PGC Command Definitions

[Steve83]

I don't know enough to know how to ask this question correctly, so bear with me:

I've been burning DVDs for a few years, but I started off with DXC (yeah, I know...) then moved to Shrink, and now I'm trying to learn enough to work with PGCEdit & VOBBlanker. I'm reading up when I have time on "The Unofficial DVD Spec. Guide" on DVD-Replica.com, so I'm not asking for a full explanation of how DVDs really work; I just can't find any info about the command elements (even using Google) that I see using PGCEdit.

What I need is a list of each command element; what it stands for, what it does, & how it can and can't be used in a command line - the syntax.
Specifically (at the moment): "mov"
I understand BASIC, which to me is very similar to DVD command syntax & program structure, but I don't understand what "mov" does, for instance in this line:

Set GPRM(0) =(mov) SPRM(16:Preferred Audio Language)

It took me a while to find out that GPRM is "General PaRaMeter", so I assume SPRM is "Special PaRaMeter", but I'd like to see a list, if one exists.

I also notice that SPRM values have defined meanings. Apparently, GPRMs don't, correct? They're just arbitrary memory locations for the DVD author to store numeric values, right? Is there any standardization at all?

Thanks for any help - I understand that this info has probably been posted before, so a link is as good as a explanation. I searched & read thru several threads in several forums, but I didn't see a list, or a link that looked promising.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

Actually, "SPRM" =System Parameter Register.

For what looks like possibly good source information, go to:

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:uwxHceTGRowJ:www.halfpricecomputerbooks.com/contents/1578200822+%22SPRM%22+and+%22DVD%22+and+%22definition%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=7

AND

http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/dvd/www/dvdinfo/

[Steve83]

No, those look useless. http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/forums/images/dunno.gif The chapter list to a book & a list of filenames don't tell me anything about the meaning of "mov". Even opening the newest of those files yeilded something totally unintelliglible.

I have found this, though:

GPRM1 = 15
can be also written as

MOV(GPRM1,15)
MOV(GPRM1 15)
MOV GPRM1 15
GPRM1 mov 15
mov GPRM1 0x0F
....

Even though it's not a textual definition, it shows the syntax variations that produce the same logic as "mov", which is informative, though still not complete. I'm getting the impression now that "mov" is roughly equivalent to the old "POKE" command in BASIC, & that GPRMs are roughly equivalent to numeric or array variables.

Thanks for the clarification on "SPRM", though. That's actually the kind of info that I'm looking for. http://landroversonly.com/forums/images/smilies/clap.gif

[setarip_old]

I really doubt that anyone will/can provide you with, a list of each command element; what it stands for, what it does, & how it can and can't be used in a command line - the syntax.For your sake, I hope I'm proven wrong ;>}

I wasn't suggesting that the chapter list of the book would, in and of itself provide the information you're seeking. I'm suggesting that the book is something you might consider purchasing, because the chapter titles listed would appear to contain the type of information you are seeking, such as,
"Navigation
185
System Parameter Registers (SPRM)
186
General Parameter Registers (GPRM)
199
Navigation Command Areas
199
Instruction Groups
200
Navigation Command Examples"

For you to say that the links provided to you "look useless" tells me that you didn't make an effort to explore them. The second link I provided leads to a LIVE list of a multitude (22 to be exact) of DVD programming actions. For example, if you click on "SPRM" in that list and then click on "Text", you'd see (in addition to the definition of "SPRM")that there is a list of 23 Register numbers, their names, their contents, their allowable values, and their default values. Similar detailed information is available for the other 21 listed DVD programming actions, at the click of a mouse button...

[blutach]

Try DVD Replica - http://www.dvd-replica.com/DVD/vmcommands.php

LaBarge's book (which seatrip referred to) is pretty good, but is filled with a lot of extraneous stuff.

PgcEdit (http://www.videohelp.com/~r0lZ/pgcedit/index.html)'s command editor gives a direct link to DVD Repica's page to any command.

Regards

[jel]

here is a site by Lord of the Discs that explains the SPRM numbers and what they relate to:
Programming DVD-register (http://home.arcor.de/josef.braunstein/params.htm)
however, for a fully detailed list, the only place i know to get that information is MPUcoders site, and that requires a registration fee to view it.

cheers
j

[Steve83]

Somehow, the e-mail notification got turned off, so I didn't realize anyone was replying to this thread.

Thanks to all who have - I'll try to make the time to read thru all those links thoroughly.

This is a BIG part of what I needed:
http://www.dvd-replica.com/DVD/setgprmops.php
Now I understand what's happening mathematically at each line of the program.

Over the past few days, I've learned that GPRMs are just data storage for single variable 16-bit numerical values. I had gathered earlier from PGCEdit's command editor button that SPRMs are standardized variable storage, which have the specific meanings listed there. But I'm having a little trouble understanding "AND". Here's the explanation from that page (with some deletions):

Compute the logical AND of a GPRM with another GPRM or a constant value (immediate 16-bit number).
A logical AND of two bits yields a value of 0 if either bit is 0 and yields a value of 1 if both bits are 1.

Example:
2) And GPRM0,255
(Perform a logical AND of the contents of GPRM0 and 255 and save the result in GPRM0. This command effectively keeps the least significant 8 bits of GPRM0. The upper 8 bits of GPRM0 are cleared to 0)

I don't understand which bits are compared between a 16-bit value & an 8-bit value. Each digit? Beginning from the right? So the only constant values that would ever be used in this argument would be 0, 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, 255, etc.? And the purpose is just to clear the leftmost digits to reduce the value to the constant value or less?

Or am I totally off-base?

ALSO...

Is there a page that shows all the possible values for each SPRM? Specifically, for SPRM13 (parental level), and does a low value prohibit more DVDs than a high value? I.e., if I want to eliminate parental control, do I substitute 0 or the max? From exploring PGCEdit, it appears that SPRM13 can be 1-8 or 15.

[Steve83]

The second link I provided leads to a LIVE list... if you click on "SPRM" in that list and then click on "Text", you'd see (in addition to the definition of "SPRM")that there is a list of 23 Register numbers, their names, their contents, their allowable values, and their default values.
Now that you explain how to get to it, I see that it DOES answer another part of my question. Thanks. :D But without any instruction, I'd never have known to click "(text)" to get that to appear. I was concentrating on all the selection fields below. Those pages aren't organized or presented very intuitively.

[setarip_old]

Now that you explain how to get to it, I see that it DOES answer another part of my question. Thanks.As always, my pleasure ;>}