DVD-9 to DVD-5 PLUS region decode--HELP!

[acilec]

For two weeks I have fought with determination, but keep failing on one last step in each case...

We are huge Jackie Chan fans and several of his DVDs are only available in the UK. We have bought those, but want to watch them on our widescreen tv as opposed to on a regular computer screen. The DVDs...for example, Police Story 1 (with english dubbing) is a few hundred megs too large to fit on a DVD-5.

So using DVDXCOPY 1.3, two images were created. It couldn't see the Pioneer A04 drive, but that was ok as there were still two separate images for the two disks. The problem was, when I went to test it with WinDVD before burning, it still thought it was region-encoded for Europe. So I've been trying all sorts of programs to remove the region encoding but without success...it seems all of the programs need the disc to be in the actual DVD-ROM drive...but if you do that, you'll end up with a DVD that is too large to fit on a DVD-5 even though it won't be encoded.

I can't figure out a way to split the DVD into two fully functional DVD-5 discs AND remove the region encoding for the life of me. What am I doing wrong? What are different ways I can do this?

Also, for whatever reason, PowerDVD (both v3 and v4 of which I own both) crash on my new PC, as does the newest version of FlaskMPEG--the one that flasks as vobs. No idea why though.

My setup is as follows:
dual athlon 2100+ MP
Parhelia
1500 MB RAM
18 GB and 36 GB 15krpm SCSI drives
external 120 GB firewire drive
Pioneer A04
and various other goodies that have no benefit for ripping/burning.

Please help--we have been trying for two weeks straight (and periodically for over half a year) to get these discs viewable on the DVD player....the best I've been able to achieve were horrible looking VCDs...I can't deal with VCDs...I need full quality.

Acilec

[acilec]

I forgot to mention that I'm running WinXP Professional.

Also, assuming we get Police Story successfully split from a DVD-9 to two DVD-5's without region encoding, will PAL be much of a problem? I know the widescreen says it can handle PAL, though I'm assuming it just gets cut off on-screen.

Ross

[acilec]

I saw from reading other messages that IFOEdit 0.95 allowed one to ope DVD folders so I loaded each of my DVD folders and tried applying the region free patch to the jackie disc I mentioned above. However, when I tried it in WinDVD, it still thought it was region 2 encoded....obviously, if it thinks it is on the computer, it will still think it is when I burn it to dvd-5.

So how do I get a DVD folder I've created to be region free...or how do I restart from scratch to remove the region free and split so I have the full disc contents? The UK discs that I have contain many special features, although even the movie itself is a few hundred megs too large for a single dvd-r on the a-04.

I'm convinced that there's a way and that I just haven't figured it out...I really need the help of one of you experts out there.

Thanks,
Acilec

[NiksNotes]

The new dvd decryptor (3.14) will allow you to select the region code you would like for your dvd's, it's under tools, ifo..region patch.

[acilec]

Thanks to you, I am now but one step away....I was able to use the new DVD Decrypter successfully to patch the region to all and verified by the player on the PC that both "discs" were functioning correctly. However, when I try to record the disc in Nero, it says that one of the VOB files (one that resides on the second disc) is missing and it immediately errors and refuses to burn the disc.

I tried using Pioneer's RecordNow DX as well, which came with the A04, but it also gives an error (presumably the same one, but it does not give the details).

The version of Nero I am running is 5.5.9.9

What do I need to do to "fool" Nero into thinking it is a good full image even though the DVD-9 has been split into two fully functional DVD-5 discs so that I can burn the DVD-R discs?

I'm soooooooo close!

Acilec

[wldt24]

I hope you figure it out but look at my post when ya get a chance as you can help me easily im sure. Good luck :P

[acilec]

that I tried imgtools 0.99-2, since that seemed to mention it could bypass the Reallocation, which is what I think my error was regarding the missing vob 5-1 file (that was on the second of the split discs)....the problem with imgtools 0.99-2 is that it cannot see my drive which is an A04 IDE (and I have forceaspi on there and set dma to the correct setting)...additionally, I tried the 0.88 or so version but that one didn't seem to have any button that let you start the burn.

I tried Sonic DVDiT PE 2.5.4 also (from volume) and it failed as well.

Please help. I'm too close to give up now.

Ross

[acilec]

I found a trial program which worked for the burn...Gear Pro 6.02
Gear Pro 6.02 did give an error on VTS_23.* (all VTS_23 files) which exist on both films) and which did not seem to affect playability...when I tried opening that 174k VOB/18k IFO/18k BUP file through WinDVD, it had no effect. It then burned the disc ok (and left off the vts_23* tracks from the first disc).

However, because the region 2 (now region free) disc is PAL, it won't play on the TV....I had thought the TV could handle both PAL and regular but am apparently wrong...it shows the screen black and flickery while it continues through the tracks normally...so the disc itself is playing, but the image is not viewable.

How can I convert the two DVD folders that I now have ready to burn to DVD from PAL to NTSC without losing the DVD quality?

Thanks,
Acilec