How to recode a PAL DVD?

[csloane]

I have a DVD from Thailand that, of course, will not play in my Sony 315 DVD player. It plays in my brand new BenQ DVD burner just fine, but I was trying to figure out how to make a copy that'll play in the Sony.

I have been doing a lot of CD audio work for years, but I am new to DVDs, so I am asking either for help or links to useful information.

I have already installed the following programs:
* the latest Nero Suite
* DVDFab Decrypter
* DVD43
* Power DVD
* DVD Identifier

The disc I have is Region 9 and PAL. Here is what I did.

First, I ripped the DVD to hard drive using Fab Decrypter, and DVD43 was running in the background.

Then, I tried Nero Recoder to fit into a single-layer DVD+R. This also does not play in the Sony, and for the same reason (area restrictions). Is it PAL? PowerDVD reports it as No Region Specified, MPEG-2 (they all are, right?) and 720x576 (which SHOULD be NTSC, right?).

Then, in Nero still, I tried to make a VCD but burned to a DVD for the greater capacity. Nope.

So can anybody help me diagnose what the problem is? Or can you point to a specific article that could help?

Cliff

[Scour]

Hello!

Have u ever tried DVD-shrink? It´s Freeware and its a good program. It shrinks the larger movies so that u can burn it on a DVD-R/+R

AFAIK 720x576 is PAL, 720x480 is NTSC

[Justin42]

Hrrrm, I thought Thailand was NTSC. Guess it doesn't matter.

720x576 is PAL, I believe. I think the NTSC video would be 720x480. The burned copy you made would be 'region free' for all intents and purposes so there's definitely not a region problem anymore.

DVD Shrink won't re-author videos between formats, unfortunately. I've heard of a program called DVD Santa that apparently does a pretty good job (not as good as doing a 15 step process using 5 different apps and reencoding overnight ). you might want to find it and use their trial? (I've been curious about it but too busy with other things to have the time to try it out)