newbie DVD ROM drive question

[ucvb6]

hello, i'm kinda new with these DVD drives.(just ordered a toshiba 16X/40X drive from newegg.

my question is, what does "ripping DVD's" refer to?

does this mean copying DVD's? if so, don't you need a DVD burner?

thanks in advance

 

[Random Variable]

Yes, you would need a DVD-RW drive like the Pioneer DVR-A03.

 

[ucvb6]

thanks,

also, what's the deal with this "region free" stuff? something like you can only change the region a set amount of times, what happens after that?
can someone just explain the whole region thing to me?

thanks

 

[AndyHui]

"Ripping DVDs" generally refers to copying the contents of a DVD onto the hard drive, with the intention of compressing the movie using something like DivX. For more information on this, go check out Doom 9 or DivX-Digest.

At the request of the movie industry, the world is divided into 6 regions. DVDs produced for one region will not operate in another region. For example, Japan is Region 2 and the US is Region 1. You will not be able to play a Region 2 DVD in a player that is locked for Region 1 and vice versa. Supposedly this is to prevent piracy...more a PITA than anything else, especially if you come from a region that is slow to come up with titles, or has less titles. Generally the US doesn't have the sort of problems other regions have.

Region Free drives get around this limit by not complying with the Region requirements, and play DVDs from all Regions. Unlocked drives are known as RPC1, locked drives (which the majority are, these days) are known as RPC2.

 

[MCS]

<< For example, Japan is Region 2 >>



Slight correction, R2 is Europe/UK.



<< Generally the US doesn't have the sort of problems other regions have. >>



What do you mean by that?

 

[AndyHui]

Japan is included in Region 2.

US (Region 1) Titles are generally very quick to be released, and there are many, many titles. Other regions have generally less releases and are available much later than Region 1 Titles. Many non-Region 1 Titles also do not include the DVD special items, such as "Behind the scenes" programs.

 

[MCS]

I didnt know that, my apologies

I wouldn't call what you described a problem as such, but yes I agree, I usually try and get hold of R1 DVDs even though I live in a R2 country because the title is not released on R2 or because the R1 has more features, as you say...

 

[Sugadaddy]

DVD regions