Software able to change region and classification index

[Yale10]

Hi

For testing purposes I need to create the same DVD disc (i mean content) but with different REGION and classification.

i can use DVD shrink to set any region, but it doesn't have ability to change rating (eg G, PG, M, MA........).

Can you suggest software (preferably freeware as i would need to use it once) which can set the region and can set the rating (some call it parental rating).

Many thanks!

[DB83]

Parental rating is not part of the dvd specification. I do not think that you can set that in ANY authoring software.

[hech54]

If a person's player is set up to read a DVD's parental rating...then it will not play the disc....so there must be something on the DVD that tells the player whether it's an R or X rated DVD.

[DB83]

If a person's player is set up to read a DVD's parental rating...then it will not play the disc....so there must be something on the DVD that tells the player whether it's an R or X rated DVD.

Oops. My mistake.

I would suspect that scenarist could do it. Any others ?

[Baldrick]

pgcedit?

[jman98]

I would suspect that scenarist could do it. Any others ?

I suppose it's always possible that there is some option to do it that I don't know about as I am merely an amateur, but I've never seen such an option in Scenarist. Maybe it's like CSS and it needs to be done at a pressing plant.

[Yale10]

Funny thing is that I can name dozen of programs removing or setting ZONE or REGION..... but non setting rating...

does anyone know where and how it set? The same DVD shrink removing it as well as DVD FAB or DVD Decryptor or ...
2 days of R&D and no clue...

[jman98]

I can understand why a person would want to create a DVD with different region codes for testing purposes (testing region free playback, for example). However I cannot see a good reason why anyone would want to set parental codes unless that person is trying to sell bootleg DVDs or running some kind of mom and pop video shop and is too cheap to pay for proper pressing of discs. Do understand that if your intention is to sell DVDs that you burned yourself that the odds are incredibly high that you are using low grade discs and even if you get the region code and parental rating working and you are 100% legal about the content of your discs that consumers may still have problems playing them because your discs are crap. If they aren't made by Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim (anything but their Life series, which is low grade) then whatever you are burning is not very good quality.

Anyway, I do not need any explanation. I found some more information on the subject that might be of use to you.

Pressing plants can set this for you.

DVD Architect 5.2 by Sony says it can set this for you, but it's not free.

Here's a link that talks about SPRM13 being the place for the values.
http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/155/865671
I have no idea but maybe PgcEdit could be used to manipulate SPRM13 and set a value there. Doing that is beyond my level of expertise and I could not care less about how it is done, so passing on this information is all I can do for you.

[hech54]

I wonder if a 1 to 1 exact copy of such a disc would exhibit the same behavior as the original?

[SLK001]

Never tried and never seen this flag (but have never looked for it), but maybe IFOEdit could set the proper flag.

[Yale10]

I can understand why a person would want to create a DVD with different region codes for testing purposes (testing region free playback, for example). However I cannot see a good reason why anyone would want to set parental codes unless that person is trying to sell bootleg DVDs or running some kind of mom and pop video shop and is too cheap to pay for proper pressing of discs. Do understand that if your intention is to sell DVDs that you burned yourself that the odds are incredibly high that you are using low grade discs and even if you get the region code and parental rating working and you are 100% legal about the content of your discs that consumers may still have problems playing them because your discs are crap. If they aren't made by Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim (anything but their Life series, which is low grade) then whatever you are burning is not very good quality.

Anyway, I do not need any explanation.

Dear jman98, why so negative? If you "do not need any explanation" then you do not need to say everything quoted above. I found your comment bit offensive and bit angry... more angry than...
As I mention it in my first post it is for testing purposes.
You are correct, regulations do require region lock on DVD players, but they are also require parental lock. Just for example - I have to test LCD/DVD/PVR combo which has several ways of locking the content. All of them must work including TV, DVD and PVR. (TV and PVR are more familiar to me but it is another story....)

I don't think that parents would like a situation when they make a record of some late night MA15+ program, on their LCD/DVD/PVR combo and in the morning 10 year old kid instead of recorded cartoons can watch that MA15+ recording just because combo units have different methods of protection on different parts.... or DVD part can lock anything from G to MA15+ but doesn't lock X18+. situation not nice...

Any way, many thanks for your suggestion! I will check it out... Please be positive...

[r0lZ]

Changing the region code is trivial. You can do that with PgcEdit. (Menu: DVD -> Region Code)

Changing the parental management is much more difficult. It's mainly because the parental code is not global to the whole DVD, but is specified independently for each title (in the VMG_PIL_MAIT table, located in VIDEO_TS.IFO). Of course, that table must have been created by the authoring software. If the DVD has no parental codes, then that table is simply missing, and you cannot edit it.

IfoEdit can display the content of the VMG_PIL_MAIT table, but IIRC, it cannot modify it (except with its Hex Edit option, difficult to use).

PgcEdit doesn't handle that table completely. It tries to reorganise it when titles or titlesets are swapped, and it can remove it completely, but it has no functions to edit it manually. (It's mainly because here in Europe, there are very few DVDs with parental management, and it is difficult for me to debug without concrete examples. Furthermore, I think that the best parental management method is to keep your porn/violent movies in a closed box. On a PC, it is easy to watch the VOBs directly and bypass the parental management.)

The VM command SetTmpPML can change the current title or menu parental level when it is executed. If the temp level set by the command is not allowed by the configuration of the player, then the player must request the password. Finally, the SetTmpPML GOTOes a line if the password is not correct. If the parental level configured in the player is acceptable or if the user can enter the right password, the navigation continues to the line following the SetTmpPML instruction. That command is usually needed only to display a DVD specific menu or return to the main menu when the user cannot enter the right password, but, as far as I know, it is not necessary when there is a SetTmpPML table. In that case, the player is theoretically able to handle the protection automatically when the playback of the title begins. I don't know exactly what the player is supposed to do when the password is wrong and there is no SetTmpPML instruction to tell him what to do. I suppose that it simply stops the DVD.

Perhaps it is possible to use SetTmpPML without a VMG_PIL_MAIT table, to force a certain parental level when, say, the pre-commands of Title 1 are executed. I have never tried that, but that should work. Of course, that kind of protection will be very leak without other protections, such as PUOs to prohibit selecting the prohibited title with the remote.

[Yale10]

Changing the parental management is much more difficult.

Precisely! Thanks r0lZ ! i will give it a try.

Looks like i have to study this subject very seriously. just yesterday... 2 machines, 2 DVD disks with "M" rating.... 1st machine can block both disks and another can block only one...

I think i have to dissect these disks and really understood where and why....

Thanks!