The Curious Case of Copy Protection

[VirusType2]

I checked out The Curious Case of Benjamin Button from my local library a little while ago. They told me it was brand new and I was the first to check it out.

I decide to watch it tonight but when I play it, it says 'This player is incompatible with the region marking of the disc'.

I had never seen this before and I've never used a DVD other than NTSC. I've never changed region codes on any drive before.

So I check the disc and it says 'NTSC Region 1'. Then I check my DVD drive using Device Management and it also says 'Region 1'.

So I suspect that this is some new form of protection - they don't want you to play it on a computer. I bought this DVD burner about a month ago. (works for other movies fine BTW)


Or

I've heard of stuff not working if you have Daemon tools installed. I've never even used it, so I might try uninstalling it.


So, it might be a copy protection scheme on the disc if it detects optical drive emulation. ...

I installed a freeware copy of daemon tools, roxio has some emulation, power iso, and probably a couple other optical drive emulators.

I'm aware that they are constantly trying new copy protection schemes on discs, so that might be the issue. But the ironic thing is, I started ripping this disc just to be able to watch it. (but I will delete it from my hard drive afterward)


well - any kind of insight?


More? (boring & technical, probably not related)

Spoiler

I see something that doesn't bring up any results in google. 'Zaxsva SCSI CD Rom device'.

I mean - what the hell is this? Malware? The drive works fine with Zaxsva disabled, BTW. Whatever Zaxsva CDRom device is, it has no region code set.

If I disable it, it has no effect on my DVD drive, so I don't think it's part of it's driver. I think it's some software Optical emulator.

 

[Dinnesch]

Try VLC. It's a multimedia player with a horrible interface, but it's the best program for DVD's you can get.

I don't know what exactly the problem is with your DVD, but I'm pretty sure VLC will handle it fine because it's got some very good DVD mechanics.

 

[Asus]

AnyDVD I think disables region codes while you play the disc.
I think you can also edit the region code of your drive to 0 (any/all). Maybe not on all drives though.

 

[VirusType2]

It just pisses me off that they would apply copy protection that would keep people from watching a movie on a computer, which I think is the case. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to rip it and watch it anyway, because of that.

Once again, they prove that DRM doesn't work, and only hurts legitimate customers - people who won't be able to play the movie they bought.

Even if it's something else and not a copy protection scheme, DRM can still suck my dick.

 

[VirusType2]

Sure enough, by uninstalling the free version of Daemon Tools - Daemon Tools Lite, now the movie plays.


The Lite version is just an emulator of an optical device, something that can be found in a plethora of other software; it has nothing to do with copying discs.

Searching my computer for installed software and denying me ability to play a DVD on my DVD player = not okay.

Paramount, enjoy the boycott, die in a fire, etc.


BTW the Zaxsva device was the Daemon Tools driver like I suspected

 

[kupocake]

Securom has the same reaction to Daemon Tools apparently... sometimes. When trying to play Crysis and Fallout 3, I've had a very inconsistent experience of Securom detecting the disc in the drive (since I always actually have it in there). One time you double click and get straight to the game. Another, three separate goes and it'll boot you off, and without you lifting a finger it'll relent and let you through the next time.

Copy Protection, Digital Rights Management... this stuff doesn't bother me as much as some, but I am shocked at just how poorly implemented it often is. It's very true what they say about the pirates getting a better product than those of us who damned well pay.

 

[AtomicSpark]

Thankfully I haven't had any problems with libdvdread4 (plus libdvdcss). I use VNC to watch the movies, since Totem currently has some issues.