Can't decrypt Warner DVD - new protection?

[BGane]

Ok. I'm trying to make a backup of my brand new "Rod Stewart - Storytellers 1984-1991" DVD. None of the rippers seem to work. I have tried vStrip, SmartRipper, DVD2SVCD internal routines, DVD Decrypter, and Alcohol 120%.

In each case, at about 52kb into the second 1GB VOB file, I get a read error on the disk. It is consistent - the problem always occurs on the second VOB. I figured that I had a bad disk, so I returned it to the store, and got another one. Same problem. Same spot. Now that can't be a coincidence.

Alcohol 120% wouldn't even start to read the disk. It reported that the disk was copy protected and not readable. Huh?

Also - neither PowerDVD nor Windows Media Player are able to read the disk at all. An error message pops up indicating that the disk is not readable and must be scratched or damaged. But, my standalone Sony DVP-S7700 player can play the disk without any problem.

So - question - is this some new form of copy protection that has been introduced by Warner? It would seem to affect computer players, but not standalones.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might approach ripping this beast?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Stick it in another drive.

[BGane]

Wow! Now, that was easy! It worked!

I happen to have another computer, with another DVD drive. The first machine has a Pioneer DVD-115 DVD drive. The second has a Pioneer DVD-117 drive.

I have had trouble with several Warner DVDs on the 115, but usually have been able to get them to rip one way or another. This time, there was nothing that was going to work. But the 117 was both faster, and cleaner - no read errors at all.

Could this be a firmware problem with the 115?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Some drives just seem less prone to errors than others.
It could be down to the drive itself, or the firmware (I guess?!).

Anyway, glad to hear you've got it sorted.

[BGane]

Thank you for the suggestion and resolution.

In fact, I did find a firmware update for the Pioneer 115, but it did not help. You are correct that certain drives seem to have issues with certain DVDs.

In the future, if I get a tricky disk, I will move it to the Pioneer 117 and rip it there.