DVD regions

[Matt Ferguson]

Hello

Just bought a new PC with Windows XP preinstalled. Have tried to play region
1 DVDs which work, apart from I'm asked whether or not that region is to be
my default, and that I have only two more chances to change my mind before
that particular region becomes the default. As i live in UK, and region 2 is
our standard, I dont want to be defaulted to region 1 BUT as region 1 disks
are half the price, would like the option of either.

So, how do I overcome the registration software that "locks" my particluar
choice of region? Surely there is a way of disabling this unpleasant bit of
code? Does anybody know of a piece of software to help?

Thanks

[Ian Merrithew]

"Matt Ferguson" > wrote in
:

> So, how do I overcome the registration software that "locks" my
> particluar choice of region? Surely there is a way of disabling this
> unpleasant bit of code? Does anybody know of a piece of software to
> help?

It's not software code; it's the firmware in the DVD drive that controls
region settings and allows/disallows playback of DVDs based on the region
of the disc. If you want to play DVDs from any region, you'll have to
find firmware for your drive that allows your DVD to operate in "region-
free" mode, which may or may not be supported by your PC/DVD
manufacturer, and then flash that firmware into the drive's EEPROM.

Also note that there are some discs that will refuse to play on region-
free DVD drives, though not very many that I know of. There's also a
discussion in one of the ATI groups about whether or not the ATI DVD
player software is now refusing to function on region-free drives as
well; this may or may not be a harbinger of things to come.

So you'll have to do some searching on the net for available firmware for
your particular DVD drive if you want to proceed.

--
Ian Merrithew - ADM Systems Engineering
ian.merrithew "at" ieee.org

[Ben Williams]

http://www.dvdidle.com/
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail.php3?fid=1028453685

--
Ben Williams

"Matt Ferguson" > wrote in message
...
> Hello
>
> Just bought a new PC with Windows XP preinstalled. Have tried to play
region
> 1 DVDs which work, apart from I'm asked whether or not that region is to
be
> my default, and that I have only two more chances to change my mind before
> that particular region becomes the default. As i live in UK, and region 2
is
> our standard, I dont want to be defaulted to region 1 BUT as region 1
disks
> are half the price, would like the option of either.
>
> So, how do I overcome the registration software that "locks" my particluar
> choice of region? Surely there is a way of disabling this unpleasant bit
of
> code? Does anybody know of a piece of software to help?
>
> Thanks
>
>

[Gran Salseron]

Or you could keep two versions of the dvd player firmware. One for region 2
and one for region 2. Flash ! when you want to play a region 1 dvd then
flash 2 when you want to play a region 2 dvd.

"Matt Ferguson" > wrote in message
...
> Hello
>
> Just bought a new PC with Windows XP preinstalled. Have tried to play
region
> 1 DVDs which work, apart from I'm asked whether or not that region is to
be
> my default, and that I have only two more chances to change my mind before
> that particular region becomes the default. As i live in UK, and region 2
is
> our standard, I dont want to be defaulted to region 1 BUT as region 1
disks
> are half the price, would like the option of either.
>
> So, how do I overcome the registration software that "locks" my particluar
> choice of region? Surely there is a way of disabling this unpleasant bit
of
> code? Does anybody know of a piece of software to help?
>
> Thanks
>
>


---
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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.484 / Virus Database: 282 - Release Date: 05/27/2003

[Opinicus]

Matt Ferguson > said:

> Just bought a new PC with Windows XP preinstalled. Have tried to play
> region 1 DVDs which work, apart from I'm asked whether or not that
> region is to be my default, and that I have only two more chances to
> change my mind before that particular region becomes the default. As
> i live in UK, and region 2 is our standard, I dont want to be
> defaulted to region 1 BUT as region 1 disks are half the price, would
> like the option of either.

I "solved" the problem by installing a second DVD drive. Now I have one for
R-1 and one for R-2.

--
Bob
Kanyak's Doghouse
http://kanyak.com

[Mike]

"Opinicus" > wrote in message
...
> Matt Ferguson > said:
>
> > Just bought a new PC with Windows XP preinstalled. Have tried to play
> > region 1 DVDs which work, apart from I'm asked whether or not that
> > region is to be my default, and that I have only two more chances to
> > change my mind before that particular region becomes the default. As
> > i live in UK, and region 2 is our standard, I dont want to be
> > defaulted to region 1 BUT as region 1 disks are half the price, would
> > like the option of either.
>
> I "solved" the problem by installing a second DVD drive. Now I have one
for
> R-1 and one for R-2.
>


Why anyone would want to watch a dvd movie on a pc is beyond me

[Rob]

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Opinicus" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Matt Ferguson > said:
> >
> > > Just bought a new PC with Windows XP preinstalled. Have tried to play
> > > region 1 DVDs which work, apart from I'm asked whether or not that
> > > region is to be my default, and that I have only two more chances to
> > > change my mind before that particular region becomes the default. As
> > > i live in UK, and region 2 is our standard, I dont want to be
> > > defaulted to region 1 BUT as region 1 disks are half the price, would
> > > like the option of either.
> >
> > I "solved" the problem by installing a second DVD drive. Now I have one
> for
> > R-1 and one for R-2.
> >
>
>
> Why anyone would want to watch a dvd movie on a pc is beyond me
>
>
The reason I watch them on my PC is because I have the choice between a 14"
Mono Television or a 19" Monitor and Dolby Digital speakers / soundcard
combination. I know which I prefer.

Rob.

[Mike]

"Rob" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Mike" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Opinicus" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Matt Ferguson > said:
> > >
> > > > Just bought a new PC with Windows XP preinstalled. Have tried to
play
> > > > region 1 DVDs which work, apart from I'm asked whether or not that
> > > > region is to be my default, and that I have only two more chances to
> > > > change my mind before that particular region becomes the default. As
> > > > i live in UK, and region 2 is our standard, I dont want to be
> > > > defaulted to region 1 BUT as region 1 disks are half the price,
would
> > > > like the option of either.
> > >
> > > I "solved" the problem by installing a second DVD drive. Now I have
one
> > for
> > > R-1 and one for R-2.
> > >
> >
> >
> > Why anyone would want to watch a dvd movie on a pc is beyond me
> >
> >
> The reason I watch them on my PC is because I have the choice between a
14"
> Mono Television or a 19" Monitor and Dolby Digital speakers / soundcard
> combination. I know which I prefer.
>
> Rob.
>

OMG, get yourself down to Currys, or try qed-uk.com and buy yourself
a widescreen or plasma and a dvd player. You also need to by a DTS Amp
and a set of speakers and a sub.
Order them today you might have them by the weekend.

[John B]

Mike, while banging their head on a wall, wrote:

<snip>

>> > Why anyone would want to watch a dvd movie on a pc is beyond me
>> >
>> >
>> The reason I watch them on my PC is because I have the choice between a
> 14"
>> Mono Television or a 19" Monitor and Dolby Digital speakers / soundcard
>> combination. I know which I prefer.
>>
>> Rob.
>>
>
> OMG, get yourself down to Currys, or try qed-uk.com and buy yourself
> a widescreen or plasma and a dvd player. You also need to by a DTS Amp
> and a set of speakers and a sub.
> Order them today you might have them by the weekend.

Now let's look at this...how much is a widescreen or plasma TV going to cost?
*LOTS* more than his whole PC setup combined.
Next...the speaker setup w/ DTS Amp...*LOTS* more than what he has now, and
what he has now is apparently good enough for him.
Why you think having to throw away that much money on a setup like you say he
should have is unfounded. Also, because of the way a PC monitor is made, it's
actually a cleaner and clearer picture than a standard TV. Plenty of people
seem to get along just fine with a small TV and a 15" - 21" monitor on their
PC, your deriding them for not having a "widescreen" or "plasma" TV is
ridiculous and pathetic.

John
--
http://www.pclinuxonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6797

[Matt Ferguson]

Thanks to all, bar the unhelpful, topic-altering, Mike. I won't go too far
into why I may or may not want to watch DVDs on my laptop but having a job
involving lots of train travel has something to do with it...

I'll try your suggestions...all the best.

"John B" > wrote in message
news:1107341.m4VyAh0LPA@Buy_me_a_shrubbery_or_I_wi ll_say_NI!_to_you!.com...
> Mike, while banging their head on a wall, wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> >> > Why anyone would want to watch a dvd movie on a pc is beyond me
> >> >
> >> >
> >> The reason I watch them on my PC is because I have the choice between a
> > 14"
> >> Mono Television or a 19" Monitor and Dolby Digital speakers / soundcard
> >> combination. I know which I prefer.
> >>
> >> Rob.
> >>
> >
> > OMG, get yourself down to Currys, or try qed-uk.com and buy yourself
> > a widescreen or plasma and a dvd player. You also need to by a DTS Amp
> > and a set of speakers and a sub.
> > Order them today you might have them by the weekend.
>
> Now let's look at this...how much is a widescreen or plasma TV going to
cost?
> *LOTS* more than his whole PC setup combined.
> Next...the speaker setup w/ DTS Amp...*LOTS* more than what he has now,
and
> what he has now is apparently good enough for him.
> Why you think having to throw away that much money on a setup like you
say he
> should have is unfounded. Also, because of the way a PC monitor is made,
it's
> actually a cleaner and clearer picture than a standard TV. Plenty of
people
> seem to get along just fine with a small TV and a 15" - 21" monitor on
their
> PC, your deriding them for not having a "widescreen" or "plasma" TV is
> ridiculous and pathetic.
>
> John
> --
> http://www.pclinuxonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6797

[Mike]

"John B" > wrote in message
news:1107341.m4VyAh0LPA@Buy_me_a_shrubbery_or_I_wi ll_say_NI!_to_you!.com...
> Mike, while banging their head on a wall, wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> >> > Why anyone would want to watch a dvd movie on a pc is beyond me
> >> >
> >> >
> >> The reason I watch them on my PC is because I have the choice between a
> > 14"
> >> Mono Television or a 19" Monitor and Dolby Digital speakers / soundcard
> >> combination. I know which I prefer.
> >>
> >> Rob.
> >>
> >
> > OMG, get yourself down to Currys, or try qed-uk.com and buy yourself
> > a widescreen or plasma and a dvd player. You also need to by a DTS Amp
> > and a set of speakers and a sub.
> > Order them today you might have them by the weekend.
>
> Now let's look at this...how much is a widescreen or plasma TV going to
cost?
> *LOTS* more than his whole PC setup combined.
> Next...the speaker setup w/ DTS Amp...*LOTS* more than what he has now,
and
> what he has now is apparently good enough for him.
> Why you think having to throw away that much money on a setup like you
say he
> should have is unfounded. Also, because of the way a PC monitor is made,
it's
> actually a cleaner and clearer picture than a standard TV. Plenty of
people
> seem to get along just fine with a small TV and a 15" - 21" monitor on
their
> PC, your deriding them for not having a "widescreen" or "plasma" TV is
> ridiculous and pathetic.
>
> John

DVD Movies are made for watching in such a way. There is no comparision to
watching and
listening to them on a pc. Its 2003 m8, even the genernal joe bloggs in
the street who watch dvd's now has a widescreen tv.
Its a bit like buying a porsche and using it to go to the shops and back.
Watching a dvd on a pc, your
are missing out on the reason for having dvd. A minimum of 5.1 sound is
required otherwise your not going to be able to hear the film properly.
All i can say is bring your pc to my house. We'll watch a film on your pc
then we'll watch it on my setup. I think youll soon realise what im talking
about ;-)