I am having trouble with my PC DVD region setting

Forums › Desktop computing › I am having trouble with my PC DVD region setting

McStag

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#19540 20-Feb-2008 21:38

Hi

I have recently used up my dvd region countdown. I was ignorant of the fact that dvds were region set and now i am in NZ but stuck on region 1 (USA).

My question is, is there anyway to reset my dvd region,and how would i do this??

rscole86

4973 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#111952 20-Feb-2008 21:48

What are we refferning to here? I did not know you had limited region changes on home theatre equipment?

CYaBro

4582 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#111954 20-Feb-2008 21:53

What is the make and model of the DVD Drive?
You may be able to find a bit of software that will remove the region settings and make the drive region free.
If not there should be a firmware available to make it region free.
There is also http://www.dvd43.com/

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

McStag

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#111955 20-Feb-2008 21:56

Hense Maby off topic. Im new and dont go on GZ very much so i might be in the wrong forum.Sorry.

Im talking about my computers dvd drive not letting me play dvds that are from nz because it is set to region 1 ie only aloud to play USA dvds.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#111973 20-Feb-2008 23:14

You can try AnyDVD - but it won't work if the drive is a Matshita model.

Other than this you can look for updated firmware to flash the drive. Or buy a new one.

Bung

6477 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#111976 20-Feb-2008 23:38

Liteon drives can have their Region Change count reset using a software utility LtnRPC without resorting to modified firmware.

dnb4life

312 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#111990 21-Feb-2008 05:30

just use vlc media player, it doesn't change your region when you watch dvds that aren't your region and it'll play anything. even if you've run out of region changes for your dvd drive it should still play anything. if you don't use vlc you are ignorant. its the most popular player on the net by far and will be for some time i suspect.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#111994 21-Feb-2008 07:24

dnb4life: just use vlc media player, it doesn't change your region when you watch dvds that aren't your region and it'll play anything. even if you've run out of region changes for your dvd drive it should still play anything.

But only if the drive itself is not region locked. It may work ok with old drives because the "lock" was at software level, but more recent drives will have the region changed directly in their firmware.

dnb4life: if you don't use vlc you are ignorant.

I am speechless on this one. It's like saying if you don't use Linux you are ignorant, or if you don't drink Tui you are ignorant. A bit too hard isn't it?

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

lurker

831 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#112007 21-Feb-2008 09:05

I'd hazard a guess that WMP would be the most popular player on the net for the simple fact that most people on the net aren't geeks and are happy with the default.

Anyway, aside from flashing your firmware with RPC-1, for Windows XP/2K you can also reset the software registry key using a (freeware) program called DVD Genie.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#112009 21-Feb-2008 09:13

Since most new RPC-1 drives can't easily be reflashed (because some firmware is too new) DVD Genie wouldn't do anything - it only works with the older RCP-0 drives.

In this case stick with AnyDVD if you need something to bypass the RPC-1 coding - except as noted on Matshita drives.

Bung

6477 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#112038 21-Feb-2008 11:10

freitasm: Since most new RPC-1 drives can't easily be reflashed

Do you mean RPC-2 & RPC-1? Desktop drives are easier in that most popular models have either frequent patched firmware or a patcher that can modify any official release. Even some Matsusheeta (pathetic censoring) notebook drives have RPC-1 firmware available.

hellonearthisman

1819 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#112058 21-Feb-2008 12:17

What make model is the DVD drive? I had an ASUS, if I held down the play + eject (or was if Fastforward) then powered up computer, the drive would reset to factory setting, no need to flash yah rom (last resort stuff), I recently used LiteOn and found an app by searching drives make and model to reset the region counter.

VLC is very 2007 - smplayer is better with it's useful filters and smplayer with a dual monitor lets u play on other monitor and the movie doesent lag like a dog *imho it does have software support for region masking. Mmmmmmm Stout.

Oh and here is a page of applications that could help.

dnb4life

312 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#112108 21-Feb-2008 16:53

lol how is vlc player very 2007? i, like most people have had it for years now, it coupled with the CCCP codec pack is unstoppable. i also struggle to see how u think smplayer is better coz its simply not, wow it can play over more than one monitor, thats not special mate. most players these days can do that including vlc. as for filters vlc has them too. and freitasm i have a new dvd drive and when i use vlc with different dvd regions it doesn't change squat. (and yes saying people are ignorant if they don't use vlc was maybe a bit harsh) as for wmp being the "most popular, it may beat out vlc but only coz it comes preloaded on windows installations. i frankly wouldn't go near wmp. and if you look on the net you will find the overall consensus is that vlc beats wmp hands down, everytime. (-this being the consensus among SMART people not people who use what they are given coz they don't know any better.)

hellonearthisman

1819 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#112137 21-Feb-2008 20:18

IMHO... I used VLC for along time, it was good, but smplayer is better than vlc in dual monitor mode, If I surf on one monitor while the other monitor is playing a movie, VLC LAGS and SMPLAYER handels it. My friend don't take it as a personal attack, as that just crazie talk.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#112139 21-Feb-2008 20:21

I personally use whatever works on my setup and for me. I use VLC on this laptop but on my Media Center I just use the default player.

As hellonearthisman says, it's just crazy talk. If someone uses another program that is not your personal choice, well, that's life. Not reason to call others names...

dnb4life

312 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#112301 22-Feb-2008 14:47

hellonearthisman: VLC LAGS and SMPLAYER handels it.

hmmm i think you'll find this is to do with your computers performance not vlc. i multi-task all the time with dual monitors and vlc doesn't lag out at all, even on a 32inch monitor, and i'll be doing more than just surfing, i'll have winamp, utorrent, netlimiter, msn, irc and plenty of folders open too. and i'm not calling anyone names... yet...