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How to skip the ads on a DVD
Posted by Random Terrain,
12 December 2008
·
197 views
TV_and_Movie_Related_Topics
In case you don't already know, the crap at the beginning of a DVD is easy to skip. Instead of trying to use the skip or fast forward buttons to get past all of the ads, just press the stop button when the ads start to play. Once the DVD has stopped, hit the menu button and boom, you're at the main menu (ready to play the movie and the special features).
That may not work for every DVD out there, but it works with the ones I have tried.
Random Terrain
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That may not work for every DVD out there, but it works with the ones I have tried.
Random Terrain
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One of the flaws in the DVD format specification is something called a user restriction. There are actually three words to describe it, but I can only remember those two.
Most all players are required to honor those and the terms for that are spelled out in their CSS license. CSS is the encryption and region coding scheme that governs how the DVD players behave. There is no technical reason why you should not be able to just view any portion of the disc at any time. It's legal.
So then, the real solutions are:
Obtain modified DVD players, or those DVD players that have special features that omit these restrictions. I believe these are actually illegal in the US, due to the DMCA, but they can be imported, and it's legal to modify one yourself.
Build a DVD player. I use Linux for this, and it just rocks. Open software + the DECSS software = DVD player that does exactly what YOU want to be done with the disc regardless of how it was mastered. For years, I used ogle on a stripped down Linux box, and loved it. These days, I don't often deal with it on that level as many discs are much nicer, permitting the kinds of things you describe here.
I do have a laptop, running Ubuntu, that performs nicely though.
RIP the dvd and play the resulting image. I do this often, and it's a great solution because you don't have to manage the physical disks! Just buy the thing, perform the rip, then archive your master, leaving the easily viewed image somewhere you can get to it and just play on your terms.
Happy fun stuff!
(and screw those guys)