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Hello,

I am desperately trying to make the VLC work on my Mac Mini to read Region 1 DVD.

VLC version: 0.8.2
I can read: avi files, and Region 2 DVD.
My Mac mini is working with a Mac OS X 10.4.2 sytem.
It is a G4 , 1.42 Ghz, 1 Go of memory with 1/3 still available
It is equiped with a Superdrive: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-845C, and the Region is not "blocked". I have not used the 5 possibilities of change of Region code.



Errors obtained for a Region 1 DVD: 2 types of errors.

1. When I try "Open the DVD". The VLC does not open.

In the console log, I get:

===== samedi 3 décembre 2005 17 h 11 Europe/Paris =====
[[32;1m00000001[0m] main vlc error: [31;1moption rt-offset does not exist[0m
[00000001] main vlc error: option rt-offset does not exist
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 0.1.10 from http://dvd.sf.net
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.8 for DVD access
libdvdnav: DVD Title: GOLDEYEX
libdvdnav: DVD Serial Number: 27188E80
libdvdnav: DVD Title (Alternative): GOLDEYEX
libdvdnav: Unable to find map file '/Users/ /.dvdnav/GOLDEYEX.map'
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 1

libdvdread: Attempting to retrieve all CSS keys
libdvdread: This can take a _long_ time, please be patient

libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.VOB at 0x00000137
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_0.VOB at 0x00000269
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB at 0x00000273
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_0.VOB at 0x000002af
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_1.VOB at 0x0001973d
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_0.VOB at 0x001df077
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_1.VOB at 0x001df0e8
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_04_1.VOB at 0x003c75f3
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_05_1.VOB at 0x003c7c81
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_06_1.VOB at 0x003c836c
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_07_0.VOB at 0x003c925a
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_07_1.VOB at 0x003c92d0
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Found 7 VTS's
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdnav: Suspected RCE Region Protection!!!
libdvdnav: Suspected RCE Region Protection!!!
[00000245] main playlist: nothing to play



2. When I try "Open the file", I get this message:
access_file:read failed (Input/output error)


Many thanks in adavance for the help...

Hi osfd!

If I understand you OK, you didn't set any region on your mini yet. The little bugger is then so-to-speak "vergin".

Now, there are a few things to keep in mind

1) the mini has a new drive of type RPC2, which means VLC can not defeat the region code, as it used to be the case with older RCP1 drives

2) VLC seems to be able to play region-free DVDs even on an out-of-the-box mini

3) it seems that VLC can play some region locked DVDs even on a pristine mini, but by all means only a minority

4) to Apple's shame, DVD Player refuses to play *any* DVD -- even region-free ones! -- unless the region is set to some value once

5) VLC and DVD Player play region-locked DVDs of region N as well as region-free DVDs, provided the drive is set to region N

It seems to me that by chance you have one or more region 2 DVDs that happen to play on a no-region mini (I also have at least one). However, your region 1 discs follow the general rule and refuse to play.

You have a few options

* if you really are so lucky that all your region 2 DVDs play on a no-region mini, keep it that way; otherwise

* set the mini to the region where most of your DVDs belong, and

* buy a cheap external drive and set it the other region to play those DVDs

* rip the offending DVDs and remove the region, then play them from the hard disk, or burn them to DVD media.

I don't know if the last option is worth the trouble, though. Also, consider that DVD players with all possible Dolby and DTS hardware decoding, with or without regions, are dirty cheap these days.