DVD player and region code question.

AdrianL · Nov 11th, 2003, 09:57 PM

Hi,

I just tested out my DVD player on my 900 ibook and when i inserted a dvd it asked to check for the region code, and it also said i have 5 more times i can do this... what does this mean.. what happens, what 5 more times? is that normal? hwta happens after the fifth time?

Thanks!

Kosh · Nov 11th, 2003, 10:05 PM

DVDs have region codes on them indicating which country(s) they can be played in. Canada is in region code 1. The DVD player in the iBook lets you change the region code 5 times before it freezes in the final region. This allows the iBook to adjust to the region it is used in. The first region code change is used when you first use your DVD player. This is completely normal and happens on all Macs.

You should only use region 1 DVDs in your DVD player. If you do use another region it will use up another change of your 5 changes.

Timothy J · Nov 11th, 2003, 10:09 PM

The region code is refering to where you live in the world. Here in North America we are in a different region than Europe or Asia. The DVD player on your iBook only asks this question once and the region is set. But...if you go to Europe and play a DVD that you got there, the DVD player on your iBook will ask if you want to change the region. Now you will only have 3 more times left to do this. If you run out of changing regions options I believe you simply cannot just reinstall your OS operating system and then start all over again. The region coding is set on the DVD player CPU chip.

Here is a link to a good DVD site that may have some interesting info for you.
http://www.wormintheapple.gr/macdvd/index.html

insertclevername · Nov 11th, 2003, 11:33 PM

To play DVDs from other regions grab VLC media player, a great app that plays anything you throw at it, including divx, vcd, svcd.

www.videolan.org

mojoprofilms · Nov 12th, 2003, 12:19 PM

Thanks clevername! That's an awesome program, I had never heard of it... I've been sitting on some PAL DVDs which I can play now...

AdrianL · Nov 12th, 2003, 12:33 PM

yeah, that looks to be a promising program.. i have a dvd from britin i wanted to watch and i didn't want to use up my 5 code limit... if you ask me its stupid.. puttin a lock on the code. My girlfriends PC laptop doesn't have it. my desktop doesn't have it.. why would apple do it?

Lawrence · Nov 12th, 2003, 01:33 PM

There are many ways to get around the region codes,
Whether it is shareware or freeware...Here's a link that may
have or may not have working links for freeware:

Region free ware

Good luck!

Dave

Chealion · Nov 12th, 2003, 02:55 PM

AdrianL - It's not Apple, its the DVD manufacturers. Most DVDs do the same thing.

gordguide · Nov 12th, 2003, 03:55 PM

" ... Most DVDs do the same thing. ..."

Just to clarify a bit:

All DVD players, including computer drives, have the region code and the 5 change limit. It's part of the DVD spec, and if your machine doesn't do that, it isn't a "real" DVD player.

It's got nothing to do with Apple or Microsoft or any other software company that makes DVD players.

Some DVD players (none of the computer drives) don't do the region code thing and are therefore unlicensed DVD players. Typically they are ultra-cheap models (the cheapest player in the store) made in China, where the company that makes them simply doesn't pay it's DVD license fee. They are rare, however, because the DVD consortium chases after them if they find out.

At one time you could buy an APEX DVD player from FutureShop that was unlicensed and did not comply with the region code. APEX has since paid it's fee and now makes compliant players, after legal action by the DVD group.

One possible clue that you might be looking at a non-compliant DVD player is if the DVD-Video logo doesn't appear (ie it just claims to be a DVD player but doesn't have the logo on the player's front somewhere). If the logo appears and it is also region free, it's a counterfeit.

Region code PROM can be changed to "region free" with a hack on computer DVD drives (actually, a hacked firmware upgrade). This uses up one of the 5 changes. If you ever need to upgrade the firmware, you will have to change it again afterward, again using up one of the changes you have. That's assuming the authorized firmware upgrade will even work; it might not.

Making a mistake during a firmware upgrade can render the drive useless and this cannot be fixed. So, you're trusting the hacked firmware to do it's job without errors.

VLC is a great player; it's freeware, open-source and cross-platform. It's developed and upgraded as a class project by a group of French High School students.

Akai · Nov 12th, 2003, 04:01 PM

Or you can just backup your DVD and make the copy work in all Regions [img]smile.gif[/img] Thats what I would do. I have over 300 DVDs and If I ever moved to another region. Yikes thats alot of burning!

So maybes thats what i wouldn't do....