Convert region and add audio

[Togelax]

Hello. I hope I am posting in the right place my question and that someone can help me.

I bought a series of region 4 DVDs. First of all i want to know if there is a way of converting the DVDs to region 2 so I can play them in my devices. I don't want to make my devices able to play other regions. I really want the DVDs to be as a region 2.

After that, I want to add a new audio so I can have a second language. If that's not possible then I would like to delete the movie from the DVD and replace it with a new video that has the new language I want.

Also, I want to use the original retail DVD, I don't want to copy the files and create a blank DVD.
I don't know If what I'm asking is possible but I'm willing to do something radical such as format the retail DVD and burn it with what I want.

[lingyi]

No, you can't do anything to the original DVD. It's a pressed (or possibly burned) disc that is permanently read only. There's no formatting, erasing or adding/deleting anything from it.

You have to RIP (i.e. make an exact bit for bit copy) the disc to your hard drive using a program like DVDFab. By default, ripping the disc will remove the Region Code, making it region free. You then need to burn the image on your hard drive to a new DVD.

[netmask56]

You cannot change a commercial disc in any way, they are pressed just like old vinyl discs. If you don't want to make copies, easy enough then you need to buy a region free standalone DVD player. They are cheap enough, well in Australia as we are so close to Asia.

https://www.google.com.au/shopping/product/5623121595967699554?

[Togelax]

Ok, I could make a copy to a different DVD. The thing is I really like the design of the original DVDs and I would like to maintain it. Do you have any suggestions?
Maybe scan the original DVD and make it so I could print it in a blank DVD?

[lingyi]

Assuming you're talking the image on top of the disc. If so, yes you can scan it. However, you'll have to use a printable top DVD* and use a special DVD inkjet printer. DON'T use a paper label as they're known to cause issues with warping and balance problems. Bottom line, unless you already have the discs and the printer, way more cost and trouble than it's worth! Especially for something you'll see for only a few seconds before you put it in the player.

*Use only Verbatim AZO or DataLifePlus DVDs https://www.amazon.com/s?k=verbatim+printable+dvd-r&crid=L6CWOMJEWLGD&sprefix=verbatim...b_sb_ss_i_1_22 Any other brand will likely give you problems.

[DB83]

Oh. Jeez. It's a label on the top of the disk. Put it in your player and you soon forget about it.


As my friend above eloquently states, more trouble than it's worth.


What puzzles me tho is the Region 4 bit. Ok. It exists for certain countries such as Australia. But the only disk I ever acquired from Oz was Region 2/4 - there was no Region 2 disk at that time yet because it supported both then it played in Region 2 players.


I can understand some disks being Region 4 only. Yet it restricts its potential audience if that is the case.

[lingyi]

Region 4 is actually pretty extensive:

Latin America (except French Guiana and
Puerto Rico), the Caribbean, and Oceania

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_region_code

I never bothered to fret about region codes since I used to have a region free player and now rip and play everything from my HDD.

[koberulz]

I can understand some disks being Region 4 only. Yet it restricts its potential audience if that is the case.

That's literally the entire point of region codes...

[Cornucopia]

Ripping is necessary if the OP wants to add a 2nd audio track, and the process of ripping almost always includes removing the region coding (making it all-region). Kill 2 birds w one stone.

Ripping should be easy. Burning too. Re-authoring less so. But your main difficulty will be lining up the 2nd audio track in an editor (along w the video & orig audio) to get it in sync. And that's assuming it's the same length & edit cuts.

Scott

[DB83]

I can understand some disks being Region 4 only. Yet it restricts its potential audience if that is the case.

That's literally the entire point of region codes...

I should have expanded on my remark.


Some Region 4 only disks I have seen relate to tv programs produced in Australia. Some of these productions have been seen over here but no dvd has AFAIK ever been released elsewhere. In that scenario potential income is being lost. One particular series I am thinking about was called 'Chances'. The first series was quite 'normal' but the second was really off-the-wall.


Over here I have seen dvds released Regions 2/4 which makes more sense.

[manono]

As mentioned, making it all-region is easy. Just decrypt it to the hard drive.

Adding new audio requires some work.
1. Demux the assets (audio, video, subs, if any, chapter points) of the movie (PGCDemux).
2. Reauthor, adding in the new audio and the other stuff (Muxman).
3. Add the 'new' movie back into the original DVD (VobBlanker).

You have to make sure the new audio is DVD compliant (AC3, usually, 48000kHz) and that the combined bitrate doesn't go over the max allowed and that this audio actually matches up with the rest of the DVD (same length). You'll have to 'turn on' (make available) the new audio (PGCEdit). Making the menu change will be virtually impossible for you so you'd choose the new audio by using the remote control.

See what's involved? I'd suggest forgetting the whole idea.

[netmask56]

Buy a region 4 DVD player or better still a multizone region free. Put a little decal on the front with a big 4, way cheaper solution long term. Back in the day before region free players were available or firmware to make DVD players region free many enthusiasts here in Sydney would go down to Chinatown and buy a no brand region 2 and a region 1 machine and stick little flag decals on the front. Still in Australia where half the population is imported from all over it was a major problem, people immigrating with their household goods and DVD's etc...