Decrypting Region 2 DVD on Region 1 Drive

[pone44]

I want to backup a region 2 DVD locally and use it to convert to MP4, so I can watch it on the equipment I have. My DVD drive is Region 1. If you are using a DVD decoder that can remove the Region information, are you required to have a multiregion DVD drive for the initial operation? Or is a utility like DVD Decrypter able to somehow read and act on a Region 2 DVD that is being read from a Region 1 drive, without changing the region information of the drive?

[hech54]

Normally if you start the copy/decrypting program FIRST, before you insert the DVD in the drive, you should be OK.
Since you are in region 1 and are asking about region 2 discs.....you also need to worry about the NTSC vs. PAL video format problem. If you are making an MP4 it shouldn't be a problem but.......keep it in mind.

[MOVIEGEEK]

AnyDVD can remove the region coding and decrypt, DVD Decrypter hasn't been updated in 10 years. As for converting to MP4 I recommend HandBrake.

[pone44]

AnyDVD can remove the region coding and decrypt, DVD Decrypter hasn't been updated in 10 years. As for converting to MP4 I recommend HandBrake.

If you were using AnyDVD with Handbrake, how would you process a DVD to create input to Handbrake? Would Handbrake be pointed directly to the source DVD? Or would AnyDVD be required to go through some pre-processing steps to create intermediate files?

[Keyser]

Probably, Handbrake wouldn't have any problem reading directly from the drive. However it is always a good idea to rip to the hard drive prior to conversion to avoid spining the optical drive for a long time.

[pone44]

Probably, Handbrake wouldn't have any problem reading directly from the drive. However it is always a good idea to rip to the hard drive prior to conversion to avoid spining the optical drive for a long time.

But AnyDVD is just a driver, not a rip tool? What I'm trying to understand is - after AnyDVD is installed - what pieces of software under Windows will create the input file to Handbrake?

[Keyser]

AnyDVD is also a ripping tool.

[pone44]

AnyDVD is also a ripping tool.

Does it strip the copy protection information from the DVD?

[Keyser]

If the right options are enabled, yes.

[hech54]

what pieces of software under Windows will create the input file to Handbrake?

Ripping and converting "from the disc while it's in the drive" has always been a bad idea. Did you come here to argue or to get answers from people who have been doing this for a VERY long time?

[pone44]

what pieces of software under Windows will create the input file to Handbrake?

Ripping and converting "from the disc while it's in the drive" has always been a bad idea. Did you come here to argue or to get answers from people who have been doing this for a VERY long time?

There was never any argument. You misread. I asked a question, and it was answered very well.

[pone44]

I have a Swedish movie that is Region 2 I want to convert to MP4. Unfortunately, the default play mode does not show English subtitles. Using DVD Decrypter or AnyDVD, is there a way to extract the video with the subtitles showing? Or am I required to do the extraction a different way and then specify subtitles in Handbrake?

[hech54]

If the DVD does decrypt correctly in DVDDecrypter(either with or without AnyDVD running in the background), it is possible to create one, giant VOB file that contains one language and one subtitle that you can then convert to whatever you want....leaving no chance of your conversion (to MP4) software picking the wrong subtitle.
This can also be done in DVDShrink.
Both accomplished via the settings inside the programs.
It can probably also be one with DVDFabDecrypter to some extent....I don't use it that often.
The key is to remove what you do not need before you convert. If you never plan to use other subs besides English, why make them available?

[pone44]

If the DVD does decrypt correctly in DVDDecrypter(either with or without AnyDVD running in the background), it is possible to create one, giant VOB file that contains one language and one subtitle that you can then convert to whatever you want....leaving no chance of your conversion (to MP4) software picking the wrong subtitle.
This can also be done in DVDShrink.
Both accomplished via the settings inside the programs.
It can probably also be one with DVDFabDecrypter to some extent....I don't use it that often.
The key is to remove what you do not need before you convert. If you never plan to use other subs besides English, why make them available?

So DVD Decrypter selects the Audio, Video, and Subtitle tracks in the "Stream" mode to create a single combined VOB. But when I feed that to Handbrake, Handbrake does not see the English language subtitle track.

In DVD Decrypter I tried to "Demux" just the subtitle track, and this creates a .SUB file, which I am struggling to convert to .SRT. It's a bit of a hassle so far.

Is DVDShrink doing anything different than DVD Decrypter in terms of creating the single VOB with all tracks merged?

[hech54]

I don't even think a single VOB file is important in this case. I would create a movie only backup of the DVD (I prefer to use DVDShrink because I like to SEE what is going on, I'm strange that way) with the one subtitle, then feed that to HandBrake.
I also think there is a setting in DVDShrink for "forced subtitles"?......maybe?

[pone44]

I don't even think a single VOB file is important in this case. I would create a movie only backup of the DVD (I prefer to use DVDShrink because I like to SEE what is going on, I'm strange that way) with the one subtitle, then feed that to HandBrake.
I also think there is a setting in DVDShrink for "forced subtitles"?......maybe?

So my big discovery is that the demux option in DVD Decrypter creates ".sub" files that are useless. No utility can use them. They are in fact some kind of VOBSUB or proprietary format, but not the standard .sub that other utilities want.

If I create a single .VOB using DVD Decrypter, are you suggesting that I can use DVD Shrink to output that to a new .VOB that will force the subtitles to appear?

[hech54]

Had to break out an old DVD to check in Shrink:

Reauthor mode, movie only, English language and English subs only, plus a check box in Preferences for subs display.
There may be a different setting in HandBrake....not sure. I only deal with subs on my DVD to DVD backups.

[pone44]

Had to break out an old DVD to check in Shrink:

Reauthor mode, movie only, English language and English subs only, plus a check box in Preferences for subs display.
There may be a different setting in HandBrake....not sure. I only deal with subs on my DVD to DVD backups.

But this is going to use a DVD - or an ISO - as input and create an ISO as output?

[hech54]

But this is going to use a DVD - or an ISO - as input and create an ISO as output?

Folder(s) or ISO....your choice.