# Compulsory annoying DVD features? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 7, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854 "2015-06-07T02:15:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/1 "2015-06-07T02:15:18Z")
Hi on some DVD’s you can’t do things like fast-forward or skip some things like legal messages or previews. Even cheap DVD players and DVD playback programs for computers do this as far as I know. If a DVD player did allow you to skip or fast-forward something that it isn’t meant to would the manufacturer get into big trouble? I wonder if any DVD players/software let you do this… I’d like to get it. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/2 "2015-06-07T03:18:52Z")
Hit stop twice then push the menu button. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/3 "2015-06-07T04:10:38Z")
So some group made annoying DVD rules that they allow people to bypass if they know obscure codes? I’ll try it out when I get home. I’m using a ps3. I think the square is the menu button or maybe it is stop. BTW some players are region free but I think they still have those other problems. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/4 "2015-06-07T04:25:10Z")
Actually it looks like it is stop-stop-play or stop-stop-stop-play: > **[dvds Archives](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/tags/dvds/)** > > Get all the latest dvds news, reviews, tips and much more from Lifehacker Australia, where our team of experts is committed to help you Level Up Your Life. I found some information about it: > **[User operation prohibition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_operation_prohibition)** > > The user operation prohibition (abbreviated UOP) is a form of use restriction used on video DVD discs and Blu-ray discs. Most DVD players and Blu-ray players prohibit the viewer from performing a large majority of actions during sections of a DVD that are protected or restricted by this feature, and will display the no symbol or a message to that effect if any of these actions are attempted. It is used mainly for copyright notices or warnings, such as an FBI warning in the United States, and "pro... It is called UOP… (I found that doing a search based on your answer) ---
**Author:** ![Recusant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@Recusant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recusant)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/5 "2015-06-07T04:51:56Z")
If there’s any trouble they’d get in, it’s a relatively recent development; VCRs didn’t have this problem. Also, next time you’re stuck reading the anti-piracy warnings, take a closer look. It says (the US version, at least), quote “International Criminal Police Organization- INTERPOL-has expressed its concern about motion picture and sound recording policy to all of its member national police forces. (Resolution adopted at INTERPOL General Assembly, Stockholm, Sweden, September 8, 1977)” So, a resolution “expressing its concern” (seriously? Not even so much as a “INTERPOL says knock it off”?) made before people who can currently run for President were born, is the best and most recent thing you’ve got? This seems more likely to make people start video piracy than stop it. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/6 "2015-06-08T13:15:26Z")
I’m going to have to try that “Stop Stop Play” thing. We Netflix a lot of kid movies around the Dice household, and unskippable ads are the bane of my existance. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/7 "2015-06-08T14:01:58Z")
On my DVD player when I can’t get to the menu or FF through previews, I’ve found that it will let me use the “forward to next chapter” button to skip over. I may have to hit it half a dozen times to skip past all the previews and finally hit the main menu. Never tried “stop stop play” - I will have to give that a shot next time. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/8 "2015-06-08T15:01:11Z")
It’s just part of [the spec](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_operation_prohibition). It has legitimate uses, to keep you from jumping to a menu or a special feature when you didn’t want to. But of course companies are going to use it to make unskipable previews and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/9 "2015-06-08T15:03:21Z")
I get mad every time I have to sit through the annoying legalese stuff on a DVD I have bought legally. I will also have to try the method endorsed here. Indian DVDs are oftentimes even worse - you can’t skip over the ads no matter what. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsory-annoying-dvd-features/721854/10 "2015-06-09T02:31:41Z")
On a computer, Slysoft AnyDVD will remove prohibited UOPs and other annoyances. It’s expensive, though. I think there’s also cheaper or free software that does the same thing, but I can’t remember the name.