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[benn600]

Is there a way to remove the restrictions I see when playing back HDD based DVD movies?  I know these can be removed when ripping a DVD but I never did this and would rather preserve the original content--per my FLAC choice.  Keep it all bit perfect when possible.

So is there a way to simply remove the restrictions?  I don't want to remove any content, just remove the restriction that doesn't let me fast forward or skip.  There are a few discs that literally won't let me skip 5 minutes of previews.  Other discs are much less annoying.

[imugli]

I know you've already ripped you're DVD collection, but if you wanted to go again DVDShrink allows you to rip only the bits you want i.e you can keep the menus, features, movie, scene selection etc but do away with the previews.

DVDFab also allows this.

[benn600]

I don't want to remove these elements but simply remove the restriction that doesn't let me fast forward during some previews, images, etc.

[Mr ChriZ]

That would be very useful.  Although it's actually MC that appears to be the problem here in some cases.
I find WMP can often skip them, where as MC will not.

[benn600]

Isn't it the player MC is using?  I'm using PowerDVD as my decoder.  I figured there would be a little hack that you could adjust PowerDVD to not honor the restrictions.

If it is truly MC, then can this be removed?

[Rob L]

A lot of DVD ripping software has an option to do this. For instance, DVD Fab has an option called "Remove UOPs (User Operation Prohibitions)"

[benn600]

Is there a program that will go through a folder of hundreds of DVD rips and remove the restrictions?  Otherwise, I'd prefer the runtime restriction removal--the whole idea of normalizing music files at playback (runtime) rather than permanently modifying the bits.

[Rob L]

Hm, no, I can't see an option to do that, but I haven't really investigated it that much to be honest, and I've only looked at the free version rather than the full paid-for version anyway.

[MrHaugen]

There's an application called DVDIdle I have used a lot in the past, and will install again. It can skip commercials as well as skipping right to the movie. I love that. No more irritating waiting. It also provides buffering for DVD and CD drives. Can be good for battery saving on a laptop... In case you use a DVD drive as well as HDD DVD's you should also look into CDbremse or other similar applications wich slows down the spin rate of the drive.

Why do you use PowerDVD for decoding? It have to have one of the worse decoders possible? I have compared it to Dscaler in the past, and there is no way I'm going back... The color range and quality of the decoding is just way off. Dscaler is free, and a much better alternative imo. A lot of movie quality freaks also seems to agree with me. At least they did a couple of years ago when I read up on the stuff.

[benn600]

I will try Dscaler but I once asked for decoder suggestions before and I couldn't get any of them to work except PowerDVD, which always works without any problems.  Even so, the picture quality looks great with PowerDVD.  It is not the free version, though.

[MrHaugen]

I can't understan that. I've never had any problems with Dscaler 5. Just install it - Open MC, go to DVD settings - DVD Playback - Video Decoder and select Descaler. It's been 100% stable for me for 3 years now. Installed several times but allways with Dscaler. I have tried the pay versions of PowerDVD as well, only not the latest version I think. Never really payed for it though; and boy am I glad I did not. I only, and only use it in emergencies when my video settings in MC gets bad, and I have planned a movie night (usually after to much fiddeling with the ffdshow post prosessing settings). Only good thing with it is that it allways work. Same with VLC. But you have to look hard for a bunch of lower en decoders

Have you looked into DVDIdle? I think it will do what you want, if I understand the "restrictions" part of you're request right though.

[benn600]

The restrictions part is when previews or some into is playing and you hit fast forward and it does nothing.

I downloaded DScaler and installed it with MC closed and it did nothing.  I went to DVD Playback settings and there was no DScaler entry.  What am I doing wrong?

[MrHaugen]

I'm not sure. It's allways showing up under decoders here. Tried a restart?

[Rob L]

AnyDVD sounds like it does what you want - on the fly removal of things like the restrictions.

I've not tried it though. And it's not free. Or even cheap. but they do have a trial period...

[Alex B]

benn, did you download and install the DScaler 5.0.0.8. alpha version? AFAIK, DScaler v. 4 is a stand-alone program, not a DirectShow filter (though I have never used it).

I attached a screenshot of how it should show up.

I am not saying that DScaler would be better than the PowerDVD codec, but you can try it.

I prefer to use PowerDVD on the older PCs because it seems to consume less CPU than the other MPEG2 decoders. On a new PC the CPU usage difference is quite insignificant. I have not seen any big difference in the video quality.

Also, the MPEG2 decoder may not be involved in following the possibly included restrictions. I'd like to think that the DVD navigator handles that part, but I have never tested how it works.

[benn600]

I finally found the right program.  I was using version 4 and version 5 was a bit difficult to find a downloadable copy.  Softpedia had it but claimed the file was no longer on their servers.  I am watching video with it right now.  I am still unable to fast forward certain parts.  The DVD menu for this particular DVD was crunched horizontally to a square instead of the widescreen format it actually is.  The movie played fine.  Overall, I think the quality of the video has some slight advantages of being a bit sharper but I notice more interlacing artifacts.  I still prefer PowerDVD but will keep this one in mind for using at times.

Thanks.