OT: DVD wrong zone.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul Johnson
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Paul Johnson

On a recent holiday to the UK I got several DVDs On return to Canada I had a
"wrong zone" message when I tried to play them. Anyone know how to solve the
problem. (And why does the stupid problem exist in the first place?)
Paul
 
On a recent holiday to the UK I got several DVDs On return to Canada I had
a
"wrong zone" message when I tried to play them. Anyone know how to solve
the
problem. (And why does the stupid problem exist in the first place?)

Rip them with DVD Shrink and make them region free, then burn back to DVD.
 
Are you trying to play them on your PC or a standalone player?
If on your PC do you use XP

DVD43Free
http://www.dvd43.com/

DVD43Free is a small, free tool that integrates into
Windows XP/2000 and overrides DVD-Video copy-protection
and DVD Region limitations.
 
On a stand alone player as I do not yet have a DVD player on my computer
(win98)
Paul
 
Message-ID said:
On a recent holiday to the UK I got several DVDs On return to Canada I had a
"wrong zone" message when I tried to play them. Anyone know how to solve the
problem. (And why does the stupid problem exist in the first place?)
Paul

The biggest issue is that the US and Canada use NTSC video format and
the UK and most of Europe uses the PAL standard. Specific to your
question, DVDs distributed in the UK are formatted as "Region 2" while
those distributed in Canada and the US are formatted "Region 1."

More info here:

http://hometheaterinfo.com/dvd3.htm

Mainly, the options depend on whether your DVD player can "switch" or
convert between formats, and if not, do you have a way to "rip" the
DVD then convert the output files to the proper format, then burn a
"new" DVD. I don't know if there's any freeware available to do that,
assuming you have the necessary computer hardware as well.

Otherwise, you've got "coasters" (or stocking stuffer gifts for any
friends in the UK.)

Good luck.

Ron M.
 
Ron May said:
The biggest issue is that the US and Canada use NTSC video format and
the UK and most of Europe uses the PAL standard. Specific to your
question, DVDs distributed in the UK are formatted as "Region 2" while
those distributed in Canada and the US are formatted "Region 1."

More info here:

http://hometheaterinfo.com/dvd3.htm

Mainly, the options depend on whether your DVD player can "switch" or
convert between formats, and if not, do you have a way to "rip" the
DVD then convert the output files to the proper format, then burn a
"new" DVD. I don't know if there's any freeware available to do that,
assuming you have the necessary computer hardware as well.

Otherwise, you've got "coasters" (or stocking stuffer gifts for any
friends in the UK.)

If they don't have a PC dvd reader/burner they cannot rip, if they did they
could patch the region code
and watch it on the PC without the need to rip. ( depending on
make/model/software).

The nerve of some people trying to undermine the cartel marketing master
plan.
They have only your best interests at heart.

Wait until HD-DVD when you cannot play without an internet connection,
discs are locked
to one player and only work for 3 days after first play. May as well just
payband
your favourite indy.
 
see Message-ID: <[email protected]> but reproduced here:

tried it a while ago - what a PITA. Here are my notes. I have not tried it
again so not sure if this is 100% correct. YMMV. The easiest way is to buy a
region-free & PAL DVD player online. I got one for US$100 delivered

Colin
===============================================
PAL (Video) DVD (25i Fps) -> NTSC DVD (29.97i Fps)
Install the following software:
DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0 - the most versatile ripper out there:
http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Rippers/SetupDVDDecrypter_3.5.4.0.exe
TMPGEnc http://www.tmpgenc.net/
AVISynth http://www.avisynth.org/
DGMPGDec 1.3.0 - latest version of the tool formerly known as DVD2AVI:
http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Decoders/dgmpgdec130.zip Includes mpg2dec.dll that
must be made available
decomb.dll
IFOEdit http://www.ifoedit.com/
Nero

1. Extract the VOB files from the PAL DVD disk
Run DVDdecrypter to extract un-encrypted files to a folder onyour hard disk. Set
"Mode->File" via menu or pushing "F" key.

2. Create the .AVS file and .AC3 file
Run DGIndex and load the all the decrypted VOBs and other files you've just save
on the hard disk, using the "Open" item in the "File" menu (you need to choose
only the first one of a sequence).
Check the "None" item in the "Field Operation" sub-menu of the "Video" menu.
Choose the desired audio track number (usually "Track 1") in the "Track Number"
sub-menu of the "Audio" menu.
Check the "Demux" item in the "Dolby Digital" sub-menu of the "Audio" menu.
Check the "Off" item in the "48 -> 44.1 KHz" sub-menu of the "Audio" menu.
Select the "Save Project" item in the "File" menu.
Choose a location and filename for the project name. A small text file with the
D2V extension will be created, and the audio track specified above will be
extracted from the VOB into an AC3 file in the same location. DGIndex created
an index file called *.d2v. It is read by DGDecode, which actually decodes the
MPEG and delivers the video. The index file just contains information that tells
DGDecode where each frame is located and some information about each frame.
But you can't just execute DGDecode directly! It has to be done through
AVISynth. We'll make a script file called myvob.avs using a text editor.
(I've already auotmated this as decsribed below, so just skip this avs editing
part)
Later in this document I'll show you how to configure DGIndex to make the script
automatically, but for now, you need to know the old-fashioned way. So put this
text into a new text file you make called 'myvob.avs':
loadplugin("...\DGDecode.dll")
mpeg2source("myvob.d2v")
Replace the path '...' in the first line with the path to the location where you
placed DGDecode.dll. Save the AVS file.
Yeah, But How Do I Do That Automatic Script File Thing?
Let's suppose you have a script that you use all the time. Maybe like this:
loadplugin("...\DGDecode.dll") < add the full path to DGDecode.dll
the LoadPlugin() command
loadplugin("...\Decomb.dll") < add the full path to Decomb.dll
the LoadPlugin() command
mpeg2source("myvob.d2v",cpu=6)
fielddeinterlace()
Copy this file to the same directory where DGIndex is located, and call it
'template.avs'. Then edit it to replace the D2V file name with __src__. It
should then look like this:
loadplugin("...\DGDecode.dll") < add the full path to DGDecode.dll
the LoadPlugin() command
loadplugin("...\Decomb.dll") < add the full path to Decomb.dll
the LoadPlugin() command
mpeg2source("__src__",cpu=6)
fielddeinterlace()
You see, DGIndex is going to use this as a template and insert the right file
name whenever it sees __src__. Slick, eh?

2. Create the .m2v file

Start TMPGEnc. Use the wizard as it starts, select straight "NTSC" option.
Select the avs file as the "video source" and leave the "audio source" blank
Push next, push next, ingore the 4GB warning
Specify the location and name of the "Output file name" with an M2V extension
These comments are included as they were inthe original documentation - I don't
use them:
In the "Rate control mode:" field, choose the type of encoding you want.
Multi-pass variable bit rate (VBR) settings produce better quality, but take
longer to encode. Choose your bit rate based on quality desired, length of
video, size of AC3 above, size of other files that will be on the destinaion
disc, and the size of destination medium. Do not exceed 9800 kbit/sec.
Choose "Motion estimate search (fast)" or "Highest quality (very slow)" in the
"Motion search precision:" field on the "Video" tab of the "Setting" dialog.
Press "OK" to convert, and encode the video.
3. Author Your DVD - converting .M2V and .AC3 to VOB

Use the authoring function of IFOEdit 0.95. IFOEdit needs a VIDEO file (.m2v)
and a AUDIO file (.AC3).

Click on "Author new DVD" in the menu "DVD Author" and
select the .m2v file from TMPGEnc Plus and the .AC3 file.

4. Burn the DVD

Use Nero and burn VOB's to VIDEO_TS folder in Nero's DVD template.
 
If they don't have a PC dvd reader/burner they cannot rip, if they did they
could patch the region code
and watch it on the PC without the need to rip. ( depending on
make/model/software).

The nerve of some people trying to undermine the cartel marketing master
plan.
They have only your best interests at heart.

Wait until HD-DVD when you cannot play without an internet connection,
discs are locked
to one player and only work for 3 days after first play. May as well just
payband
your favourite indy.
There's one solution. Don't use them. Lack of sales will cause them to
give such stupidity away. I'm certainly not going to connect to the
net just to watch a video.
 
Thanks to all who replied offering their advice.
I solved the problem by simply buying the only DVD player (so I am told)
which will play all DVDs of all regions. The make of the DVD Player is
MALATA Model DVP-500P.
Paul
 
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