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    Can I watch PAL DVDs on my computer?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Malia, Oct 30, 2005.

  1. Malia

    Malia Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    Hiya,

    So I'm thinking of buying AnyDVD to bypass the region coding and to copy DVDs because I got the 21-day trial and so far successfully copied one DVD. We'll see how it goes, since I read that it's supposed to have problems with my optical drive (MA****A DVD-RAM UJ-840S 1.00), but assuming that it continues working. Do I need anything special to view PAL DVDs, once the region code is taken care of? Is there an easy way to test it? Thanks!

    Malia

    P.S. The swearing filter is taking out a part of my optical drive name, but I read it's by Panasonic, if that makes a difference.
     
    Malia, Oct 30, 2005
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  2. MY92

    MY92 Notebook Guru

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    I use dvdregionfree and for ripping i use to use smartripper but now use dvddecrypter. I used dvdshrink for when i want to copy a dvd so I can play it on the home dvd player.
     
    MY92, Oct 30, 2005
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  3. Malia

    Malia Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    MY92,

    Thanks for your reply, but I really just want to watch PAL DVDs. While it'd be nice if I could burn them, since that can always come in handy, I just want to be able to watch them for now. AnyDVD only comes into the picture to deal with the region code. Do I need to do anything special to deal with PAL? Thanks.

    Malia
     
    Malia, Oct 30, 2005
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  4. jegHegy

    jegHegy Notebook Enthusiast

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    jegHegy, Oct 30, 2005
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  5. Malia

    Malia Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    jegHegy,

    That thing gets rid of regions (same as AnyDVD), but it says nothing about NTSC/PAL... Have you used it to watch PAL DVDs?

    Malia
     
    Malia, Oct 30, 2005
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  6. MY92

    MY92 Notebook Guru

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    Isn't region also pal or ntsc.

    It is pal in NZ, but I get a lot of dvds from amazon in region 1 (like monster garage and american choppers :)) and they play fine.

    I don't think a notebook cares if it is NTSC or PAL.
     
    MY92, Oct 30, 2005
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  7. jegHegy

    jegHegy Notebook Enthusiast

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    MY92 is correct. :) regions specify which countries you can play the DVD in -- and thus specify whether the display the player is connected to should be PAL or NTSC. however, a notebook screen is not a TV, so it doesn't need to use PAL or NTSC as a format, so removing region protection will do the trick.
     
    jegHegy, Oct 30, 2005
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  8. Malia

    Malia Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    MY92 & jegHegy,

    It looks like PAL should work from what you both are saying, so I'll try to find a PAL DVD to rent tomorrow to find out for sure before I order the DVD that I want, but here's why I was asking this question.

    PAL/NTSC refers to resolution, not to security, like with regions. For example, Japan and UK are both region 2, but Japan uses NTSC, while UK uses PAL. So, the reason why a DVD player would play one format but not the other is because it simply doesn't have the capability to play the other format built in, to save on cost. (With regions, it has the capability, but it refuses to do it.) So my question was simply, do laptops have that feature built-in (like the more expensive PAL/NTSC DVD players) or not...

    Malia
     
    Malia, Oct 30, 2005
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  9. MY92

    MY92 Notebook Guru

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    I have never had a problem playing a dvd be it NTSC or PAL on any computer.

    I remember back in the day when I had my super nintendo and my tv was only pal, I could play ntsc games but they would be black and white.
     
    MY92, Oct 30, 2005
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  10. cheziyi

    cheziyi Notebook Consultant

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    PAL/NTSC not only refers to resolution, also fps. But i get your point. And laptop/desktops are considered expensive media players.. you can junk anything into it and it will play.. PAL/NTSC will have no problem with computers.
     
    cheziyi, Oct 31, 2005
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