Social Anxiety Support

Judi · 10-27-2009, 05:45 PM

Is it possible to make your computer's dvd drive region free? My computer says it can only change regions four more times, which means it must be possible to do it but the programming prevents it from doing so right?

Anyone know how?

njodis · 10-27-2009, 06:08 PM

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVD43

Try that.

Judi · 10-27-2009, 06:57 PM

I tried it, and it just ejected my disk before it could read it

know any other methods?

huh · 10-27-2009, 07:15 PM

Weird...must be the DVD playing software giving the message I take it? What program are you using to try to play it?

If you install VLC media player and try playing in that does it work without the message? Download it here (I'm assuming you're using Windows): http://www.videolan.org/mirror-geo.p....0.2-win32.exe

njodis · 10-27-2009, 07:23 PM

I'm pretty sure VLC won't play anything region free if the drive is giving those "you have limited region switch" messages.

Umm, I think the other option, if that didn't work, is to update the firmware on the dvd drive with a region-free version. Do you know the make/model of the drive? I don't know how knowledgeable you are with computers but it might be a bit tricky do do this because, unfortunately, this is semi-advanced stuff.

If there's a compatible firmware it'll be here: http://tdb.rpc1.org/

Judi · 10-27-2009, 07:24 PM

I think it's the... er... firmware? That came with the dvd drive that says it. All the software would say that the dvd's in the wrong region, or copy protect and you can't play it

That includes vlc player and media player classic with codecs.

gah, I knew it'd be something difficult looking to fix this D:

njodis · 10-27-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi

I tried it, and it just ejected my disk before it could read it

know any other methods?

How did you try to use it? You should put the disc in and wait until smiley face icon thingy should turn green, and then it should play. I'd use VLC along with it too.

It's possible it just won't work though.

Judi · 10-27-2009, 07:29 PM

yeah, that nearly worked, but the disk popped out automatically before I could play anything.

That site didn't have my model either, It's Toshiba MK2035GSS

njodis · 10-27-2009, 07:32 PM

Toshiba MK2035GSS is showing up in google as a hard drive, not a dvd drive. =P

Judi · 10-27-2009, 07:35 PM

Ooops, you're right |D I think it's Mat****a DVD-RAM UJ-850S ATA device...

edit: Mat shi ta without the spaces :P

njodis · 10-27-2009, 07:53 PM

Mat****a is right. =P

Welll, sorry to say, but I think you might be out of luck. I tried looking around google and there are a bunch of people with that same drive and nobody seems to know how to watch movies region free with it, and there's no region free firmware.

You might try this but I've never used it before. http://www.tucows.com/preview/279162

Judi · 10-27-2009, 08:11 PM

Aw, that's such a shame

I shouldn't have bought the dvds without checking first D:
Thanks so much for your help and time though!

I don't think I'll try that one though, it looks iffy :/

mind_games · 10-27-2009, 08:25 PM

Hmm maybe just watch the movie online. What movie is it?

njodis · 10-27-2009, 08:32 PM

I saw this tool mentioned as well, could give it a shot. I've never used it either, though.

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/AnyDVD

Judi · 10-27-2009, 08:34 PM

Well I borrowed Queer as Folk from the library as recommendation from a friend, but I don't know how it's like since I can't watch it

I also bought all seven seasons of the Brittas Empire in region 2 D: It should come in a few days. The reason I bought it in the first place is so I don't have to youtube it all and waste megabytes...

Spangles Muldoon · 10-27-2009, 08:38 PM

If you have an older DVD drive, the region encoding is deciphered at the software level and can easily be overridden. For example, use of the VLC Media Player, which is free, simply ignores the region encoding:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

If you have a newer DVD drive, the region encoding is almost certainly deciphered at the hardware level, using RPC-2 firmware. Many manufactures allow you to change the drive's region up to five times. Thereafter, your only option is to reflash the drive's firmware. Reflashing with with RPC-1 firmware effectively makes the drive region-free. Reflashing with RPC-2 firmware at least resets the region-change counter to zero.

I'd try the VLC Media Player first. If it doesn't solve your problem, then perform a Google search for firmware made specifically for your particular drive.

Judi · 10-27-2009, 08:44 PM

Why does everyone like VLC player? I always thought MPC with codecs is so much better! It works with more things, and the player's interface is much nicer (I think). The entire screen is a pause button and you can actually search through parts of the movie much more accurately too.

As for the other tool, I think I'll try it another day. I already restarted my computer too many times today D:

Spangles Muldoon · 10-27-2009, 09:03 PM

Judi,

I'm no great fan of the VLC player. It is no longer installed on either of my computers, nor is it installed on any of the many computers I manage as part of my business. However, if you want an easy way to bypass DVD region codes, the VLC player does the trick very nicely.

On the other hand, if your DVD drive encodes the region in firmware, the VLC player (or any other player) is not going to solve your problem. Your only option then would be to reflash the firmware.

jab_au · 10-28-2009, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi

Is it possible to make your computer's dvd drive region free?

rpc1.org has modified firmware for computer DVD drives, go look for your drive model there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi

I always thought MPC with codecs is so much better!

I second that motion.

Mr. Frostie · 11-06-2009, 02:13 PM

I've successfully ripped DVDs from other regions in DVD Fab and burned region free copies. That might be a solution.

10-27-2009, 05:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	Region free dvd drive? Is it possible to make your computer's dvd drive region free? My computer says it can only change regions four more times, which means it must be possible to do it but the programming prevents it from doing so right? Anyone know how? __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 06:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	I tried it, and it just ejected my disk before it could read it know any other methods? __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 07:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
huh Status: Statistical Anomaly Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: WI Gender: Male Age: 24 Posts: 1,035	Weird...must be the DVD playing software giving the message I take it? What program are you using to try to play it? If you install VLC media player and try playing in that does it work without the message? Download it here (I'm assuming you're using Windows): http://www.videolan.org/mirror-geo.p....0.2-win32.exe __________________ "It takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen."

10-27-2009, 07:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	I think it's the... er... firmware? That came with the dvd drive that says it. All the software would say that the dvd's in the wrong region, or copy protect and you can't play it That includes vlc player and media player classic with codecs. gah, I knew it'd be something difficult looking to fix this D: __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 07:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	yeah, that nearly worked, but the disk popped out automatically before I could play anything. That site didn't have my model either, It's Toshiba MK2035GSS __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 06:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
njodis Status: kermit in shock Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ontario Gender: Male Posts: 7,713	http://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVD43 Try that.

10-27-2009, 07:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
njodis Status: kermit in shock Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ontario Gender: Male Posts: 7,713	I'm pretty sure VLC won't play anything region free if the drive is giving those "you have limited region switch" messages. Umm, I think the other option, if that didn't work, is to update the firmware on the dvd drive with a region-free version. Do you know the make/model of the drive? I don't know how knowledgeable you are with computers but it might be a bit tricky do do this because, unfortunately, this is semi-advanced stuff. If there's a compatible firmware it'll be here: http://tdb.rpc1.org/

10-27-2009, 07:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
njodis Status: kermit in shock Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ontario Gender: Male Posts: 7,713	Toshiba MK2035GSS is showing up in google as a hard drive, not a dvd drive. =P

10-27-2009, 07:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	Ooops, you're right \|D I think it's Mat****a DVD-RAM UJ-850S ATA device... edit: Mat shi ta without the spaces :P __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 07:53 PM	#11 (permalink)
njodis Status: kermit in shock Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ontario Gender: Male Posts: 7,713	Mat****a is right. =P Welll, sorry to say, but I think you might be out of luck. I tried looking around google and there are a bunch of people with that same drive and nobody seems to know how to watch movies region free with it, and there's no region free firmware. You might try this but I've never used it before. http://www.tucows.com/preview/279162

10-27-2009, 08:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	Aw, that's such a shame I shouldn't have bought the dvds without checking first D: Thanks so much for your help and time though! I don't think I'll try that one though, it looks iffy :/ __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 08:25 PM	#13 (permalink)
mind_games Status: dances, like a fridge Join Date: Nov 2008 Age: 23 Posts: 1,563	Hmm maybe just watch the movie online. What movie is it? __________________ "this is not me, this is me reacting to your perception of me"

10-27-2009, 08:32 PM	#14 (permalink)
njodis Status: kermit in shock Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ontario Gender: Male Posts: 7,713	I saw this tool mentioned as well, could give it a shot. I've never used it either, though. http://www.videohelp.com/tools/AnyDVD

10-27-2009, 08:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	Well I borrowed Queer as Folk from the library as recommendation from a friend, but I don't know how it's like since I can't watch it I also bought all seven seasons of the Brittas Empire in region 2 D: It should come in a few days. The reason I bought it in the first place is so I don't have to youtube it all and waste megabytes... __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 08:38 PM	#16 (permalink)
Spangles Muldoon Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 531	If you have an older DVD drive, the region encoding is deciphered at the software level and can easily be overridden. For example, use of the VLC Media Player, which is free, simply ignores the region encoding: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ If you have a newer DVD drive, the region encoding is almost certainly deciphered at the hardware level, using RPC-2 firmware. Many manufactures allow you to change the drive's region up to five times. Thereafter, your only option is to reflash the drive's firmware. Reflashing with with RPC-1 firmware effectively makes the drive region-free. Reflashing with RPC-2 firmware at least resets the region-change counter to zero. I'd try the VLC Media Player first. If it doesn't solve your problem, then perform a Google search for firmware made specifically for your particular drive.

10-27-2009, 08:44 PM	#17 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	Why does everyone like VLC player? I always thought MPC with codecs is so much better! It works with more things, and the player's interface is much nicer (I think). The entire screen is a pause button and you can actually search through parts of the movie much more accurately too. As for the other tool, I think I'll try it another day. I already restarted my computer too many times today D: __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

10-27-2009, 09:03 PM	#18 (permalink)
Spangles Muldoon Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 531	Judi, I'm no great fan of the VLC player. It is no longer installed on either of my computers, nor is it installed on any of the many computers I manage as part of my business. However, if you want an easy way to bypass DVD region codes, the VLC player does the trick very nicely. On the other hand, if your DVD drive encodes the region in firmware, the VLC player (or any other player) is not going to solve your problem. Your only option then would be to reflash the firmware.

11-06-2009, 02:13 PM	#20 (permalink)
Mr. Frostie Status: Frostie Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 706	I've successfully ripped DVDs from other regions in DVD Fab and burned region free copies. That might be a solution.