dvp642 help

[tjpark1111]

Yesterday, I bought the DVP642/37 from BestBuy to watch recorded DVDs from Region 3. I did the open tray, press 7,8,9 then ok, then 0, and I normally saw the 0 in the bottom left. However, it will NOT play the discs. The DVDs are LG DVD-R discs, and it won't play. I've tried firmware version 0112, a step down from where it came from the factory, and it still won't work. What happens is it tries to read it for a minute or two, and it just stops and ejects the disc. I really need SOMETHING to play the discs that my relatives sent me so is there a solution? A note: I tried to install the strongly recommended firmware version 0513 I think, and the player just ejects the disc. However, I don't think the player's broken just yet because it plays regular commercial DVDs and XVID files fine. PLEASE I WILL DO ANYTHING!!! Suggestions for other DVD players would be great too.(that are purchasable in the US and that are not $400 US)

[chas0039]

I don't think your problem has anything to do with region as recorded DVDs rarely are region coded and a region mis-match should not result in an eject. You might have to look at the menu and see if you can set the machine to play PAL as it is possible these discs are not NTSC. It should be possible.

[mrsoul1952]

I just bought the same player at Best Buy and did the hack and I have no trouble playing PAL and non-Region 1 discs.

It sounds to me like the disc you're trying to play is bad. If the player won't load the disc, it usually means it can't read it.

I got a disc from a friend that wouldn't play and I ripped and reburned it and the new disc played fine. So you may want to try making a new disc.

[Junpei]

I know you want it to work with the DVP... but... if you really just need to see the media at ALL like you say, why not just use your computer?

[jman98]

Find a PC with a DVD player and see if it will play at all. See if the PC can even read the disc and if the VIDEO_TS directory exists. There is no guarantee that your relatives know what they are doing and maybe you got some bad discs. I have the DVP-642 and it will definitely play region 3 discs when you set it to region 0.

[tjpark1111]

i said i was desperate, and thx for all the replies. I didn't really even feel like telling my dad to drive me to best buy to get the thing. So, I tried the computer. The computer would not recognize the disc either, it just tries to read it and it makes weird noises. The dvd player I have at home (Zenith XBV243 DVD/VCR combo)wouldn't read it either, however, this is where I found the problem. After 3 minutes, on the screen, it said CHECK REGIONAL CODE. I tried the hack that was on this site for the xbv, and it didn't work, it still says CHECK REGIONAL CODE. My dad called Samsung, since my relatives had a samsung dvd recorder/vcr combo and they recorded the dvds, and they said that it was region related. I guess those recorders put a region code or some sort of copy protection on them automatically???? BTW, region 3 I heard is NTSC, so I didn't think of PAL. Also, there is only an option to switch the output signal, which are either multi, ntsc, or pal. I didn't try to change them at all because if it was in the wrong mode, then wouldn't there be weird picture effects like black lines and smearing pictures or something like that? P.S. my relatives definitely don't know what they're doing, they actually paid over $500 US to buy the unit and send me these discs, and the dealer probably gave them some free discs to use, obviously crappy ones. I don't exactly know if they even pushed the record button correctly or followed directions carefully, but they said they're not THAT DUMB. I just feel really bad that they spent all their time, effort, and money for me and pathetically I can't even play them. Another note about the LG DVD-Rs, it says 1-8x compatible "digital canvas" DVD. Luckily, my relatives sent me a different DVD also, an imation DVD-R 8x. I tried that disc on BOTH players and it ain't working either. I am a couple minutes away from returning this, any other solutions here? What dvd players out there can play DVD-Rs really good?

[havaham]

Maybe the disc's session is still open. If you have Nero and a DVD burner, you can "close" the session there.

[tjpark1111]

it's possible, but unfortunately I don't have a dvd burner right now. However, I plan on getting a NEC 3540A dvd burner. Do you know if that burner can be GUARANTEED to read DVD-R discs? If not, what others have been proven by others that it is good at playing DVD-R discs? Also, I really think the disc was finalized because they really wouldn't make a consumer standalone dvd recorder like that, or else the customers wouldn't be able to play it back themselves. I understand that computers=play anything unlike standalone hardware, I was just concerned about it not working and paying $40 for return shipping when I return it if I buy it from newegg. Some of you may not know, but region codes DO affect computer DVD drives as well. Since 2000, every DVD drive manufactured is flashed with RPC2, meaning it is region locked to where it was manufactured/purchased. However, modified firmware for DVD drives has enabled RPC1, meaning it is region free, a.k.a. before 2000. Speaking of which, my only computers are laptops right now, and I have to buy an external enclosure. However, upon reading instructions to install new firmware onto the 3540A, it said something about setting master/slave settings according to the jumper. Now USB2 does not equal IDE, so does that mean I can't flash the drive if I use an external enclosure? Because I guess you could still mess with the jumpers within the enclosure, but I'm not sure if the firmware updating program would recognize it as a drive that can apply master/slave and such. Sorry for getting off topic.. and sorry if I'm treating you guys like an idiot and everyone here knows this already. I asked my dad about the media and he said they were very good, but he is pretty much technology-illterate and anything he personally buys he says it's good lol. thank you all for your help, such nice people in this forum. I have too many questions, but there are so many things that I don't know.

[Junpei]

I think you're worrying unnecessarily about firmware and jumpers and all that.

If the computer doesn't even *see* the disc, then it must be a bad burn. Even if it WAS region encoded, the computer would at least see there is a disc there.

Being that you tried two different discs on multiple players, it really sounds like they must be bad discs. Coasters. I know the DVP-642 can recognize DVD-R's as I have used some myself (Memorex and TDK brands).

If not too much trouble, I'd probably try the following:
- Try the discs with a computer that you know is capable of reading DVD-R media. If it reads them, try playing them in VLC (I really stand by that application as a "miracle player" that can read things other software can't or won't).
- Send them back to your relatives and see if THEY can play them on the player used to burn them.

One last thing, getting off topic, since you asked if the NEC burner you were considering would be guaranteed to read DVD-R's. Probably will, but the Pioneer DVR-10x series (I have the DVR-106, newest is 109 I think) is really fantastic about reading all sorts of media. CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD+RW. There's no such thing as a disc it won't read, if the disc is readable at all. It's probably more expensive than whatever you were looking at though.

[tjpark1111]

thanks for all the help again guys. I am really doubting bad burns as they sent me at least 15 discs filled with korean tv shows that i really miss, and they ALL don't work. I'm not sure what you mean by the drive "sees" the disc, so you mean like it should show up as a video disc? In my computer, it shows the drive with nothing in it, no nothing. The drive just spins and really works hard trying to read it. 15 coasters? hmmm.... Anyways, I did hear that Pioneer drives were very good, thank you for your suggestion. I am also considering Plextor drives which I heard were good, but NEC really has the value. You know, I'm really starting to think they didn't even press the record button... Then again why would it say CHECK REGIONAL CODE on my zenith dvd player? ............ god why can't stuff be any easier! The only possibility that I can think of is crappy media or the disc not being finalized. Do you know if computers will read unfinalized media?

[jman98]

I have never heard of a home DVD recorder that puts a region code on discs it burns, although I suppose that could be possible, as insane as it is. I think it's possible that your relatives aren't closing the disc or that they are NOT recording anything at all. If the disc was really a region 3 disc, a PC would recognize it as a DVD, even if it didn't play it. You're not even getting that far, which means your discs are probably toast. If you know what you are doing, you can look at the burned side and see if it even looks like it was burned or not.

The CHECK REGIONAL CODE message is probably nothing more than a default message that means the player is trying to tell you that everything it tried to play the disc failed, so it is GUESSING that you have a regional code problem. That doesn't make it so.

If you buy a DVD burner that can burn DVD-R discs, yes, it should be able to read them with no problem. Without someone physically watching your relatives to see what they do (or don't do), who knows? Ask them to play one of the discs BEFORE they send it and see if it works. If it plays, then tell them they need to finalize it before sending it to you. If it doesn't play, then they may not be recording anything.

[tjpark1111]

thank you for the info again. I called them again and they said they played them back before sending them to me, so I guess it isn't finalized. I asked them about the menu within their dvd recorder, and they said they didn't see anything about stuff being finalized, just record and eject. BTW, do you have to finalize with a computer dvd burner? or do all standalone dvd recorders have a finalization feature? With all the helpful info gathered here(thank you again), it seems they haven't finalized it. It makes that possibility more appealing because they recorded not one, but multiple tv shows, and a dvd-r can't do that when finalized... hmm, my relatives said they read the manual too but... btw, can someone answer that question about the firmware for computer dvd burners? theres no point in buying a dvd burner+enclosure if i cant flash it with region free RPC1 and riplock removal.... once again, thank you. I think the manuals will be similar with korean and us versions of dvd recorders, so im looking for a finalization function right now. hmm, it seems you have to do it within the menu, which im 99% sure they didn't know was there. Will them to burn another disc confirming the finalization...
EDIT: ok so I called them again today for the last time, and they apologized that they didn't know about such a thing. I understand though, they really are tech-illiterate. They didn't read the manual thoroughly enough, and the instructions for finalization was in a page in small font where nobody could find(but is very important). I having other doubts though, I thought somebody said you can finalize the disc with a computer dvd drive, and I have tried on a Toshiba A45-S120, and an HP DV1000 laptop. Hmm, I guess the discs have to be finalized by the dvd recorder. God this was so confusing, couldn't have done it without all the help!! now gonna spend some $20 sending it back to korea, having them finalize it, them sending it back to me and me watching it which will take at least a month.... JEEZ...........

[giannid]

I really don't know how these dvd-recorders work, but perhaps they put some kind of protection on the new dvd so that what you record can't be played back on other dvd players, only the dvd-recorder that recorded it.

[chas0039]

I really don't know how these dvd-recorders work, but perhaps they put some kind of protection on the new dvd so that what you record can't be played back on other dvd players, only the dvd-recorder that recorded it.

That would limit their customer base to zero and would be pointless. Probably not the problem.