Region coding, file ripping, and disc playback question...

[jivyivy]

This is sort of complicated...

I'm going to be in Tokyo this time next week and there's a Blu-Ray disc that I want to be able to bring along and watch.

The disc is region-locked "B" and it's a UK import. I assume PAL encoded.

It's one of those dual-format standard/HD sets and I'd like to extract only the 1080p feature.

I'm not looking to replicate the entire disc w/ supplemental content, etc -- just the high-def feature.

I'm located in the US.

I have the paid version of MakeMKV.

I would ideally be transferring the MKV file onto a commercial disc from Staples or any random office supply store.

It needs to be compatible for playback in a Japanese player.

I want to be able to watch this on the hotel television screen; not my own device (laptop, iPad, etc).

Is there a way to make this work?

If so, please explain.

If not, please offer alternative solutions (i.e. transfer file to external or USB flash drive instead of disc, etc.)

I understand how this could work with an HDMI cable and an external drive, but I would really, really, really prefer a simpler solution that requires packing less bulk.

Thanks for your help!

[jivyivy]

If it's at all helpful, this is the disc that I would like to rip: https://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/youth ... no-seishun

[Woodstock]

Burning to a disk is probably not a good idea.

MakeMKV doesn't care about the region coding, so it can rip the disk to an MKV file. That can be converted to whatever the host's system can handle, or you can take along an inexpensive media player.

I regularly rip out-of-region disks. DVDs sometimes will show "attempting to work around" on the region coding, but I've not seen that ripping region B Bluray disks here in the US. There usually just an extra file that says "you can't view this disk with your player".

[jivyivy]

Thanks so much!

I've just contacted the hotel to inquire about the make and model of their televisions. Unfortunately it's around 3am in Tokyo right now so I'll try again in a few hours. I'm hoping that they have USB inputs so I can just dump a bunch of MKVs onto a Flash Drive and be done with it!

Last time we were in Japan, we traveled with an iPad loaded with MKV files and Infuse media player, plus a long sturdy HDMI cable to connect to TVs. It worked well (most of the time) but it was a bit of a hassle. We had to keep the iPad propped up on a piece of furniture somewhere beside the TV with the screen on for the duration and the charger connected so it wouldn't drain the power. I don't even want to bring my iPad with us this time. Hopefully I can find another solution...

[jivyivy]

I just pulled the trigger on this gadget - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NO9RRM/

It would seem to be the most reliable solution... I hope it works!!

[Woodstock]

I've had a different Micca model that worked fine for about a year, then stopped booting. Haven't had time to look at it.

Not having any built-in storage is better for border crossings.

The problem with a lot of TVs that have USB ports is that they only do "picture frame" imitations. That is, they won't play video. Some "smart" TVs will play SOME video files. I do not trust a TV or projector to handle more than being an HDMI input monitor, which is why the media player is the safest bet. I have one dedicated to my projector, and another I can carry around when there might be a need for entertainment.

[jivyivy]

Thanks!

Wouldn't this technically be considered treating the HDMI port as an 'input monitor' in the same way that connecting an iPad via HDMI would?

Both store the content and output the video files via HDMI.

I've personally never (extremely rarely!) encountered issues with MKV files via HDMI to TV through my iPad media player before.

Isn't this essentially a much smaller and more portable version of the same concept?

[Woodstock]

I've never owned an iPad, so I cannot make such a comparison. Is the iPad one of the older ones, where the HDMI interface is actually in hardware, or is it one of the "air port" adapter versions, where the HDMI is sent across a very short wireless network connection in the lightning connector?

My preference when traveling is low-value devices that don't hurt so much when they get "lost". When they have multiple uses, like an iPad or other tablet, the line gets blurry.

[jivyivy]

It's an iPad Air and it requires a short HDMI to lightning adapter but it's always worked fine. I agree with you about the lower value and more importantly less bulky travel device though, which is why I'm not packing my iPad on this upcoming trip. Hopefully the new Micca device that I've just purchased is an adequate or superior replacement that gets the job done.