Cinavia removed by DVDRanger Cinex module

[Kerry56]

The DVDRanger folks stirred up a hornets nest last year when they promised a way to break Cinavia detection, but then never delivered a working program. They've been chipping away at the problem since then apparently, and are set, once again, to release a beta version of their software.

They sent us a link to the beta over at MyCE, and I got to test the program. You can see our announcement here: http://www.myce.com/news/dvd-ranger-cinex-module-beta-tested-beats-cinavia-68353/

My instructions were to use the TV tab within the program and put a check mark in the Cinex box in order to activate this new section of DVDRanger. There are a lot of choices within the TV tab for output. I chose the first category, which is to make an Apple TV compatible .m4v file. I chose the highest quality settings, but the video output isn't really the question, the audio is the main concern, and in this configuration, the output was AAC 192kbps.

I chose a blu ray movie I know has Cinavia, in this case The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US version). Since I don't have hardware that recognizes the Cinavia trigger, I downloaded the trial for the newest version of Arcsoft Total Media Theater. The DVDRanger program encoded the blu ray to the .m4v file with no issues in processing. I burned the file to a blu ray disc for testing.

I already had a copy of the movie burned to a blu ray (made with BD Rebuilder), so I made certain that the new version of Total Media Theater would show a Cinavia warning and shut down the audio. After 20 minutes of playing this backup, Cinavia did kick in. So I moved on to the .m4v file on a disc. It played straight through with no warnings whatsoever. So it seems DVDRanger does work to break Cinavia.

That's the good news. The rest is not so rosy. The quality of the audio is not good. It is not a great deal better than the Audacity brute force method that was outlined a while back. I can upload a sample if anyone wants to hear it. The next bit of bad news is the program's problems converting to AC3. I tried making a blu ray copy of the same movie, using the Cinex module and converting the original DTS HD MA to AC3. I got nothing but high pitched static in the audio output. The DVDRanger programmers seem to have concentrated their efforts on conversion to AAC.

The new beta should be available for download in the next couple of days according to what we've been told. The trial is good for 7 days. DVDRanger also say they have figured out how to improve the sound and will be working on that in the coming months. They test on the PS3 apparently.

[jagabo]

Yes, I'd love to see (hear) the before and after audio samples.

DVDRanger also say they have figured out how to improve the sound and will be working on that in the coming months.

If they've already figured it out why haven't they updated the software? Sounds like another ploy to get people to buy the product on the promise of future improvements.

[Kerry56]

Took me a while to get the DTS HD MA clip, but here they are:

[Kerry56]

I converted the AAC to .wav when I cut it out using Audacity, but the sound is unchanged.

As for them taking more time to improve the program...I have the feeling they are doing a lot of hunt and peck experimentation. Improving the sound, then testing to see if that re-enabled the detection scheme.

[jman98]

I found a way to get you out of those handcuffs that we don't have a key for. All I have to do is chop off your hand. Then we can pull your arm free. Next we'll rush to the hospital with the chopped off hand and hope they can reattach it. In a best case scenario your hand will be sort of functional again, but never anything like it was before. In a worst case scenario you'll lose the hand, but either way the handcuffs will be gone!

Or we could just wait for the guy with the key to arrive.

Somebody wake me up if they ever come up with a solution that's not destructive to the audio. And it's not like there's nothing you can do - people could just buy the discs and stop stealing. That also works. But it's not free.

[wulf109]

I'm still very confused about Cinavia. I tried two backups that are Cinavia enabled,Battle-Los Angeles and Resident Evil-Retribution and played them on a Sony BDP-S370 which is supposed to be Cinavia enabled. Both play normally. They also play on my BDP-S380.

[johns0]

The sony bdp-s380 only has cinavia on its latest firmware so its a good bet neither blu-ray player has the cinavia firmware installed.

[jagabo]

Took me a while to get the DTS HD MA clip, but here they are:

Thanks for the samples. I don't see how anyone could live with that amount of degradation.

[tarzan54]

Somebody wake me up if they ever come up with a solution that's not destructive to the audio. And it's not like there's nothing you can do - people could just buy the discs and stop stealing. That also works. But it's not free.[/QUOTE]

How do you know people aren't buying the disk? People could be buying the disk and trying to make a copy for them selfs in case the original gets ruin which I see nothing wrong with doing, I sure hope they come with a cure for cinavia because I have alot of money tied up in blu-rays.

[OllieTSB]

Kerry, thanks for these efforts. Reading other threads, it seems that DVDRanger's representatives are worse than their products are, at this point. We will welcome the cure for all of these media infections, but their corporate reps' writings (rants) seem more anti-productive to good business than even their failure to deliver usable products.

[october262]

The sony bdp-s380 only has cinavia on its latest firmware so its a good bet neither blu-ray player has the cinavia firmware installed.

won't an orginal bluray disc force you to update the player in order to play like say a new release movie??

[johns0]

Nope since earlier blu-ray players have no more firmware updates.

[jman98]

october202 - I'm certainly willing to listen to contrary evidence, but in my limited experience the idea of "forced firmware updates" is very exaggerated. I've yet to see a BD disc that demanded an update to play and refused to play without one. I've seen warnings that some features or BD Live stuff might not work without an update, but I've yet to buy or rent a BD movie that demanded any kind of firmware update before it would play. Having said that, I will say that all bets are off regarding Sony players so it wouldn't surprise if they actually do require this, but I don't buy Sony players.

[fritzi93]

I've never encountered a so-called "forced update" either. Though I don't use my 3 pre-Cinavia standalones much any more.

I'm struck by the fact that AACS was broken almost immediately, while Cinavia has resisted the efforts of Slysoft, DVDFab, and the guys at Doom9, to name a few. And I won't hold my breath waiting for someone to solve it.

Unless you have an HTPC, your best alternative is a media player. If your TV is recent and has an onboard player, that might serve if you do all your encoding yourself (as I do), with its limitations in mind. Onboard players tend to be rather strict in what they'll play.

[jagabo]

I've seen warnings that some features or BD Live stuff might not work without an update

Yes, that's how they entice the unaware to update their firmware. They don't bother to mention Cinavia detection will be added.

And many players will automatically detect new firmware and offer to install it for you if the player is connected to the internet.

[jagabo]

I'm struck by the fact that AACS was broken almost immediately

That's because it was a "simple" encryption algorithm. The keys appeared unencrypted in a software Blu-ray player so they were easily picked out. And they didn't make you wait 20 minutes every time you wanted to test your fix!

[turk690]

From slysoft.com changelog:

AnyDVD History 7.3.0.0 2013 08 10 - New: AnyDVD's unique Cinavia fix will prevent all currently existing software players - including all TMT 5 and 6 versions, all PowerDVD 12 and 13 versions, all PowerDVD 10 OEM versions, all WinDVD 11 versions, all Nero Blu-ray player versions - to detect Cinavia. - New: Single button message boxes will close automatically after 1 minute - New (Blu-ray): Support for new discs...

I have nothing more to say....

[jagabo]

No doubt all those players use the same dll to detect Cinavia. Slysoft is probably replacing the dll or interjecting themselves between the apps and dll. That's not a real fix. You can be sure updates to those players will be coming soon. And it doesn't help anybody who uses standalone Blu-ray players.

[tarzan54]

If Slysoft has a fix for all or almost all software players then maybe a big maybe they will soon have a fix for stand alone players, And to prevent your player from doing updates I always turn off my internet when turning on the player this prevents any updates and I haven't had a movie yet where you have to connect to the net to play, And from what I heard they will not be permitted to make players that have to connect to the net to play due to the fact that their is some people who don't have internet.

[jagabo]

If Slysoft has a fix for all or almost all software players then maybe a big maybe they will soon have a fix for stand alone players

Not likely. There's a big difference between an open ecosystem running on a single processor (Windows, x86) and closed ecosystems running on multiple operating systems and processors.

[cal_tony]

october202 - I'm certainly willing to listen to contrary evidence, but in my limited experience the idea of "forced firmware updates" is very exaggerated. I've yet to see a BD disc that demanded an update to play and refused to play without one. I've seen warnings that some features or BD Live stuff might not work without an update, but I've yet to buy or rent a BD movie that demanded any kind of firmware update before it would play. Having said that, I will say that all bets are off regarding Sony players so it wouldn't surprise if they actually do require this, but I don't buy Sony players.

I mentioned on this site a few years ago that my Sony PS3 at one time required that I update the firmware to play a BR. It gave me the opportunity to upgrade. When I didn't take advantage of the opportunity it indicated that it would play the disk. However, it wouldn't play any other BR disks until it was upgraded. And it didn't.

The way I saw it was they gave me the opportunity to upgrade. When I didn't take it they punished me.

Ever since than I always expected a lawyers letter indicating I was part of a class action settlement and I'd soon be sent a check for my inconvenience. Haven't received that letter yet.

After that, I also fit the category... No more Sony TVs, players or audio devices ever again for me.

Tony

[Cienoway]

Situation will change very soon. Stay tuned for update.

[Cornucopia]

Sony may be one of the worst, but they're all in the same pack, so you'd be screwed for alternatives. From day one, though, PS3 has told us that's how it was going to work: why are you surrpised? Pretty much the same with any BD title - AACS expects to be able to phone home to update itself. No phoning home, no update; no update, no working on newer (or sometimes ALL) titles.

@Cienoway, as usual, I am not gonna hold my breath.

Scott

[Steve(MS)]

Situation will change very soon. Stay tuned for update.

Who are you and what do you mean by "stay tuned"?
It is a fair question since you just joined today with 1 post.

[jagabo]

He seems to think a recently fired employee will release a "crack" soon.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/353091-How-to-remove-Cinavia-protection?p=2278259&v...=1#post2278259