Problem with DVD drive

[lilly-the-kid.livejournal.com]

Hi everybody,

I hope someone here can help me.

I'm so furious! A while ago I bought a new computer, a HP Probook 470. So far so good. Today I wanted to watch a Region 1 DVD (I live in Europe) and I couldn't do it. I wasn't even asked if I wanted to switch region codes, it used to be the case that you could do that a number of times. (But even if I could do that, I wanna watch more than 3 DVDs in the future...) Anyway, I decided to rip the DVD like I had done before and that didn't work either, according to the error message because of the DVD drive and the region code. My brother can watch and rip the DVD fine on his computer even though he too is Region 2, of course.

Now I figure I'll have to get an external DVD drive if I ever wanna watch my Region 1 DVDs (for which I paid!) again. Any suggestions? I really don't wanna spend the money only to face the same problem. Would a Blueray drive make sense? Or could I buy a region 1 drive? Would that be compatitable with my notebook?

Thank you so much in advance for any advice you can give me!!!

Comments

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

You know, I have three laptops and not one ever asked for a region code! Two are Asus laptops and one is a Acer. They play whatever I put in them. My computer before this one (one of the Asus) was an Acer and it didn't ask either. I'm so sorry this happened to you! My fandoms are S&H and Pros so I switch region DVD all the time, plus I play my Brit Dvds from other shows a lot.

Rather than play money for an external, isn't there some technie who can change and/or fix this for you? I wish I knew more about this sort of thing.

If it makes you feel any better, I love your SH vid, Dilaudid. :)

[lilly-the-kid.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's pretty annoying. I could rip with my old laptop just fine and I didn't expect this, I'm so outraged :) I'm thinking about buying the same drive my brother has hoping that the newer version doesn't do the same bs as my current drive...

And thank you!! It really does make me feel better :)

[kuwdora.livejournal.com]

What kind of ripping software have you used? Are they the most recent versions? Are these new DVDs that might have newer, different encryption than older dvds? What kind of software does your brother use to successfully rip discs?

Do you have an already burned dvd of something that you could try and rip and see if that would work? If ripping a burned dvd works it would have to be something with the encryption and software and not your hardware.

[lilly-the-kid.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your reply! I use DVD shrink and I took a DVD I had ripped with it before on my old laptop without any problems. This time it started ripping for like a second and then there was the error message saying the DVD had the wrong region code. My brother also uses DVD shrink so I can only think the drive itself is the problem.

[emma-in-oz.livejournal.com]

As a tech-twit and an Australia, my solution has literally been that I own three laptops, set to three different area codes. A ridiculous, unnecessary and expensive solution to a problem imposed entirely by the greed of massive corporations.

[lilly-the-kid.livejournal.com]

I think this is what they all would like us to do... I think I'll try the portable DVD drive first. The best part is: had I just downloaded the movies I wouldn't have any problems at all. I hate getting punished for spending money.

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

Basically, you just need a new firmware for your dvd drive. Here is a good article (http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/rpc1.htm) about the whole thing.

Or you could use some dvd-ripping software to copy disc to your harddrive and watch it from there. I can't advise anything specific, it's been too long since I had this problem, so just google smthing like "rip protected dvd".

[lilly-the-kid.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your reply! Like I said ripping doesn't work. I tried ripping a Region 1 DVD I had ripped before on my old laptop without problems. This time I got the error message about the wrong region code, so it's really the drive itself that is the problem.

I'll check out the firmware thing!

[luminosity]

I've had this issue as well in the past, and when I've ripped DVDs using DVDDecrypter, all was well. However, it still pisses me off. Just generally.

[lilly-the-kid.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's so frustrating! I tried ripping a DVD I ripped with my 8 year old laptop without any problems and now the exact same thing (same DVD, same software) doesn't work on the new laptop. If this is progress then I don't want it! I get so angry at things like this, it's like getting punished for spending money...

I'll take a look at DVDDecrypter! Thank you :)