Magnavox combo codes?

[jfpinell]

Forget the Fugia or Fugai combo a few days ago....I have neither. Don't know why I had that player name in mind. I have a Magnavox model 2V427MG9 DVD/VCR. The front of them apparently look the same.
Anywho, is there a hack code to make that region free? The weird thing is, the one I have plays "U" disks (Muppet Family Christmas to be exact) even though the book states that it only plays region 1. Is this an unbelievable chance that someone put something together "wrong", or could someone have had that player before me, unlocked it, and brought it back?
I'm trying to figure this all out because I wanna' get another one of the same model IF this same thing is going to work. (The player is several years old and I wanna' be able to keep watching that disk after this player wears out.) All my other U.S. disks work fine.

[DB83]

Making any NTSC dvd-player Region Free is only part of the issue.

If your proposed disks are PAL the chances are that they would not play even if the unit was made region free.

[usually_quiet]

Making any NTSC dvd-player Region Free is only part of the issue.

If your proposed disks are PAL the chances are that they would not play even if the unit was made region free.

There don't seem to be any region free hacks for the Magnavox 2V427MG9 DVD/VCR combo recorders.

Some of the Magnavox DVD recorders do play PAL DVDs and convert the video for an NTSC TV, but I don't know if the OP's does. Out of curiosity I legally downloaded a Creative Commons PAL DVD ISO with no region code, burned it, and tested various players in my family, including my own MDR-513h/F7 DVD recorder. The disc did play.

[jfpinell]

How DO people find these codes without spending days on end wearing their fingers out trying every possible combination of buttons to see if anything happens -and hoping their system doesn't blow up?
As for my player doing converting, I'm not sure because I only have 1 disk that is labeled "U" and all my others are U.S. so I can't make a call on if it's just chance dumb luck or if any others would play from other areas. (I bought that Muppet Family Christmas before I had ANY understanding of any of this region stuff. I got it.....either Amazon or E-bay a few years ago because frankly I am a Muppet freak! I put it in my first player -a $25 play-only from Walmart- and it was all choppy. Long story short, I bought a combo to put all my VHS's on disk, and just thought I'd try it. Strangely enough, even though the manual said U.S. region disks only, it plays. :/ (Can anyone explain that?)
So without much more knowledge on this computerized stuff (let's just say I'm the kind that's lucky I don't blow my computer up turning it on) I'm HOPING that if I can find another Magnavox combo like I have someone can tell me if it'll work again or if this was a freak accident.

[orsetto]

Before you do anything else, take a closer look at this Muppet dvd and figure out what it actually is. You refer to it as "Region U" but there is no such region code: they are all numbers running 0 to 8 (no "U"), with "Region 0" meaning the disc has NO region restrictions (like the DVDs you make in your recorder). I suppose some dvd cases might be labeled "U" to indicate "universal" region, but it should also say "Region 0" somewhere. There are several possible "identities" for your Muppet disc, if it came in a standard case it will have the region number clearly marked on the back:

A) Official Region 1 USA/NTSC release, perhaps with common pressing defects that make playback unpredictable (choppy on some players, perfect on others). Would explain why it played lousy in your $25 cheapie but OK in your combo. If Region 1, it is meant for North America, and you simply had bad luck with your cheaper player.

B) Official Region 2, 3, or 4 Europe/PAL release: would fail to play on most Region 1 designated hardware, including your Magnavox, which is very unlikely to have been hacked. I doubt you have a Region 2, 3 or 4 disc: usually_quiet has confirmed there's no hack for your Magnavox, so it wouldn't be able to play such a disc at all.

C) Official PAL-format "Region 0" release: not typical, but fairly common with titles released in Europe/Australia. Such discs are legit pressed DVDs in PAL format with no region restrictions. They will often play in Region 1 hardware if the player has ability to convert from PAL to NTSC, or if the player and TV are connected via HDMI. Your chances of getting watchable video from a PAL dvd are much better via HDMI because the player doesn't need to convert to NTSC (and the TV could care less). When using analog connections, the player MUST have the format conversion feature to get a viewable picture from a PAL dvd on an American TV.

D) Bootleg DVD-R with "Region 0" code in either PAL or NTSC format. This is common when buying rare titles from eBay. The disc is not an official pressing, but a copy burned to a consumer blank. The tell-tale sign of this is purple color: pressed dvds are silver on the bottom side, burned dvds are purple. If yours is purple, you have no worries about region but might have an issue if it is PAL format (as noted above). And some players do not handle burned discs well, regardless of NTSC or PAL format: your "cheapie" player may be one of them.

"A", "C" and "D" should work as described in any good quality player that is not having problems, connected to a modern TV via HDMI. If you pin down your disc as any of these types, relax: you don't need to stockpile any particular player. "B" will only work in a hacked or region-free player: I don't think you have "B" because your Magnavox wouldn't be able to play it in the first place. Keep in mind, you could also use your PC to make a "region free" backup copy of any rare disc you might acquire, using software like DVDfab.

[usually_quiet]

How DO people find these codes without spending days on end wearing their fingers out trying every possible combination of buttons to see if anything happens -and hoping their system doesn't blow up?
As for my player doing converting, I'm not sure because I only have 1 disk that is labeled "U" and all my others are U.S. so I can't make a call on if it's just chance dumb luck or if any others would play from other areas. (I bought that Muppet Family Christmas before I had ANY understanding of any of this region stuff. I got it.....either Amazon or E-bay a few years ago because frankly I am a Muppet freak! I put it in my first player -a $25 play-only from Walmart- and it was all choppy. Long story short, I bought a combo to put all my VHS's on disk, and just thought I'd try it. Strangely enough, even though the manual said U.S. region disks only, it plays. :/ (Can anyone explain that?)
So without much more knowledge on this computerized stuff (let's just say I'm the kind that's lucky I don't blow my computer up turning it on) I'm HOPING that if I can find another Magnavox combo like I have someone can tell me if it'll work again or if this was a freak accident.

Nobody spends their time trying random key combinations until something unlocks their player. Once in a while someone tries a region code hack that worked with older model in a particular brand and by sheer luck it still works with newer models. The codes are probably leaked by someone working for the maker or a service center. The unlock codes exist for the manufacturer's convenience so the same hardware can be sold in many countries. However some models are made only for a few countries in the same region, and in that case no unlock code exists. Anyway, it is no longer easy to find players that consumers can easily make region free.

As already explained, region 1 DVD players normally also play region 0 (no region) and region 9 (all regions) DVDs. Region U doesn't exist.

DVD Decrypter lists the region(s) where the DVD is playable. It will list DVD Regions 1-8 if the disk plays everywhere. If this is an old DVD, it may be able to make a copy for you.

[ronmaz]

The U could possibly refer to the film classification. U is a british classification meaning Universal, or suitable for all audiences.
See the U in the bottom right corner of this picture.

[jfpinell]

U was not meant to be a region code but simply that it came from England or is in PAL format so I was originally told. The picture that ronmaz put there is the disk I have: original package, title, factory sealed, etc. if that info. helps.
So are you saying that unless codes are leaked by the company itself, there's really no way of finding codes? What about players that are being advertised as "region free"? Are any of those legit. or are those always scams?

[hech54]

U was not meant to be a region code but simply that it came from England or is in PAL format so I was originally told. The picture that ronmaz put there is the disk I have: original package, title, factory sealed, etc. if that info. helps.
So are you saying that unless codes are leaked by the company itself, there's really no way of finding codes? What about players that are being advertised as "region free"? Are any of those legit. or are those always scams?

1) If you are in the United States.....don't buy disks from overseas.
2) If you are in Europe or Australia (or almost anywhere else except the US), be mindful of REGION CODES.
That's it. The End.
Region Free(players) don't mean sh|t if you are in the United States(North America).....you still can't buy overseas disks.

[DB83]

The front of the disk does not matter. It's what is written on the back that does.

Does it have that globe symbol with a numeric inside ?. Not all PAL disks are Region 2 so that Muppet disk could already be Region Free. Hey. It could even be NTSC since over here almost all our equipment will play NTSC disks which are not Region 1.

[orsetto]

So are you saying that unless codes are leaked by the company itself, there's really no way of finding codes? What about players that are being advertised as "region free"? Are any of those legit. or are those always scams?

You seem stuck on the idea of hacking your own players: give it up to preserve your sanity. First, DVD players are rapidly being phased out in favor of BluRay players, and BD players are more hack-resistant, so chances of you stumbling upon a "hackable" DVD player ten years from now are zero. Second, while many DVD players can be hacked, far fewer DVD recorders are equipped with such 'back door' possibilities. DVD recorders are much more tightly bound to the region they are sold in: mfrs do not typically use cost-saving tricks like remote codes to set region when it comes to recorders. So if you have a recorder, do yourself a favor and just assume whatever playback features it has are fixed in stone. The pricey hacked BluRay playeers sold by dealers like "220 Electronics" often contain hardware hacks that can't be DIY applied- it isn't as simple as entering a remote code.

I've owned many MANY "Region 1" DVD recorders over the years, all brands and price points. NONE would play any hard-coded "Region 2" pressed PAL disc. If I duplicated the disc in my PC with software that strips the region code, making it "Region 0", the copy would sometimes play depending on which recorder and TV connection I tried. Using a modern flat screen HDTV with HDMI connection to the recorder, I've usually had success playing PAL "Region 0" dvds. But connected via analog (3 round A/V plugs), esp to an old CRT tv, I got either a black screen, or gibberish unwatchable playback EXCEPT with a few JVC and LG recorders that had undocumented ability to convert PAL to NTSC on the fly via analog connection. Most players that can be region hacked also have this PAL<>NTSC analog conversion feature, but the majority of recorders do not: PAL stays PAL with them.

Regarding this specific Muppet dvd, assuming you have a genuine commercial version, it is almost certainly Region 2 if the case has the British "U Rating" on the front. Doing a quick Google image search for the case cover, all I see are clearly marked on the back with a "2" inside the globe region code symbol. Whether the actual disc is embedded with "Region 2" coding is another story: as I mentioned earlier, enforcement of the coding can be pretty lax in Europe, with many dvds marked "Region 2" really being region-free despite the packaging. I think this is what you have, a region-free PAL dvd inaccurately marked Region 2, which is why your Magnavox plays it without issue. That, or the disc is a very well made fake: this long out-of-print "Muppet Family Christmas" appears to be insanely collectible.

Or, I could be completely wrong and your Magnavox 2V427MG9 combo recorder is a miracle machine with undocumented ability to ignore region codes and/or convert PAL to NTSC. Doubtful, but possible. The only Magnavox recorders I've owned were H2160, MDR-513, and MDR-515, none of which would play Region 2 at all. But Funai is a somewhat unhinged company that wouldn't know from product consistency if it smacked their CEO in the face. Over the past several years, Funai has been the sole marketer of DVD recorders in USA. They sell DVD/VHS combos under the Magnavox, Funai, Toshiba and Sanyo brand names: all are identical aside from cosmetics and a handful of minor tweaks (Funai and Sanyo apparently can't record +R blanks, Magnavox and Toshiba can, the Toshiba is prettier-looking than the other three and adds a couple file playback frills no one in their right mind uses a recorder for anymore). Before 2010 they also used the Philips and Sylvania brand names, quite probably Polaroid and others as well. (Cheap Philips dvd players were by far the most popular choice among those who needed a hackable model for region-free use at the height of dvd popularity).

[usually_quiet]

What about players that are being advertised as "region free"? Are any of those legit. or are those always scams?

They aren't usually scams, but some are merely region free and do not convert from PAL to NTSC. If they do not convert, nearly all N. American TVs will be unable display the video. Places like 220-electroncis.com and world-import.com which specialize in multi-system electronics list PAL to NTSC conversion as a feature if the player is capable of it. They do modify the hardware (replace chips) as well as the firmware. Since their players are modified and often sourced from overseas, there is no manufacturer warranty. Their Blu-Ray players are usually only region-free for DVD. Sometimes it is possible to make them region free for Blu-Ray as well, but that costs extra.

[jfpinell]

I think I'm starting to understand. (Sorry guys, it takes me awhile with anything electronic). Are you saying that it's not the region stuff that matters as much as a player's ability to CONVERT from 1 format to the other? I'm still trying to figure out WHY this machine of mine seems to be able to ignore region codes (or call it what you will) by being able to play that disk for me. I like totally wanna' know if I get another one of those same model # machines if it'll work again. (Could it be that these machines were all made to ignore codes or was this just a freak accident that I shouldn't hold my breath for happening again -even if I could find another same model?)
As for driving myself crazy looking for codes, will never happen........I'm VERY analytical & philosophical kind -I could go at that kind of thinking all day. Part of it for me is just the INTEREST in KNOWING HOW. (if that makes sense). My theory has always been that NO system ANYWHERE is TOTALLY secure. If a person had the interest & time they'd find a way around something.
It's just that this being 1 of my favorite shows over this time of year (and not knowing how much longer the VHS tape of it I have will continue to work), I'd like to find a way to continue to watch it every year. So maybe 1 question I should ask is; How does the first person to find hack codes go about it? Again, is it a "if it isn't accidentally leaked by an employee internally, forget it -unless you wanna' spend weeks pressing random buttons on your remote" kind of thing or are there programs that can search for codes if you plug your remote into your computer? (I wouldn't be surprised if that were the way it was done!)
Thanks for the help so far. Don't mean to carry on, just takes me awhile to figure out everything.

[DB83]

Of course the Region stuff matters. If you have a genuine Region 2 disk and a Region 1 player the disk will not play.

But it is equally important, as has been explained to you that many players CANNOT convert a PAL signal internally to playback on a NTSC tv.

You have already been informed about the issue of hacks and, really, nothing can be added to that.

But let us just consider this disk that mysteriously plays on a Region 1 NTSC machine but is sourced from the UK.

1. The disk can not be Region 2 even if that is what it says on the box
2. It can not be PAL else you could not see it on your tv. (assume you are not connected by hdmi)
3. 'Shrink-wrapped' or 'pressed' is no guarantee of non-fake.

If you have a software dvd player such as PowerDVD in your PC you can glean more info about the disk in that.

Have you any more UK/PAL/Region2 disks to try ? Bet they will not work.

[orsetto]

OK, I'll bite again, I have nothing better to do since I'm recovering from a medical incident:

My theory has always been that NO system ANYWHERE is TOTALLY secure. If a person had the interest & time they'd find a way around something.

That theory holds true, until it doesn't. When it comes to home video, understand this: Hollywood has a near-limitless supply of money and influence, and a near-limitless inability to comprehend they can't ever 100% control how we consume their movies and TV shows. They are willing to piss away literally billions of dollars on good, bad, and indifferent schemes that frustrate consumers and electronics mfrs while letting their own execs pretend they actually can control us to the nth degree. Its a wasteful, stupid head-in-the-sand attitude that has stalled progress and fostered more self-inflicted damage to the industry than un-manipulated consumer behavior ever would have. But they continue on, oblivious to how annoying and constipated these schemes are, because every so often they hit on one that is highly effective (in their deluded estimation, if not netting them any actual financial advantage).

Some of these very effective schemes are Cinavia copy protection for BluRay discs (even the Chinese have not been able to hack that) and Region Codes implemented in ROM firmware. You can only "hack" a unit that has some potential to BE hacked: if the design is airtight with no hidden possibility of modification via simple remote code entry, or changing jumper pins on a circuit board, then for all practical purposes it cannot be DIY hacked. This has been true going back to the earliest DVD players nearly 20 years ago: hacking only really worked with second-tier brands that were too sloppy or cheap to fully lock their units down in hardware. The big name brands tend to be in lockstep with Hollywood and pander to their every whim, so you seldom heard of hacks for Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba (when there really was still a Toshiba), or JVC. The hacks almost always centered on players made by private-label OEM factories like Funai, who twelve years ago crapped out players under a dizzying array of faltering or third-rate brand names.

Hollywood was not happy about this region hack mania, not one bit, so they cracked the whip harder when DVD recorders debuted. Here and there you hear of hackable recorders, but they are much less common than players from the same brands. Recorders typically do not have hidden, flexible region setting options: the region is permanently burned in their operating chips and cannot be altered. This applies even more strongly to BluRay, which is so fettered with Hollywood nonsense that the first three generations of players couldn't play half the discs on the market even after authorized firmware upgrades. Never underestimate Hollywood's ability to eff up a good thing. That is why modified "region-free" BluRay players cost $200+ compared to DVD players you can buy for $30: the BluRay players are modified by tampering with their circuit boards and swapping out chips, a costly trick you can't do at home. Ditto most DVD recorders. Not saying your Magnavox might not be an exception, Funai is nothing if not inconsistent, but odds are against you.

So maybe 1 question I should ask is; How does the first person to find hack codes go about it? Again, is it a "if it isn't accidentally leaked by an employee internally, forget it -unless you wanna' spend weeks pressing random buttons on your remote" kind of thing or are there programs that can search for codes if you plug your remote into your computer? (I wouldn't be surprised if that were the way it was done!)

The codes get leaked by employees of factory-authorized service centers (or at least they did, before "factory authorized service" evaporated), and sometimes they simply appear directly in the service manuals many people downloadd. Also, it was fairly easy to guess codes for one player if you knew the codes for a similar model: many came from the same OEM factories and had similar region code implementation. No one is sitting around with their PC hooked up to an IR emitter randomly attempting automated region hacks: it doesn't work that way.

It's just that this being 1 of my favorite shows over this time of year (and not knowing how much longer the VHS tape of it I have will continue to work), I'd like to find a way to continue to watch it every year.

Then you need to set aside the player part of the question, and concentrate on the dvd itself, as I suggested earlier. You have options, but need to fully identify the nature of this DVD before you can know what those options are. The most important element to grasp is that "region" is just a control signal flag while "video format" (NTSC vs PAL) affects whether you can get a viewable picture on old school CRT televisions or the analog inputs of modern flat screen HDTVs.

Official discs made for USA/Canada are flagged Region1 and the analog video format is NTSC. Since our players/recorders/PCs are preset to Region 1, and our TV system is NTSC, everything works automatically. In Europe, the region code for discs and players is 2, the analog video system is PAL, and if everything matches it works automatically for them in much the same way.

Things get complicated when we exchange discs across borders and start fooling with region hacks. The region code is a simple on/off piece of code: it has nothing whatever to do with the video signal. If a player is hacked to ignore region codes, or the code is stripped from the disc while making a backup copy, you are still stuck with a potential mismatch in analog video signals. Most (if not all) Region 2 discs will contain PAL-format video that does not directly translate to the analog NTSC inputs of North American televisions. So a hacked player will chug along, merrily playing your Region 2 disc, but if the TV is connected via analog cables you'll get a black screen or gibberish UNLESS the player also has an automatic conversion feature that modifies the PAL video on the disc to our NTSC system before it hits the player's analog outputs. Most "hackable" North American players do have this conversion feature, but most recorders do not, and fewer still BluRay players.

The odds are vanishingly small that your Magnavox 2V427MG9 combo has been previously hacked. If it is playing this Muppet dvd, it is either a bootlegged NTSC "Region 0" disc in a fake "Region 2" case, or it is a real "Region 2" dvd that lacks the actual "Region 2" code and is actually "Region 0". You really must make the effort to figure out WTH this damned disc actually has on it- use your PC to get a readout of the Region Code and NTSC/PAL status. If you don't have a dvd drive in your PC, ask everyone you know if they have a BluRay player until you find one (or go to a store that sells them and use a demo player). Try this Muppet disc in a BD player: if it plays OK, it is almost certainly "Region 0" and NTSC format, and you can completely stop worrying: it will play on any device, any time. If it does NOT play in BD player, note why: does the player put up an alert about region? does it say it can't play the video system? This will tip you off what element you need to address.

As I have said in previous replies, if you make a backup copy using PC software that changes the Region Code to "0", the copy should be playable on any device with a disc drive and HDMI digital connection to a modern TV, regardless whether the video on the disc is PAL or NTSC. But if using analog connections (or an old 4:3 tube tv), this won't work unless the playback device has built-in auto-conversion features (less and less common with each passing year: analog is friggin dead as a doornail). Your Magnavox has an HDMI output: is it currently connected to a modern HDTV flat screen? If so, go find something else to worry about- your precious disc is compatible with any new player or TV you buy in future.

Tell Kermit I said "Merry Xmas". Peace out.

[usually_quiet]

I think I'm starting to understand. (Sorry guys, it takes me awhile with anything electronic). Are you saying that it's not the region stuff that matters as much as a player's ability to CONVERT from 1 format to the other?

Both things matter. If the disc's region code is not 1, 0 (no region code set) , or 9 (all regions) it won't play using a region 1 player.

I have also had a region 0 PAL DVD rejected by a region 1 DVD player with the error message "Incompatible Disk". That player must check to make sure DVDs are NTSC.

Even if the region code is compatible with the player and it accepts PAL DVDs, if the disc's video system is PAL and the player cannot convert form PAL to NTSC, a typical N. American TV won't be able to display a picture. Almost no TVs sold here through normal retail channels are multi-system.

I'm still trying to figure out WHY this machine of mine seems to be able to ignore region codes (or call it what you will) by being able to play that disk for me. I like totally wanna' know if I get another one of those same model # machines if it'll work again. (Could it be that these machines were all made to ignore codes or was this just a freak accident that I shouldn't hold my breath for happening again -even if I could find another same model?)

Maybe your DVD recorder isn't ignoring region codes. Your disc may not be region 2, regardless of any information printed on the box. Do normal region 1 DVD or Blu-Ray players accept the disc? If so, it isn't region 2.

You can find out what the region code really is using software. DVD Decrypter will tell you the region code. Just pop the DVD in your PC's DVD drive, and run DVD Decrypter. DVD Decrypter will automatically list the regions where the DVD plays and the type of copy protection used, if any.

As for driving myself crazy looking for codes, will never happen........I'm VERY analytical & philosophical kind -I could go at that kind of thinking all day. Part of it for me is just the INTEREST in KNOWING HOW. (if that makes sense). My theory has always been that NO system ANYWHERE is TOTALLY secure. If a person had the interest & time they'd find a way around something.

You cannot change a player's region code by pressing a series of buttons on the remote control unless the manufacturer intentionally designed the player that way for its own convenience. As an example, your DVD recorder was made specifically for the N. American market, so there is no reason for Funai/Magnavox to make it possible for anyone to change the region code using a remote. Just because you want something to be possible doesn't mean that it is.

So maybe 1 question I should ask is; How does the first person to find hack codes go about it? Again, is it a "if it isn't accidentally leaked by an employee internally, forget it -unless you wanna' spend weeks pressing random buttons on your remote" kind of thing or are there programs that can search for codes if you plug your remote into your computer? (I wouldn't be surprised if that were the way it was done!)
Thanks for the help so far. Don't mean to carry on, just takes me awhile to figure out everything.

First, nobody finds these hacks themselves. They are always leaked to someone or read about in a service manual and then shared. Sooner or later someone who learns about the hack posts it on one or more websites, such as this one. Second, there is no such software. Third, some players, probably the majority now sold in the USA, were never made to be region hacked by entering codes with a remote, so your idea cannot work for them.

[Edit]As already stated by Orsetto, find out the particulars for your DVD, the actual region code and video system it uses, and with that information it will be possible to figure out the what is necessary to play it in the future.

[jfpinell]

UGH! Like overload. I actually have tried that disk in 3 players: the little $25 Walmart thing, my Magnavox, and the play-only machine my parents have (bigger than my little Walmart one but still all it does). It won't play decent on theirs either. When I bought that other Funia combo at Shopko a week ago to test it out, no go. All I got was an error on screen saying "unreadable disk" (if I recall the words). I'll admit I bought the disk off e-bay a few years ago but it looks E-X-A-C-T-L-Y like one you'd buy in any store: shrink wrapped sealed, original picture on the disk....the whole bit. There are actually 2 disks: 1 edited version, the other the uncut version. It certainly seems to me to be the original factory made.
Anywho, all the TV's I've played this on show a good picture (I had to buy a converter thingy to hook between the Magnavox & TV because of, from what I understand, lack of an HDMI cable input -whatever THAT is or does- but it plays on all the TV's fine when I put it in the Magnavox player.) I'll go read over the box again on the disk.
I was not aware that these command codes are actually embedded in the chips or circuit boards themselves......UGH! *head spinning 50 M.P.H.*. So the only way to remedy this region stuff would be to weld together your own board & player? (weld like I said, I'm lucky I don't blow something up turning it on -that's why I'm asking so much detail here.)

[usually_quiet]

Your DVD most likely is not region 2, since two out of three US model DVD players tested played the DVD, even if one doesn't play it correctly. It may or may not be a PAL DVD.

The information on the DVD packaging may not be correct, regardless of whether the disk is genuine or not. Getting the relevant information (region code and video system (PAL/NTSC)) from the DVD itself using software is the only way to be sure of what you have, but you don't seem to want to do that. Without better information about this DVD than what the box says, we've done all we can to resolve your problem. Good luck.

[DB83]

I dread to think what Kermit is doing to Miss Piggy in the uncut version

[DB83]

I'm even more concerned about the genuineness of this dvd now.

The UK version is still available at Amazon. It is stated as '1 Disk'. The US version is also available at a premium price.

But why would a company put out a 2 disc version of that for UK audiences. No one likes cut versions and the UK one, I read, is virtually complete.

[orsetto]

UGH! Like overload.

Well, you asked, and keep asking for info, without really giving us much of anything to go on as far as WTH this disc actually is. Hence, you're gonna get a mountain of text in return. We're bored, the dvd recorder forums are dead (since nobody in North America uses them anymore), so your "Mystery of the Muppet Xmas" adventure is mildly amusing.

I actually have tried that disk in 3 players: the little $25 Walmart thing, my Magnavox, and the play-only machine my parents have (bigger than my little Walmart one but still all it does). It won't play decent on theirs either. When I bought that other Funia combo at Shopko a week ago to test it out, no go. All I got was an error on screen saying "unreadable disk" (if I recall the words).

This is one of your repeated non-answers that keeps us going in circles. You want to settle this matter definitively? BE MORE SPECIFIC. "it won't play decent" means absolutely squat: the implication is that it DOES load and play, just not "decently" enough for your satisfaction. That could mean anything from the disc being riddled with defects that make it stutter, to the connections on those other players being suspect, or that it isn't actually playing at all. You need to describe EXACTLY what you mean when you say "won't play decently" to help us narrow down your problem and solution.

For example, any official Region 2 disc should not play at all, period, in any player you've tried. Every single one of them should have coughed up some sort of onscreen alert regarding "wrong region". Do ANY of your players display such an onscreen alert? If no, you don't have a region code mismatch and can cross that one off your list of possible problems. But if any of the players DO throw up a region alert, you do have a region issue. (A player "Unreadable disc" alert can mean "defective" or it can mean "this disc is PAL and I can't convert it to NTSC".)

Proceeding from there, let's assume you're NOT getting any alerts from any of these players about region. The disc loads and begins to play, but not "decently". Again, WHAT do you see? Anything? A physically defective disc will stutter and skip and freeze, but should show a normal full-screen full-color image on and off. If what you're seeing looks like a bad VHS tape or poor broadcast, you have a defective disc that will only work 100% on random players that can somehow read thru the defects. This is depressingly common with commercial DVDs: older ones were poorly authored and pressed badly, they don't age well and become less playable as the years roll by. Make a copy with your PC, and you might be able to salvage it.

OTOH, if you get NO colors in the picture, just black and white (or black alone), playing speeded up, with speeded up "chipmunks" soundtrack: the disc doesn't have a region issue but DOES have a format issue: it is European PAL video instead of American NTSC video. If your Magnavox combo is the only player that gives you a normal picture, odds are thats because it can convert PAL to NTSC before sending it on to your TV, as discussed in earlier posts. That has been my strongest suspicion all along: you have a region-free DVD with PAL video system. If so, you don't need to spend $200 on another Magnavox combo: search web dealers and look for any cheap dvd players advertised as "region free," make sure it also offers PAL>NTSC conversion (if you don't see these words, ask the dealer), then buy that player.

The only way to completely bypass needing any particular player is to make an analog copy of the disc (play it on your Magnavox, connected to the inputs of another DVD recorder). The second recorder will automatically make the copy in our American NTSC format, with no region code. The copy will be universally compatible with any dvd or BluRay player. Unfortunately, making such copies isn't straightforward- you'd need a decryption accessory like "The Grex" connected between the two recorders, and a Grex costs approx $100. Instead, you may as well just buy a ready-made NTSC bootleg dvd from the many web sources selling it for $20 or so (Google is your friend here).

I'll admit I bought the disk off e-bay a few years ago but it looks E-X-A-C-T-L-Y like one you'd buy in any store: shrink wrapped sealed, original picture on the disk....the whole bit. There are actually 2 disks: 1 edited version, the other the uncut version. It certainly seems to me to be the original factory made.

Appearance means nothing. Case artwork can be faked, blank discs can have artwork printed on them. You never answered my question about reflective color: turn the dvd over and see if it is silver or purple. Silver indicates a legit official dvd, purple means its a bootleg. Purple discs are far more prone to playback incompatibilities, esp on old or cheap players: the disc might be a perfectly normal "NTSC Region 0" format, but if its purple it was likely burned on a crappy quality blank dvd some players will have difficulty reading.

Anywho, all the TV's I've played this on show a good picture (I had to buy a converter thingy to hook between the Magnavox & TV because of, from what I understand, lack of an HDMI cable input -whatever THAT is or does- but it plays on all the TV's fine when I put it in the Magnavox player.) I'll go read over the box again on the disk.

Going forward, if you ever have any future questions for any internet forum, ALWAYS provide this information with your question. You could have saved us burying you with details about HDMI if you had told us you're still using a prehistoric TV set, so old and so crude it doesn't even have standard analog line inputs for a DVD player. The "converter thingy" - is it an RF modulator that converts the Magnavox connection to Channel 3 or 4 on your TV? If so, you have a TV setup so outdated it will always give you grief with non-standard dvds (old glass TVs without HDMI connections absolutely require pure NTSC signals from VHS or dvd: they can't directly play PAL at all, and can be unstable when a converting player is patched thru to channel 3/4 via RF modulator). You want to eliminate this problem from your life? Buy a new flat screen TV for $129, all new ones have digital HDMI connection to disc players, and HDMI bypasses the analog NTSC/PAL format BS.

I was not aware that these command codes are actually embedded in the chips or circuit boards themselves......UGH! *head spinning 50 M.P.H.*. So the only way to remedy this region stuff would be to weld together your own board & player? (weld

Yes, embedded in the hardware and discs: thats how the system works. Unfortunately for Hollywood, not all hardware mfrs complied: some left a back door open so region compatibility could be altered via simple remote codes. That loophole was closed on most dvd recorders and nearly all BluRay players. Players don't last forever, so relying on hacks is a mistake. The best solution combines making a region-free backup dvd using computer software, then playing that backup copy to a modern TV via HDMI, bypassing the PAL/NTSC dilemma. Any other workaround is doomed to be a temporary kluge.

[usually_quiet]

I'm even more concerned about the genuineness of this dvd now.

The UK version is still available at Amazon. It is stated as '1 Disk'. The US version is also available at a premium price.

But why would a company put out a 2 disc version of that for UK audiences. No one likes cut versions and the UK one, I read, is virtually complete.

I read an explanation which said that more scenes had to be cut from the US version because the rights to use the music for those scenes were only secured for TV. Possibly the rights to that music were secured for the UK DVD release.

...but it appears there are many bootleg DVDs created from various sources in circulation.

[jfpinell]

Clarification......my disk only works in ONE machine (the Magnavox. It's been TRIED in 3 other players. Sorry for any confusion. Forgive any lack of etiquette in any of my notes here (I don't go on forums ANYWHERE except on RARE occasion when I'm in need of intense knowledge about something. So I'm not very familiar with all the do's & don'ts & how exactly to's -that explains my "won't play") That being said, am I allowed to post a link and/or picture of the offer if I find that disk I bought for sale on e-bay, etc. on here to more clearly show exactly what I bought?
As for not playing, the little $25 Walmart machine is choppy (like pressing "pause" & "play" back & forth over & over). The recently returned Funia or Funai machine just gave me a blank screen with a message saying "incompatible disk" (or words to that effect). The play-only machine my parents have is the same as the Walmart one: perfect picture but start/stop/start/stop. Hope I'm making sense this time. All the TV's that I hooked the machines and disk up to show a perfect glass-like clean picture but just doesn't play steady. So unless I'm misunderstanding something, correct me if I'm missing something, the problem isn't in converting signals from PAL to NTSC just the players not wanting to play this uninterrupted. I've tried this connecting the players with both a cable and with a converter thingy. Not sure if that matters.
I hope I'm starting to explain this better. Like I said, I don't go on chat rooms or forums of any kind except in rare cases when I r un out of ideas about where to ask stuff. (I've even asked a few "ANONYMOUS" members on Facebook about this stuff with, in retrospect, little help.) I tried asking at an electronics store with no help (fear of liability probably) and no one I know personally is into this stuff much more than I am.
But would it be OK to put a link or copy & paste a picture (if that works) here of the disk I bought if I see it for sale on a site like Amazon or e-bay to show exactly what I have or is that not allowed? (Needless to say I don't know how to upload pictures and don't have the means to do so myself.)

[DB83]

By all means post a scan of the cover, front AND back, but it is not going to provide any info over and above what we already know.

You have been advised of what we really need and that is core info of the disk(s) - you said there were two (already alarm bells in my mind)

Get hold of dvddecrypter. Load the disks(s) and report back on the information that this program tells you.

[usually_quiet]

DVD Decrypter can provide the region code. It is free, but only runs on Windows, and it won't say which video system the disc uses.

However, if someone is playing a DVD with VLC, clicking "Tools" followed by "Codec Information" will reveal the resolution and frame rate for the DVD video. PAL DVDs and NTSC DVDs have different resolutions and frame rates. VLC is freeware that plays most commercial DVDs on both Macs and PCs.