DVD players on PCs

[ChristineCB]

When two drives are using the same data-cable (the wide, flat older style, usually light gray or tan), one drive will be considered the "Master" and one will be the "Slave" for signal-checking.



Each drive has a small jumper-setting on it for this, and its placement on the data-cable (at the very end or at the interim connector) must agree with the drive's jumper setting.



Newer computers (purchased in the last year or so, particularly with 'dual core' labelings) have moved to using SATA connectors - which is one drive per cable, and the cable is a small, finger-width flat cable, often red in color. No need for jumpers, settings, etc., although they have installed a maddeningly less obvious distinction between SATA (internal drives) and eSATA (external drives or future, unreleased devices, which may or may not include men's brains, a la MATRIX).



I'm currently trying to talk Hubby into staying in the iron-maiden long enough for me to close it tight so I can 'install' some of these eSATA ports in him. He seems to doubt that's what will happen, though... men-!

[susanduic]

Thank you!

[ChristineCB]

When I re-read this post from the beginning, I've discovered that a firmware update to a DVD drive resets any 'counter' to Zero, by the way.



If you'll post the model number of your DVD drive, I'll see if I can't post a link to its firmware updates. (If you're using Windows, under CONTROL PANEL, Device Manager and "DVD/CD Drive" name should be a sufficient starting point.



Our local gurus say they can apply the same update over and over, and always reset that counter.

[clitheroekid]

Slightly piggybacking this thread, does anyone know how I can convert Quicktime MP4 files to something that I would be able to burn to a DVD to watch on TV



I have the usual progs: Toast, Mac The Ripper, DVD2one

[susanduic]

My main/internal dvd drive is a MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ-840S

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='Steve Crook']Does anyone here use anything to get around the number of times you can change region in the DVD player in most PCs?



I've seen some like DVDIdle's DVD Region+CSS Free Lite but wondered what it was like



Steve

I just use two DVD drives. Problem solved.

[ChristineCB]

When I did a Google search on "MATSHITA UJ-840S", I would two forums with a couple of threads about these drives and their firmware updates.



AFTERDAWN and RPT1 are the forum names, by the way.



I read thru 3 different posts, and all of the posters mentioned "Sony", "Packard Bell", "NEC" and "Acer" computers/notebooks. It appears that only the Sony and PackardBell/NEC computers came up Mashita drives that have firmware updates available.



While the drives are probably all the same, each computer can react differently to the update processing software, so this makes it VERY risky to use flash-updates on inspecifically-identified computers.



Most update-processing software - the Firmware Flash program - usually have a "Is this correct/do you want to proceed?" step, however, so I usually run it and see what happens - to see if my drive is properly identified. Uh - I've also got a spare available... just in case...

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

I wouldn't touch a branded computer with a barge poll. Any brand.

[susanduic]

My head has just exploded!-but thank you.



I'm going to get an external player and resurrect my old computer to keep everything separate, just in case................

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='saduic']My head has just exploded!-but thank you.

Oh dear, that sounds rather inconvenient? Do you require any help cleaning up?



I understand new heads are going cheap on Ebay... though there have been complaints that the heads come with beaks which make kissing your loved ones rather painful for them (But I guess that is why they are going 'cheap' - lol)

[susanduic]

Now I've split my sides as well...........

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Is there a crochet expert in the house???

[JohnB_Toronto]

name='Steve Crook']Does anyone here use anything to get around the number of times you can change region in the DVD player in most PCs?



I've seen some like DVDIdle's DVD Region+CSS Free Lite but wondered what it was like



Steve

http://www.dvd-x-player.com/



I use DVD X Player Pro software. It plays all regions without ever having to change the drive setting and will play NTSC or PAL DVDs interchangably. You don't even need to think about what kind of disc you're putting in.

[Shadwell]

name='DB7']I've found that the best for playing any format, and the playback quality is better than the likes of Power DVD.

Have to agree with that. VLC media player is absolutely excellent, FREE and well worth the download. It will play DVDs and just about any audio or video codec thrown at it. Recommended..





By the way, those of you like me who are running Vista might have a few problems with VLC. I know I had and it was bloody annoying. However a quick visit over to here will sort it out: The VideoLAN Forums :: View topic - VLC media player for Microsoft Windows Vista