Playing Region 2 DVDs on a PC

Before sifting through pages on google, I thought I would request the wisdom of the many here. Simple question, I want to be able to view Region 2 DVDs on my computer. I have a BenQ DVD+-RW player, but I assume the player wouldn't make a difference. What sort of software would I need? Thanks guys.

VLC?

For the drive to play it correctly, you would have to use up one of your region changes (you get like 5 per drive, if this is just a one-time thing). Or flash the drive with a hacked region-free firmware.

Or you can rip the DVD using DVD Decryptor or any other DVD ripping software that can convert the rip to be region free, then watch the rip.

[quote7c0669aec5="unknown uchiha"]VLC?[/quote7c0669aec5]

I don't think VLC can play a foreign-region DVD in a region-locked drive, because the drive won't allow it. It might play a rip however that was still region-locked.

DVDShrink allows you to rip it region-free I believe, then you can burn a region-free copy. It's been a long time since I've used that program, but I think I remember doing that.

I've always wondered why they were so concerned about region switching on DVD players...

enlightenment?

Dmorris, by putting in this DVD, would it automatically recognize it as a different region and prompt me to use one of my region changes? I'm not too familiar with that.

Basically, I'm getting a Bruce Lee Box Set that has the original cantonese languages and tons of extra stuff, so it's something I'm going to want to be able to watch tons of times, hassle free, rip free (to maintain quality).

Is there a "legal" way to achieve what I want?

Ripping and re-burning the DVD using DVD Shrink won't cause it to lose quality.

It would probably depend on the DVD player software, but I doubt it. You'd have to manually switch the drive region -- but that isn't something you want to do if you'll be watching them repeatedly.

A much preferred method would be to see if there is a region-free firmware available. Check here[=http//forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?category=4&manufactor=1]here for that.

If you want to be technically "legal" about it, the only legal way is by purchasing a region-free player. Technically, any sort of ripping, or tampering with a device to bypass digital protections, is a violation of the DMCA and thus illegal. Yeah. Okay.

BTW ripping will not degrade quality if you don't transcode the rip, so you could rip and then watch the rips from your HD. You could even burn the rips back to a DVDR and quality still would not degrade, as long as you didn't transcode to a lower bitrate (recompress). This might require dual-layer media though if the move is over 4.7GB, or you could just burn the movie portion without the extras, which for all but the longest movies will fit on a 4.7GB SL disc.

I'm going for the firmware, thank you very much )

You don't need to do any of the above.

I have this drive

http//www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827151133

Haven't changed my Region on my drive through Windows and I use AnyDVD. Download, install, open up and then insert your Region 2 DVD. Bingo.

Works for me anyway. It removes any protection that either the DVD or Drive enable

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True enough, I forgot about AnyDVD. However I still suggest the region-free firmware is a better option. I've had issues with AnyDVD before, so I stopped using it. I'd much rather the drive handle it for me than to rely on software, but to each his own.