DVD Shrink - region encoding?

[soneman]

I noticed that DVD Shrink has a feature that allows region encoding when re-encoding or re-authoring original, dual layer DVD movie discs. Would you recommend me to re-encode my backups as Region 2 discs? And if yes, what would I need to enter into the ProviderID text box?

I'm just wondering if this method is more reliable than burning region-free DVDs.

This is because my region-free DVDs can be read in my PC's DVD-ROM drive and my 2 stand alone DVD players (Yakumo XL2 and Alba DVD54) but can't always be recognised by my Playstation 2 console.

However, my region 2 DVDs are playing perfectly fine all the time. Especially in the Playstation 2 console.

So does anyone know anything further about DVD Shrink's region encoding capabilities?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[offline]

No, region encoding is just a software flag on the DVD structure to activate the DVD players on board protection. There is no increase in reliability. All players are designed to play region 0 DVD's, regardless if they are region locked or not. Region 0 or "region free" also means "world region" i.e that DVD is designed to playable world wide - quite a few commercial DVD's are made like this.

[soneman]

So what can I do then to get my DVD backups (which are region-free) to work flawlessly on my Playstation 2 console?

EDIT: My Playstation 2 is having real problems reading Region 0 DVDs. Including commercial Region 0 DVDs.

[offline]

Misread part of your post. Your playstation may be a different story. Have you tried different media?

[jimmalenko]

No, region encoding is just a software flag on the DVD structure to activate the DVD players on board protection. There is no increase in reliability. All players are designed to play region 0 DVD's, regardless if they are region locked or not. Region 0 or "region free" also means "world region" i.e that DVD is designed to playable world wide - quite a few commercial DVD's are made like this.

I know nothing about the "nuts n bolts" side of this, but I have heard of and seen cases where settop DVD players are region-locked, and would only play the particular region that was appropriate, not playing Region 0 or Region-Free DVDs. Whether that is a flaw of the players (not made to spec or whatever), I don't know; all I know is that it is possible.

[offline]

Yep. I'm not a ps2 expert but you need either something like "DVD Region X" which I think is a special boot CD or a mod chip to play region 0 DVD's on your UK ps2.

Someone should know exactly; if not the try a search since this may be a common issue.

[soneman]

No.

I assumed that Sony DVD-R discs would work fine on a Sony Playsation 2 console.

The thing is, I'm using the same blank discs for both DVD Video and for Playstation 2 DVD-ROM. And I haven't had any problems playing Playstation 2 game backups.

That's why I can't seem to understand why the same discs won't work as flawlessly for DVD Video on the same console.

[offline]

all I know is that it is possible

Could be but it is against the licensing agreement.
The Playstation is not really what I'd call a DVD player, regardless.

[jimmalenko]

The Playstation is not really what I'd call a DVD player, regardless.

Exactly. Same with XBOX. It was more of an afterthought than a fully fledged business decision to make them support DVD-Video in the first place IMHO. It's like saying that Roxio or Nero *CAN* encode your videos for you

[soneman]

Yep. I'm not a ps2 expert but you need either something like "DVD Region X" which I think is a special boot CD or a mod chip to play region 0 DVD's on your UK ps2.

Someone should know exactly; if not the try a search since this may be a common issue.

Wait, if this is true then how come some of my DVD backups are recognised by the Playstation 2 console and some aren't? This despite using ths same brand of media, the same DVD Burner and the same method of ripping, re-encoding and burning (via DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink).

And even the ones that are recognised by the Playstation2 console, they don't always play whenever I want them to. Some DVD video backups aren't recognised at all.

Does this sound like I need DVD Region X?