer.

Someone asked how to make VCDs from their DVDs.
www.videohelp.com/dvdbackup#6;31 (http://www.videohelp.com/dvdbackup#6;31)

Hmmm I see what your saying but it never shows them on the previews that i run .. Ill just have to burn a test copy and see how it comes out.