Is it possible to backup a R2 DVD?

[Bob W]

I want to buy this DVD on eBay but it's a R2 DVD and I'm in Nevada. Thing is the movie is not available as a DVD at all in the states. Will I be able o backup this DVD on my computer or will my DVD burner/player simply not read the disk?

[LloydAZ]

I want to buy this DVD on eBay but it's a R2 DVD and I'm in Nevada. Thing is the movie is not available as a DVD at all in the states. Will I be able o backup this DVD on my computer or will my DVD burner/player simply not read the disk?

Download and install DVD43 from the tools section. That will allow you to view discs from other regions. Then simply rip the DVD like you normally would any Region 1 disc.

The only problem that you may have is if the disc is encoded as PAL. Your stand-alone player may or may not be able to play it. The DVD-ROM drive on your computer won't have any problems, it doesn't care.

[hech54]

Your DVD-Rom will most likely ask you to change the region setting to do what you want. No problem BUT you only have 5 changes allowed normally.
You can back up the disc which will make it region free/all BUT(again a but) the result will still be a PAL disc.
You have two hurdles...region coding and color system(PAL and NTSC).


Oops...Lloyd types faster..

[canadateck]

Dont need to set it to Region 2 to Rip it. Only to Play it.

[Bob W]

Your DVD-Rom will most likely ask you to change the region setting to do what you want. No problem BUT you only have 5 changes allowed normally.
You can back up the disc which will make it region free/all BUT(again a but) the result will still be a PAL disc.
You have two hurdles...region coding and color system(PAL and NTSC).


Oops...Lloyd types faster..

So is there a way to convert it to NTSC from PAL? I think my Oppo DVD player will play PAL discs but it would be nice to be able to play the disc in any player I have.

[hech54]

It's not easy...

[FulciLives]

The OPPO does excellent PAL to NTSC on the fly plus it is region free so you will have no issues playing the DVD back on the OPPO out to a NTSC TV.

If you want to re-encode to NTSC then yes this can be done but it is a very long and slow process and you can forget about keeping the original menu as you will have to re-author it with whatever DVD authoring program you have be it TMPGEnc DVD Author or DVD-Lab etc.

Here are a couple of threads worth reading:

1.) THE HOLY GRAIL? ... A new method of PAL to NTSC conversion!

2.) PAL to NTSC problem

In the first link I give a "mini-guide" on doing PAL to NTSC and in the second link I mention a few additional things I've learned since especially in regards to when the source is an INTERLACED source intead of a PROGRESSIVE source.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman