basiclife
asked on
DVD Region Problem ???
Ok firstly, I don't want region-free, I don't want anything that invalidates my warranty, etc...
My problem: I bught a newDVD drive the other day (from a company called Novatech - http://www.novatech.co.uk) they are a good company to buy from in my experience and have always sold me quality hardware.
Now... My shiny new dual-Layer DVD-RAM drive works for everything EXCEPT commercial DVDs with region encoding - I can watch a commercial Billy Connoly just fine, but not scrubs season 1 for example. The only difference I can find betwen them is that BC is region 0 and scruibs is region 2.
Now I'm IN region 2 so all OK. I changed the Region for the DVD drive using the windows hardware properties window (as no software came for this with the drive).
However, I still can't play these region 2 DVDs
To clarify: by "can't play" I mean the drive doesn't acknowledge there's a disk inserted - The drive reports it is empty.
I'm not sure if this is the normal situation for a DVD region problem or if it's something else entirely...
Any help greatly appreciated.
My problem: I bught a newDVD drive the other day (from a company called Novatech - http://www.novatech.co.uk) they are a good company to buy from in my experience and have always sold me quality hardware.
Now... My shiny new dual-Layer DVD-RAM drive works for everything EXCEPT commercial DVDs with region encoding - I can watch a commercial Billy Connoly just fine, but not scrubs season 1 for example. The only difference I can find betwen them is that BC is region 0 and scruibs is region 2.
Now I'm IN region 2 so all OK. I changed the Region for the DVD drive using the windows hardware properties window (as no software came for this with the drive).
However, I still can't play these region 2 DVDs
To clarify: by "can't play" I mean the drive doesn't acknowledge there's a disk inserted - The drive reports it is empty.
I'm not sure if this is the normal situation for a DVD region problem or if it's something else entirely...
Any help greatly appreciated.
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ASKER
Thanks guys, yeah I have reset the refiojn as descriobed in Win 2K, as to the DVD-Region-Free stuff, I used a lot of it tyears ago so have a fairly good idea the problem is thta the drive won't even acknowledge there's a disc inserted...
ASKER
Bah! excuse awful typos :s Anyone else have any suggestions?
SOLUTION
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ASKER
Yeah the disc plays in the DVD player downstairs and a friends PC with 0 problems.
I'm aware of limited region changes but I'm in 2, want to stay in 2 and have 4 changes left as I've set the region to 2 from 1 (and used one of my changes).
What I'm unclear on is: If the disc is the wrong region, should it still appear to be inserted but not play? or just not read @ all?
I'm aware of limited region changes but I'm in 2, want to stay in 2 and have 4 changes left as I've set the region to 2 from 1 (and used one of my changes).
What I'm unclear on is: If the disc is the wrong region, should it still appear to be inserted but not play? or just not read @ all?
Do you have a dvd player?
as in power dvd. or media player classic or win dvd to name a few.. Media p0layer classic is free the others are not.
use media player classic with ffdshow which give you the codecs to support all formats including QT
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_players/media_player_classic.cfm
ffdshow
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow
as in power dvd. or media player classic or win dvd to name a few.. Media p0layer classic is free the others are not.
use media player classic with ffdshow which give you the codecs to support all formats including QT
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_players/media_player_classic.cfm
ffdshow
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow
ASKER
I have VLC, PowerDVD, Media Player 10 so should be able to play anything under the sun including a collection of codecs built up over the years that cover pretty much every encoding and don't clash (that was a mission to get!)
But it's not that the file won't play but that windows won't even see the disk. Noone has yet told me if this is correct?
It doesn't matter what software I have, if windows says the drive is empty they're not going to be able to read the VIDEO_TS file and without that, nothing's going to lpay the DVD
But it's not that the file won't play but that windows won't even see the disk. Noone has yet told me if this is correct?
It doesn't matter what software I have, if windows says the drive is empty they're not going to be able to read the VIDEO_TS file and without that, nothing's going to lpay the DVD
DVD/CD drive problems are often resolved by deleteing "upperfilters" and "lowerfilters":
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320553
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270008
The error messages are different, but the proceedure is the same.
Good luck!
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320553
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270008
The error messages are different, but the proceedure is the same.
Good luck!
ASKER
thanks for the suggestion. Through the wonders of RAdmin (and the girlfriend) I've managed to give this a try from work. Unfortunately, it doesn't seemt o have helped even after a reboot. Additionally, Nero is now dead. That's not a major problem as I backup up the keys before modifying but it doesn't bring me any clsoer to my solution.
the only thing I can think of is a dodgy drive.
the only thing I can think of is a dodgy drive.
SOLUTION
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ASKER
Already sent the request and had a response (I love that company!) Email turnaround time: 7 minutes. And i'm outside the normal returns period. Some things you can't argue with :)
thank you all for your help. I'm not quite sure on the protocol in this case for awarding points. So unless anyone objects I plan to split them evenly between contributors.
thank you all for your help. I'm not quite sure on the protocol in this case for awarding points. So unless anyone objects I plan to split them evenly between contributors.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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oh well I see you have decided to return the rom, took me a while to type it all up hahah too long.
Well good Luck with it.
Cheers Merete
Well good Luck with it.
Cheers Merete
ASKER
no worries. typing my own response now. Would appreciate your input
ASKER
I dont really believe there is a problem with this drive.
recapping the points that I feel stand out and need attention:
(1) I know they're region 2 'cos it says so on the box. I could accept an error on one but not all
(2) I live in the UK, the friend in question lives downstairs his PC DVD drive is region 2 as is our DVD player
(3) I'm aware region 0 = no encoding - that is why my original thought was a region problem
(4) I set my drive to region 2 as I'm IN region 2. Default for the dirve was "Not Set" - I changed to 2 in the hope that while "not set" it would ONLY read region 0 and setting it to 2 would resolve my problem
(5) Taking a step back here, I am currently AT work but can control my home PC remotely (which is where the problem is) The problem with nero was due to following a suggestion posted above regarding registry settings. I've been using Nero For more years than I can count as well as creating my own DVDs from home videos Etc... I understand about DVD structure as well as copy protection stuff although that's never been a real issue ebfore as I've only ever used DVDs that match my region to watch on my PC and the ones I make for myself, I never other region encoding/any other protection as there is no reason to. they only go out with christmas cards anyway.
the DVDs I am referring to are ones that I bought in virgin, took home and put in the drive. not some copy of them or anything off the internet. In fact, itronically, as things stand I coudl download somethign off the internet and make a nice DVD from it if i wanted to. the problem is that I want to watch (ie read) a standard DVD and it's not working
I don't want excessive region changes, I should have no need for them. to repeat the first line of my question: "Ok firstly, I don't want region-free..."
I have come to the conculsion the problem is with the drive because noone has yet been able to answer me this:
If the regions for the DVD and the Drive are mismatched: What happens? Does the disc display but not play in a player? or is the disc unreadable?
Just to reiterate here: I'm not TRYING to copy a DVD, I just want to watch bloody scrubs on my PC while I do some programming. I used to use a site called www.ess.tv (now gone) that streamed episodes of tons of series. It was nice background noise while I worked. Now they're gone, I've bought the DVDs instead. hence my problem here.
Are you still convinced the drive is ok?
recapping the points that I feel stand out and need attention:
(1) I know they're region 2 'cos it says so on the box. I could accept an error on one but not all
(2) I live in the UK, the friend in question lives downstairs his PC DVD drive is region 2 as is our DVD player
(3) I'm aware region 0 = no encoding - that is why my original thought was a region problem
(4) I set my drive to region 2 as I'm IN region 2. Default for the dirve was "Not Set" - I changed to 2 in the hope that while "not set" it would ONLY read region 0 and setting it to 2 would resolve my problem
(5) Taking a step back here, I am currently AT work but can control my home PC remotely (which is where the problem is) The problem with nero was due to following a suggestion posted above regarding registry settings. I've been using Nero For more years than I can count as well as creating my own DVDs from home videos Etc... I understand about DVD structure as well as copy protection stuff although that's never been a real issue ebfore as I've only ever used DVDs that match my region to watch on my PC and the ones I make for myself, I never other region encoding/any other protection as there is no reason to. they only go out with christmas cards anyway.
the DVDs I am referring to are ones that I bought in virgin, took home and put in the drive. not some copy of them or anything off the internet. In fact, itronically, as things stand I coudl download somethign off the internet and make a nice DVD from it if i wanted to. the problem is that I want to watch (ie read) a standard DVD and it's not working
I don't want excessive region changes, I should have no need for them. to repeat the first line of my question: "Ok firstly, I don't want region-free..."
I have come to the conculsion the problem is with the drive because noone has yet been able to answer me this:
If the regions for the DVD and the Drive are mismatched: What happens? Does the disc display but not play in a player? or is the disc unreadable?
Just to reiterate here: I'm not TRYING to copy a DVD, I just want to watch bloody scrubs on my PC while I do some programming. I used to use a site called www.ess.tv (now gone) that streamed episodes of tons of series. It was nice background noise while I worked. Now they're gone, I've bought the DVDs instead. hence my problem here.
Are you still convinced the drive is ok?
ASKER
grr sorry aout the first 2 lines copied from your post. I copied and pasted the lot to make replying easier. forgot to delete those lines
I see I see lol thank you kindly, yes agree its probably dead..btw I buy Dvd's off Amazon not download them just thought I'd clear that.
I use Winamp and shoutcast to stream live tv and found most of the tv were gone as I too enjoy watching it too..
I also have my computer hooked to cable tv.. but what I did to resolve the other for live streaming believe me there is heaps of others, unfortunately Ess has shutdown.
Dont worry I did plenty of research first, I bought this watch free live 6000 channels for free, I paid 15 dollars for the setup disc and can now watch live tv streams again.
It actually works pretty good.
All it is a server that you log onto and presto just search around. I figured for 15 dollars and I live in Australia too it would be no loss just to know how it works.
But I am happy with it after all.
http://www.oztion.com.au/auction/484669.aspx
Free online TV channels
http://whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/282751.html
Hope the new dvd player works seems unreal you get a bad one, make sure they send a disc with it too. :)
Have a Nice day
regards M
I use Winamp and shoutcast to stream live tv and found most of the tv were gone as I too enjoy watching it too..
I also have my computer hooked to cable tv.. but what I did to resolve the other for live streaming believe me there is heaps of others, unfortunately Ess has shutdown.
Dont worry I did plenty of research first, I bought this watch free live 6000 channels for free, I paid 15 dollars for the setup disc and can now watch live tv streams again.
It actually works pretty good.
All it is a server that you log onto and presto just search around. I figured for 15 dollars and I live in Australia too it would be no loss just to know how it works.
But I am happy with it after all.
http://www.oztion.com.au/auction/484669.aspx
Free online TV channels
http://whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/282751.html
Hope the new dvd player works seems unreal you get a bad one, make sure they send a disc with it too. :)
Have a Nice day
regards M
I did answer this too but incase I missed it the answer is yes>>If the regions for the DVD and the Drive are mismatched: What happens? Does the disc display but not play in a player? or is the disc unreadable? << the disc will be unreadable will spin with no results. You may be lucky to get a message unreadable or wrong format.
BTW if you bought it in UK it shoudl not have to be reset to any regeon should be regeon 2 by default?? go figure.. okay chow..
ASKER
I do know, and my apologies. I have to admit i forgot about this one.
The result was that the DVD drive WAS broken so there was no solution in this case. That aside, lots of people put time into this so poinks should be awarded....
The result was that the DVD drive WAS broken so there was no solution in this case. That aside, lots of people put time into this so poinks should be awarded....
thank you
Have a Merry Christmas basiclife
as I probably wont see you again for awhile.
Regards Merete
Have a Merry Christmas basiclife
as I probably wont see you again for awhile.
Regards Merete
ASKER
No worries, you're welcome and have a merry christmas too!
http://www.dvdidle.com/dvd-region-free.htm
However, if the drive will not play region 2 even though you have adjusted the settings, it may be time for a warranty return...
BTW, did you reset the region as outlined here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/249334
Bear in mind that you are only allowed to do this so many times...