Disks with parental management

[isaacj]

I was just wondering if anyone here has encountered problems with DVDs containing parental management? Especially with the slightly "off-brand" models we often use to play DVD-Rs. Basically, when a disk has PM on it, the player will sit there and spin the disk for a while as it tries to play it, then gives up. No error message, no anything. I have had two such players (a Daewoo, now deceased, and currently a Lite-on set top recorder). But my Toshiba has no problems with PM. It plays DVD-Rs very poorly, however.

Note that the parental level of the player has no bearing on this. I keep it turned off, but even tried turning it on just in case it helped. No luck. Even if I copy the disk and simply use PGC Edit to remove the parental management, I can't get past the menu screens. Note that my Toshiba has trouble playing DVD-Rs, so I can't just use that. My only solution so far has been to rip the DVD and completely reconstruct its contents from scratch. But I have never seen anyone else complain of this even though I have had it happen twice, with different name brand models.

Anyone encounter this and know how to fix it? Thanks for your time.


IsaacJ

[Krispy Kritter]

I've never heard of any issues with PM. I don't think I've even seen a disc with PM on it.

As for your Toshiba, most playback issues are media related. You can try looking up your player in the DVD Players section and see what media others have had success using, or you can try quality media such as Verbatim or TY.

[isaacj]

I'm not really worried about the Toshiba so much. I bought the old Daewoo and then the Lite-on to play those kinds of disks so I wouldn't have to worry about it. I have never purchased a top-name brand player that handles DVD-Rs very well, though they might have improved in recent years. In any case, I only use the best media I can get, as everything else is usually garbage.

Many DVDs have PM, but you don't see it unless yours is activated. I have never had even a single disk throw up a PM screen at me, yet when I rip them, the PM is often there. If you scan them in PGEdit, you'll find it. Even DVDs from TV series often have it. The only time I see any sign of it's existence is when I disable it on a disk that I've ripped, and -- of course -- when my players malfunction because of it.

I tried updating the firmware on the Lite-on yesterday. I couldn't find an update when I first bought it, and it's rather difficult to get for US residents for some reason. But afterward, I was able to get at least one disk to play that had PM, so maybe that fixed the problem. I'll keep trying it and see. I still don't know what problem is, but perhaps it is something in the factory firmware.

Thanks for the reply.


IsaacJ

[Krispy Kritter]

Does the issue happen with original discs also or just your rip's? It could be an issue with the software you are using to "disable" the function.

[isaacj]

I'm back. I still seem to be having trouble with other disks after all. Thanks for the reply, Kritter.

So far, I have only noticed this with rips I make when playing them on my Lite-On recorder or my (now dead) Daewoo. I have tried using PGCEDIT to remove this setting, but the player never gets past that first menu asking if it's all right to play the disk without PM enabled.

Note that the Toshiba doesn't have this problem, but it does not like DVD-Rs very much. Some it plays fine, while others--even when made with the same brand--it will only play part of the way. I mostly use Ritek and Taiyo Uden, or occasionally TDK. They are not knock-offs, and always work flawlessly with the Lite-on except when PM enters the picture. PM is the only common denominator I can find between them, but if someone has an explanation I haven't thought of, please let me know. When I leave the PM on a disk by accident, it usually starts to play them, then just stops the way some players do when they encounter a command they don't understand.

Thanks to anyone with any tips or advice. So far, I seem to be the only one with this issue.



IsaacJ