OS X -- need to rip

[moribundman]

My better half just bought a Japanese DVD with music videos, interviews etc of her favorite band, which is a Region 2 code disc. This disc is not available as a Region 0 or Region 1 disc. We can switch the regional code on the Mac's DVD player only 4 times. I presume the DVD player will then only remain functional for discs with the last used regional code? Of course she doesn't want to watch the DVD only once. That's why she wants to copy it. I usually use MacTheRipper and Handbrake if I want to copy one of my DVDs that I want to be able to watch on my internet tablet. So far it's always worked just fine. MacThe Ripper can't rip that Japanese disc. That's a first, but the copyright protection of that disc is too advanced. HandBrake can't rip it either. 4Media DVD Ripper Platinum for Mac's free trial doesn't work either. The guy who created MacTheRipper abandoned the program a while ago. Someone else continued it, and for a monetary "gift" (He wants $50) he will supply a version that can crack the latest DVDs. However, "CSS" does not come with the software (due to legal issues), but "CSS" will be supplied separately. Does anyone know what "CSS" is and how one implements it? Or maybe there is another ripping software for Mac of that I am unaware? Any advice will be appreciated.

 

[uc50ic4more]

I am pretty sure VLC would be able to *play* the disk. I would have suggested Handbrake for ripping, but you've tried that route. I'd bet my boots that there is a terminal command, bash script or Automator action that'd work around the region restriction. There is a thread on another forum that might get you started. EDIT: You knew this was coming: It seems Ubuntu can do it.

 

[mpvue]

what's the chance of there being a region 2 DVD player that can be had for cheap? I mean, you can buy $25 players here, right?

 

[uc50ic4more]

Here are a couple of mentions on the interweb regarding the use of VLC to play DVD's, regardless of region restrictions: http://creativebits.org/toolbox/how_to_play_different_region_dvds_on_your_mac http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20090226100755899 CSS, by the way, is the technology used to make your life a little less joyful, and your "ownership" of the media resemble ownership all the more... less: I give you the Content Scrambling System

 

[moribundman]

 Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more

I am pretty sure VLC would be able to *play* the disk.

VLC could not play it.

 Quote:

I would have suggested Handbrake for ripping, but you've tried that route. I'd bet my boots that there is a terminal command, bash script or Automator action that'd work around the region restriction.

I'm an amateur!

 Quote:

There is a thread on another forum that might get you started.

That thread was among the one that got us started in going nowhere.

 Quote:

EDIT: You knew this was coming: It seems Ubuntu can do it.

Can I run Ubuntu on a Mac?

 

[moribundman]

 Originally Posted By: mpvue

what's the chance of there being a region 2 DVD player that can be had for cheap? I mean, you can buy $25 players here, right?

I don't know. I'll have to look for one. It's a good idea, though.

 

[moribundman]

 Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more

Here are a couple of mentions on the interweb regarding the use of VLC to play DVD's, regardless of region restrictions: http://creativebits.org/toolbox/how_to_play_different_region_dvds_on_your_mac http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20090226100755899 CSS, by the way, is the technology used to make your life a little less joyful, and your "ownership" of the media resemble ownership all the more... less: I give you the Content Scrambling System

I'll have to look into VCL one more time. I knew I wouldn't like the meaning of CSS.

 

[uc50ic4more]

 Originally Posted By: moribundman

 Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more

I am pretty sure VLC would be able to *play* the disk.

VLC could not play it.

Did you consult the URL's I just posted above? They have step-by-step directions, it seems; and I may have been posting those URL's about the same time you were posting this.

 Originally Posted By: moribundman

Can I run Ubuntu on a Mac?

Yup. The LiveCD's that I've tried on my MacBook Pro have been usable, in that they were able to see the wireless connection, keypad, trackpad, etc., etc. *Installing* it might be a bit of a(n unnecessary) chore, and might be beyond the scope of your dilemma, but running the LiveCD, following the directions from the URL I posted above (installing the dvd:rip program) and ripping the data to an external drive (your Mac's main hard drive will not likely be usable by the Ubuntu LiveCD) would be a good "Plan B".

 

[StevieC]

I have an el-cheapo DVD player I bought from Walmart for $30 for our basement TV, and it plays any region DVD's. I know this because I have family all over Europe and some of them brought their DVD's when they came to visit for a family reunion and my Samsung player wouldn't play them because of the region encoding, but the El-cheapo one did! THANK YOU CHINA!!!!!

 

[moribundman]

As I said, I will have to try VCL again. If that fails, I may go the Ubuntu route. Although, I have no idea what to look for when shopping for an external HD.

 

[uc50ic4more]

 Originally Posted By: moribundman

As I said, I will have to try VCL again. If that fails, I may go the Ubuntu route. Although, I have no idea what to look for when shopping for an external HD.

If you don't already have an external hard drive, 1) Purchasing one, in addition to using the Ubuntu LiveCD, would be *way* overkill unless being able to view that consarned DVD is misson critical, 2) It makes we wonder to what and to where you are currently backing up all of your valuable data. That Mac is just a shiny commodity. VLC has been able to play, with only one exception in 10 years, anything and everything I've been able to throw at it. The one exception was a file that my satellite PVR recorded. I used VLC's partner-in-excellence, MPlayer , and MPlayer worked fine. I stand by the assertion that if you have VLC and MPlayer installed, there isn't media floating around that you can't play.

 

[moribundman]

Everything important gets burned to discs right away. Everything else gets backed up on discs regularly.

 

[uc50ic4more]

 Originally Posted By: moribundman

Everything important gets burned to discs right away. Everything else gets backed up on discs regularly.

Whew! I was just wondering where I was going to find the time to type up a lengthy lecture on data backup. Carry on.

 

[moribundman]

I don't give people any credit either.