[MilkmanDan]

So I'm here in Japan. I have a DVD I bought, its region 2, my 12in 1.33 rev c Powerbook is region 1. So I tried using several free program to break the css encryption (which is legal here in japan), except my DVD drive keeps giving me read errors. I even tried coping files directly off the DVD, read errors. Oddly my friends iBook has no issue with this.

Long story short, has anyone else had issues with their rev c Powerbook's dvd drive? I have the DVD-R drive, and so far have had no issues with it.

[MilkmanDan]

Heres the odd thing, I tried a different Japanese DVD and got the same results. Go figure. I then tried an American DVD, and no problem. Anyone have ideas?

[MilkmanDan]

Anyone know why ANY Japanese DVD I try I can not extract the video files by any means?

[MilkmanDan]

So I randomly found out that its a firmware issue with my drive. Newer DVD drives on the Powerbooks won't let you copy the VIDEO_TS folder off of the DVD unless the region matches.

Does anyone know of a firmware hack for the 1.33 ghz 12in Powerbook Superdrive, model number UJ-825. Any help would be great.

[wilsonng]

I thought using one of those rippers like Mac The Ripper would do the trick? The only time a VIDEO_TS folder can be copied straight from a DVD is if it is an unprotected/unencrypted DVD. Doing a straight copy from most commercial DVDs simply won't do the trick.

Originally posted by MilkmanDan:
So I randomly found out that its a firmware issue with my drive. Newer DVD drives on the Powerbooks won't let you copy the VIDEO_TS folder off of the DVD unless the region matches.

Does anyone know of a firmware hack for the 1.33 ghz 12in Powerbook Superdrive, model number UJ-825. Any help would be great.

[MilkmanDan]

Originally posted by wilsonng:
I thought using one of those rippers like Mac The Ripper would do the trick? The only time a VIDEO_TS folder can be copied straight from a DVD is if it is an unprotected/unencrypted DVD. Doing a straight copy from most commercial DVDs simply won't do the trick.

Nope, I've tried EVERYTHING and nothing will extract the VIDEO_TS folder. A comment on Cult of Mac blog said that thew newer Powerbooks won't let you get the Video_TS folder if its a different region code.

http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/

Thus I need a region free hack for my drive.

[JKT]

Download VLC and use that to play the DVD. IIRC, it is region agnostic.

[wilsonng]

A more flexible and a bit more expensive solutiopn is to use an external USB 2.0 or FireWire DVD-R drive.

Prices for DVD-R burners are certainly very low. I have a combo drive in my PB 12" so having an external DVD-R allows me to share the DVD-R drive with my TiBook and my wife's iBook.

Originally posted by MilkmanDan:
Nope, I've tried EVERYTHING and nothing will extract the VIDEO_TS folder. A comment on Cult of Mac blog said that thew newer Powerbooks won't let you get the Video_TS folder if its a different region code.

http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/

Thus I need a region free hack for my drive.

[MilkmanDan]

Originally posted by JKT:
Download VLC and use that to play the DVD. IIRC, it is region agnostic.

Man, I've TRIED VLC. Was my second guess. I still get the read errors.

[Londor]

You will not be able to rip or play out of region DVDs in any Matshita UJ-815, 816 or 825 drive unless you flash it with a region free firmware. Problem is there is not one available for the 825 yet.

Keep an eye here and here for one.

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by MilkmanDan:
Man, I've TRIED VLC. Was my second guess. I still get the read errors.

What about DVDBackup?

[MilkmanDan]

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
What about DVDBackup?

That won't work either. I need a firmware update! Curse you region codes! Curse you!!!!!!