DVD titles that hide elapsed time on standalone players

[fordman]

Every so often I encounter a DVD title that does not allow the elapsed/total/remaining time to be displayed, whether on the unit itself or in the on-screen display on the televison. Instead it will show only the title number, even when advancing through chapters (so the chapter number is hidden also). Others will show the title and chapter numbers, but no play times. This reminds me of a VCD when under "playback control" mode...

 

For some titles, it only does this on certain DVD player brands that I own, but others do it on each and every one (Pioneer, Panasonic, Cyberhome, Yamakawa, Sampo, etc.).

 

I assume that this is perhaps a prohibited user operation?

 

If it is indeed a PUO, is there a change I can make through IFOEdit or PGCEdit to enable viewing of the title play times?

[calweycn]

Every so often I encounter a DVD title that does not allow the elapsed/total/remaining time to be displayed, whether on the unit itself or in the on-screen display on the televison. Instead it will show only the title number, even when advancing through chapters (so the chapter number is hidden also). Others will show the title and chapter numbers, but no play times. This reminds me of a VCD when under "playback control" mode...

 

I assume that this is perhaps a prohibited user operation?

 

If it is indeed a PUO, is there a change I can make through IFOEdit or PGCEdit to enable viewing of the title play times?

I don't think it's a result of a PUO, as that should be removed by most back-up software.

I think it is because the chapters are split into different PGCs - instead of being joined in

a single PGC (like most movies are). I've seen this with music DVDs. I use PGC Edit, to

re-use the cells in a single PGC. Then re-author with Shrink. Otherwise, there is no way

to fix this issue. It's inherent to how the disc is authored. You can't see an elapsed time,

because the chapters are split, like VTS 1,1 - 1,2 - 1,3 - etc.

[dbminter]

I think it's because no "time" has been added to the IFO's. Believe it or not, DVD video is so tightly structured that nothing really "exists" in hours, minutes, seconds, etc. They start at frames referenced by logical block addresses. If a time isn't present, it's because the author decided not to add it in for display, for whatever reason. Probably just overlooked it. Like when a Play command is issued, the VOB isn't told to start playing at X for 30 minutes, but told to start at X LBA and stop at Y LBA. At least, that's what I GOT from the convoluted mess that is the so called DVD "standard."