MAJOR HELP with burning DVD! PAL to NTSC issue

Hello all! I hope that someone can help me! I'm in desperate need of help! Here's my background:

I purchased a DVD burner (NEC) for my Dell Dimension 4500...and the software that came with it is called Sonic MYDVD. When I first attempted to burn a DVD, the program told me to switch to PAL format or it would not work in my DVD player. Well, not knowing what that meant at the time, I did what it said. After the DVD was burned, needless to say it did not play in my Sony DVD player cause I don't have a PAL/NTSC converter.

So anyway, after learning that I need to use NTSC cause I live in the US, I changed it in the program and tried to import my files again and it would not let me. It told me my files are PAL. So at first, I thought the Sonic program converted my files to PAL! That made me angry! But then after lots of research and troubleshooting several areas, I began to pop in my backed up mpeg files from a few months ago. And those did not work either! And I also tried other files on the hard drive which did not work as well! So I can't imagine that the Sonic program INFECTED all my files! Also, I had a few mpeg files on the hard drive that I downloaded a few years ago that I thought I would try and believe it or not, they worked! So then I began trying to figure out why THOSE worked and nothing else did. But I can't seem to figure that out. The only difference is the few files that worked opened up in Windows Media Player and the rest of the mpeg files opened in Real One Player. So just for kicks, I forced all mpeg related files to open with WMP, and even rebooted. But nothing.

I was told there are programs out there to convert PAL files to NTSC but you lose quality. And again, I don't think that is the issue anymore. I think my COMPUTER thinks I'm running in PAL mode. Does that make sense? Cause really, how can all the files be affected? So I took a look at the language in the control panel and it says US...I don't have enough knowledge in that area so I didn't screw around.

Does anyone know what my problem is? Does anyone have a resolution for me?

Somebody also mentioned a system restore before I installed the Sonic program? And also they think it's a system change. Perhaps in the registry? I'm too afraid to go in there! I dont' have the knowledge to start changing the registry if that's it.

I'm out of options...I'll try anything! Oh and I even downloaded Nero to try and that didn't work. I also downloaded the new MovieFactory v3 (huge download 100mb) and after a few hours of building the DVD, I got errors. So I burned just a few mpegs and that worked but it brought my mpeg4 files down to mpeg1! Horrible quality loss!

Thanks so much!!!! PLEASE HELP!

-Patty

 

maybe the region has changed
go into device manager double click your dvd drive there should be a tab for dvd region you can then select USA there

 

Your registry hacking aprehension is understandable, but as long as you have a back up, you're safe.

xttp://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/199762382617

 

region code

Ya know, that's a very good idea! I checked the region code and it says Region 1, which is correct. Right? But for kicks, I thought to try to change it to US to "force" it and it said I didn't have rights....guess that's sticky! It said I have 5 chances to change it. I guess that's across the board. I've read 4 and 5 times for changing and that's it. But it won't let me anyway!


Any other ideas?! What about that TMGenc thingee?

 

you think your pc is running pal format quickest way to make sure is get a normal dvd and try to watch it on your pc

IMHO sonic dvd is a piece of rubbish if your just backing up dvds i use dvd decrypter and the back-ups are made region free

theres so much to learn concerning this that you really need to research exactly what you need for your circumstances so as i reccomended in a seperate thread go here for all your needs

http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/ifoedit-dvdauthor.htm

 

About that TMGenc thingee, don't get caught with it if you live in the USA. Fair warning, nuf sed.

If I may, I'd like to recomend afterdawn dot com as another source of dvd nfo.

 

no dice on DVD in pc

You guys are SO SMART! I never even thought to put a regular DVD in my drive! Well, I did what you said and NOTHING! The error that popped up said "incorrect system region." Then it brought me to change it which I tried before and it does not let me change it. It says: please make sure the drive contains a region 1 and you have admin priveleges. So apparently, I guess I can't change it. Do you know how? Is there a "way around" this????? Cause now at least I know the problem thanks to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

thanks!!!

Yikes! Thanks for the warning on the TMGenc thingee! I won't go near it!!! You guys rock!

 

are you not signed in as an administrator in xp

 

Do you have a source on that and the reason why?

 

It's agin' the law to pirate DVDs in the United States (other places to but I don't live there).

Need I say more?

 

Actually, yes.

I asked for a source that states the software is illegal not an opinion.

It is against the law to pirate DVD's in many countries, including here where I live, but it is not illegal to make a personal use only copy (existing laws in the US also permit this).

This is encoding and editing software. It does not have ripping capabilities. It can be used to re-encode video files, cut and paste, add soundtracks and other such tasks, none of which is illegal.

 

It was for a time, that any software that included the DeCSS decryption code was illegal for residents of the USA to have in their possesion in any way shape or form.

The "alliance" that was filing law suits against software that included the DeCSS code have dropped their cases.

Final DeCSS case dropped unexpectedly
22 January 2004 19:14 by Ketola

The DVD Copy Control Association has unexpectedly asked California Supreme Court to dismiss the case against Andrew Bunner. Bunner was sued by DVD-CCA for distributing the source code to DeCSS on his website.

DeCSS, the software that decrypts scrambled DVDs, has been in the headlines for well over four years now. Hackers were able to create DeCSS thanks to the fact that Xing Technology Corporation neglected to encrypt the CSS decryption key in their DVD player software. DeCSS opened a whole can of worms, and some of the lawsuits that emerged have drawn to a close only very recently (see related articles below).

Bunner's attorneys were obviously pleased by the surprising decision.

"I think that they are sick of losing," said Allonn Levy, one of several attorneys who had worked on the case on Bunner's behalf. "I think they have finally reached the conclusion that it is not a fight that they can win."

The case against Bunner was the last major DeCSS-related lawsuit still unsettled. The case against DeCSS author Jon Lech Johansen ended in January, when the Economic Crime Unit of the Norwegian police decided to drop the case.

Source: News.com
​

As for my source on why it used to be illegal, go here...

xttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:

So yes, now it seems it is perfectly legal for citizens of the USA to make a personal back up copy of their DVDs.

It seems I was mistaken (awfully early in the year but whatever).

 

Thanks, didn't want to put you on the spot guy, I don't think TMPGEnc has DeCSS in it, but it may.

To me, I use it as advertised, to encode to mpg and edit mpg files.

Friends?
David

 

This may be because your DVD player does not like the media you are using. DVD-R is usualy problem free but alot of stand alone DVD players do not read DVD+R media. You can check your DVD palyers compatability here:

http://www.dvd-makers.com/public/654.cfm

What software decoder do you use? Win DVD, Power DVD or what? When you put your DVD movie into the computer this should pop up and play the movie. If your getting messages saying its the wrong region then either yourself or the Sonic software has changed the region. Both Sonic DVD and whatever your software DVD player is should be set to region 1.

When you say you burned a DVD do you mean you had MPEG2 files already or did you rip them with the Sonic software. If Sonic ripped them in PAL then you switched to region 1 it will tell you to switch your region to PAL or vice versa.

If nothing else. Uninstall the sonic MyDVD and make sure all your regional settings are correct in windows and whatever your software decoder is, then reinstall it. Start over again and stay away from any settings that say PAL or anything thats not region 1.