DVD Player - changing the region code
Graeme Forbes
available in the US. I understand that officially, you can only change
the region code of the Apple DVD player (or drive) five times. Surely
there is some way round this?
Graeme Forbes
David Empson
Not without voiding your warranty.
After you've changed the region code the fifth time, the drive will be
permanently stuck on whichever region you last selected.
There is apparently a "dealer reset" mechanism which gives you another
five changes, but this procedure can also only be applied a limited
number of times (two or three).
These mechanisms are implemented by the drive itself, and the region
(and count of remaining changes) is stored in nonvolatile memory on the
drive.
If you want to be able to change regions on the fly, your best options
are:
1. Get a standalone DVD player which is already "dezoned".
2. Try to locate replacement firmware for your particular model of
DVD-ROM/Combo/Superdrive, which changes the behaviour of the drive to
the old "RPC-1" method (instead of its current RPC-2 behaviour). With
RPC-1, the region must still be changed, but there is an unlimited
number of changes.
Replacing the firmware in your DVD-ROM drive is likely to void the
warranty on the computer.
3. Get another computer (or DVD player) which is set to the "other"
zone, and only play the disc in the appropriately zoned machine.
Apple has no choice but to supply computers with RPC-2 drives, because
this is a requirement for licensing aspects of DVD playback (such as
decryption keys for CSS) and the right to use the DVD-Video logo.
According to the licence, all DVD players manufactured in 2000 or later
must comply with RPC-2.
--
David Empson
dem...@actrix.gen.nz
David
There are ways around this - hotline and other sites etc carry a
software mod that will address all your concerns - do some searching and
you will find it - as a start try
http://www.wormintheapple.gr/macdvd/
I am not sure if they have that mod but if not they may have links
David
Scott
for...@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu (Graeme Forbes) wrote:
I've weighed in extensively on this issue before, and my recommendation
continues to be: just go buy a region-selectable DVD player. For less
than $100 there are players out there that can select regions and often
PAL convert (important for you to consider if you're bringing home
European DVDs) right out of the box. No hacking, no mods, no firmware.
Look especially for models by Daewoo.
I have flashed a number of DVD-ROM drives for region switching
capability, including my 103 Superdrive. It was necessary in order to be
able to extract the digital content. But the older drives were used, and
inexpensive, and I waited until my warranty had expired to flash the
Superdrive. Even at that, it was a tense moment, even though I'd fully
accepted the possible consequences of a failed update.
Even with my drives patched, I never watch DVDs on my computer. I have
one of the previously mentioned Daewoo units for that. (DVD-8500, to be
exact.) It's by far more enjoyable that way. Give it some serious
thought before you start muddling around with your computer drive's
firmware.
HTH
Graeme Forbes
> Hey Graeme
>
> There are ways around this - hotline and other sites etc carry a
> software mod that will address all your concerns - do some searching and
> you will find it - as a start try
>
> http://www.wormintheapple.gr/macdvd/
>
Helpful link, David. Thanks.
Graeme