Unlocking DVD regions on a PC

Dosser · Post by **Dosser** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:34 am

I've heard that it is relatively easy to unlock a DVD player to run DVDs from any region. However, can the same stuff be done on a DVD Drive in a computer?

AFAIK, Windows and PowerDVD will only let you change regions 5 times (though I've got no idea why that is, or what happens if you change it more than that).

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:11 am

im sure theres firmware for most drives that allow for longer then 5 changes... or you could use dvd shrink and copy your movies as region free.

Post by **Wally** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:28 pm

Dosser: Its for some country code thingy, to prevent people exporting movies from other countries (Who knows why!!)

There are however ways to reset the DVD firmware so that you can change it again.

I think the meaning of region encoding might be because some countries use different frequencies or something.

Franpa: Indeed there are, DVD-shrink wont help in this situation as the computer is asking for a different region every time.

Also dosser, all computers (even Xbox, PSP , PS2 etc have region coding, its a pain in the arse i know, thats why japanese PSPS sell better, they are region free

)

Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:58 am

The thing that will happen is the 5th change is permanent. Whatever you change it to the 5th time it’ll stay on that. It’ll still work; you just won’t be able to change it. So you’re best bet it’s just using a program like DVD decrypter.

Icedragon · Post by **Icedragon** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 7:39 am

Can it be set to multi-region? That would fix it.

All my DVD players came on multi region- its great.

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:34 am

thats what dvd shrink does... it reads the dvd and you have the choice of removing the region protection stuff plus some other protection schemes on a disc and you can compress the movie onto a normal single sided dvd (normally only the main feature) and remove the layer transition that I've never encountered before and still haven't encountered.

Post by **Wally** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:35 pm

maybe set the region to '0'

This is one way of doing it

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:02 pm

that would require a program other then windows itself.

Post by **Wally** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:33 pm

yeah true.

AdamN · Post by **AdamN** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:57 am

As TSM said once you've changed it the maximum amount of times it's will be stuck on that particular region. I used DVD Genie, changed it region 0, and kept it on region 0. region 0 plays all regions!!

Post by **CPT Worm** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:44 pm

I'm not sure, but I think VLC will ignore Region Code. I know Apple DVD Player will not, however.

Amro · Post by **Amro** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:38 pm

Whomever invented DVDs decided to be an asshole and implement region codes.

Lots of DVD players will play DVDs from other regions. It has nothing to do with the output format, as then you could get a multi-system TV.

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:40 pm

AdamN wrote:As TSM said once you've changed it the maximum amount of times it's will be stuck on that particular region. I used DVD Genie, changed it region 0, and kept it on region 0. region 0 plays all regions!!

a) there is no region 0 in dvd genie for if your changing it for windows and not a dvd viewing program (thus making it kinda pointless)

b) doesn't work on dvd drives released after 2002... you will not be able to make it multi region... and each change you do make lowers the number of changes one can make later on.