Techsurvivors

Archives => 2006 => Topic started by: smiley on October 24, 2006, 03:31:32 PM

Title: Playing dvds on a mac
Post by: smiley on October 24, 2006, 03:31:32 PM
Hello everyone,

I'm baffled Thinking.gif so I have this question in my head and was wondering if someone knew the answer to it.

Let's say you have a dvd that is region-free but it's PAL. Can you play it on a mac in US?

Looking for some video-format/dvd experts wink.gif

Thank you
Title: Playing dvds on a mac
Post by: Xairbusdriver on October 24, 2006, 08:18:53 PM
Have you tried? dntknw.gif
Title: Playing dvds on a mac
Post by: jcarter on October 24, 2006, 08:33:01 PM
I can play movie DVDs on this Mac thought I don't, I do them on the TV, as I sure don't want the grandkids in here using my Macs as a television.
And all the DVDs that come with software all seem to work OK.
But I have seen some CDs that wont play, like an advertisement CD.  Or music CD made on an old PC.
Good question, interesting,,,,,
Jane
Title: Playing dvds on a mac
Post by: kbeartx on October 24, 2006, 10:15:21 PM
What Smiley is asking about is PAL vs. SECAM, two incompatible video formats.  VCRs and DVD players are designed to use one or the other, and cannot play the other format.  I also vaguely recall something about NTSC being yet another format, incompatible w/ the others.

And commercial DVDs are coded with a Region # [the world is divided into several regions]; DVD players will only play DVDs from the region in which they were sold.

And I don't know the answer to the question.
Title: Playing dvds on a mac
Post by: smiley on October 24, 2006, 11:15:49 PM
QUOTE(airbusdriver @ Oct 24 2006, 09:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Have you tried? dntknw.gif



biggrin.gif no I have not tried. But since I want to get a PAL dvd that is region-free, I just wanted to make sure I can play it on my computer before I get it.
smile.gif I read in some other places onlne, that computers can read both PAL and NTSC dvds unlike dvdplayers for tv.
Title: Playing dvds on a mac
Post by: Highmac on October 25, 2006, 02:39:54 AM
We play PAL Region 2 DVDs on the G3 and G5 (not often) and they work fine. Region-free should should be no problem, but be aware if you use both Region 1 and 2, the Mac will warn you it needs to change the region, and that this can be done only five times. It will then stick on the last region used. Apple says...
Title: Playing dvds on a mac
Post by: Mrious_be on October 25, 2006, 10:19:02 AM
Interesting...

http://www.high-techproductions.com/pal.htm

smile.gif