I think the newly released Steamboy - Directors Cut (released July 26) has a new form of the Sony copy protection that AnyDVD can't handle (yet...). I just downloaded the trial of AnyDVD today to see if it could get around this problem. This is a brand new disk. Never been played, and completely scratch free. If this problem can be fixed, you have a new customer!

The DVD has the following markers on the inner ring of the DVD:

DVDL - 236990A1 3 A03 IFPI L333
DVDL - 236990B1 1 A01 IFPI L333

The following warning is displayed by AnyDVD:

WARNING!

Failed to read DVD!

This could have several reasons:

1. - DVD Media is dirty, you can try to clean it.

2. - DVD Media is damaged, you have to replace it.

3. - Your drive is a region locked RPC2 drive, which does not allow reading of scrambed sectors from a different region and you try to read a DVD from a different region.
Known drives having this problem are RICOH/PHILIPS DVD writers and Matshita/Panasonic DVD readers and writers. You can try to find a RPC1 patched firmware at http://www.rpc1.com

4. - Your drive is an RPC2 drive that has not yet been assigned a Region. Try to assign one, or try to find a RPC1 patched firmware at http://www.rpc1.com

--------------------

I should also note that

1. The Media is brand new, scratch free and very clean.
2. The Media doesn't look damaged, and is acting just like a DVD with the bad sector protection.
3. My drive is a Sony DRU-510A. The region is set to region 1 and this is a region 1 DVD.

I have succesfully backed up my entire DVD collection to date (except for Steamboy!), so I'm not a complete newb. heh.

Copy the IFO files to your hard drive with AnyDVD turned off, ZIP them up and and email to:-


bugs at elby.ch and support at slysoft.com

obviously replace the text 'at' with '@'

If it is new protection they should have an update out pretty soon.

Out of curiosity, does DVD Decrypter read it ok or also fail? That'd be a pretty fair indicator of whether it's a new kind of protection or not.

DVD Decrypter fails also. It reads about 20% and fails. Always at the exact same spot. This is acting just like Sony's ARccOS. Previously the guy who wrote DVD Decrypter would have to release a new version periodically when Sony would make minor modifications. With Decrypter development halted, I'm turning to AnyDVD.

I might be able to copy *just* the IFO files. If I can, I'll send them in. Won't be able to do that until this evening though.

Anyone else have the Steamboy Directors Cut DVD that was released on July 26?

I'm picking it up today, if it fails to rip I'll send the IFOs to Slysoft as well. You should do the same tonight, in case I don't get around to it by then.

grimjack,

I was able to back up this version (R1):

DVDL-236990A1 3 IFPI L333 A05
DVDL-236990B1 1 A06 IFPI L333

However, the time it took to back it up was around 1hr 40 mins.
Most of the backups usually run around 30 mins.

Can you post the AnyDVD information window?

Weird. It must be a mastering error on some discs. I backed it up without a sweat. In fact, my version didn't even have ARccOS on it! It just had CSS.

Do we know for a fact that ARccOS is giving you these problems? Right click the any dvd icon (picture of red fox) once you have the DVD in there, and click SHOW INFORMATION. This will show you if the disc has ARccOS or not.

I highly doubt this disc has it.

@ grimjack,

Suggest using Nero CD-DVD Speed (http://www.cdspeed2000.com) to check your original copy of this suspect problematic DVD for Mastering Errors. To check a DVD for errors is rather a simple task and Nero CD-DVD Speed is a free diagnostic tool. Below is a Forum link that provides detail information how to use Nero CD-DVD Speed to check for errors. You can obtain a free copy of Nero CD-DVD Speed at (http://www.cdspeed2000.com)

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.ph...1&postcount=58

Your copy of Steamboy – Directors Cut either contains mastering errors that were induced during the manufacturing process or this particular DVD title contains some variant of an encryption copy protection scheme that AnyDVD is unaware of. In seeing that Forum member Overmind and hoju3508 report that they recently successfully made a back up copy of Steamboy - Directors Cut indicates that most likely your original copy of Steamboy - Directors Cut is a defective a DVD which contains mastering errors that were induced during the manufacturing process.

As stated above suggest checking your original copy Steamboy – Directors Cut for errors. When using Nero CD-DVD Speed if the Scan Disc shows Red (Bad) sectors this reveals errors. These errors are the reason you are having difficulty making a back up copy of this DVD. If your DVD contains errors just return it to the store were you purchased this DVD title and tell them this DVD skips and freezes and they should give you a replacement disk. In this day and age of mass-produced DVDs it is not unusual to receive a defective DVD disk.

Request if you check your original copy of Steamboy - Directors Cut for errors that you let your fellow Forum Members know the results of your test.

Best Regards,
bjkg

I had no problem backing up steamboy directors cut region 1 with the latest CloneDVD and AnyDVD. and it didnt take me any longer than normal.

same same here....no trouble with that combination.....dvd took 1 hour 15 minutes to copy...1 hour a little bit longer than most times..but the dvd had all sorts of subtitle options.....audio languages....etc.....etc...more goodies than ususal.........that was to get it on to the hdd....15 minutes to burn....

Here's the AnyDVD information window, I'll check the DVD with CD-DVD Speed shortly (although seeing so many others can back it up, I think I bought a defective disk, looks like I'll be exchanging it):

Summary for drive E:
Drive (Hardware) Region: 1

Media is a Data DVD.
Booktype: dvd-rom (version 1), Layers: 2 (opposite)

Video DVD (or CD) label: STEAMBOY_DIRECTORS_CUT
Media is CSS protected!
Video Standard: NTSC
Media is locked to region(s): 1 4!

Found & removed RCE protection!
DVD structure appears to be correct.
Structural copy protection not found.
Found & removed Autorun from Video DVD!
Bad sector protection not found.
Emulating RPC-2 drive with region 1!

@ grimjack,

Perchance before you return your suspect original copy of Steamboy – Directors Cut could you check it with Nero CD-DVD Speed (http://www.cdspeed2000.com) for mastering errors?

This would provide “data base” information for other Forum Members so that we would definitively know if certain copies of Steamboy – Directors Cut contain Master Errors. This information would be helpful in assisting other Forum Members who also report difficulties making a back up copy of Steamboy – Directors Cut.

Best Regards,
bjkg

Nero CD-DVD Speed has been running "ScanDisc" for about an hour now. It looks like it's mastering errors if I'm understanding it correctly.

It made it about 13% then starting getting yellow or damaged sectors. Then after a few blips of green I get a fairly regular pattern of 3-5 bad sectors with 1-2 damaged sectors in between.

It's now at 14%, and I'm busy installing a new furnace/AC at the moment, so I'll just let it finish.

BTW, I ripped the IFO files using DVDDecrypter. It had problems with one of them and I ended up click "ignore" on the errors so it would complete. I haven't emailed them to Elby or Slysoft yet because it might just be a defective disk.

Also, out of curiosity, what would the ScanDisc look like if it were the ARccOS protection? I thought that ARccOS worked by using bad sectors.

It sure sounds like a seriously defective DVD and in desperate need of being returned to wherever you bought it.