way around finite dvd region changes?

steppen

i just bought a new mac book, 2.16, am happy with it, but i move travel a lot, so if i want to watch dvds in other continents, i have to keep changing the dvd region code, the limit is 5, i know i ca bring the computer to an apple to store and they will reset it, but this can only be done 5 times, so in all 25 changes are allowed, i have tried using vlc,to play the dvds, but they just wont go.

does anybody, have a solution, way around this?

thanks in advance

steppen

Sad Professor

Macbooks and mbps use a particular type of drive from Matshi-ta who take a VERY hard stance on region coding. Basically unless the regions match the drive won't allow OSX any access to the drive, not even the raw data. So you can't read, rip, nothing.

Your only option would be a firmware hack. Last I heard there was none but maybe something's changed since then. What model is the drive? UJ-857E?

greglo23

You should be able to find something here http://forum.rpc1.org/viewforum.php?f=30

steppen

Sad Professor wrote:

Macbooks and mbps use a particular type of drive from Matshi-ta who take a VERY hard stance on region coding. Basically unless the regions match the drive won't allow OSX any access to the drive, not even the raw data. So you can't read, rip, nothing.

Your only option would be a firmware hack. Last I heard there was none but maybe something's changed since then. What model is the drive? UJ-857E?

yes, its UJ-857E, from reading other forums, i think nothing has changed, i guess one option is to carry around an external drive with me, cant think of anything else.

juice79

You can use VLC media player to watch DVDs from any region and you won't use any of the five region code changes.

Firstly open System Preferences > CDs & DVDs > When you insert a DVD: Ignore

This will stop the Apple DVD app forcing you to select a region.

Download and install VLC and open it, then select File > Open Disc.

Click on the Disc tab, click on DVD, select the device, and click OK (usually this is selected by default). The DVD will now play, and your region code will remain intact.

big_moe

juice79 wrote:

You can use VLC media player to watch DVDs from any region and you won't use any of the five region code changes.

Firstly open System Preferences > CDs & DVDs > When you insert a DVD: Ignore

This will stop the Apple DVD app forcing you to select a region.

Download and install VLC and open it, then select File > Open Disc.

Click on the Disc tab, click on DVD, select the device, and click OK (usually this is selected by default). The DVD will now play, and your region code will remain intact.

i thought i heard somewhere that this method doesn't work. i haven't got any region 1 dvd's at the moment so can't try it. but i heard that the drive won't let ANY program read the disc if it was the wrong region.

moe

babypink

yeah the VLC trick doesn't work on the new machines

hupyago

I haven't used n e trick but I just started using vlc instead of the dvd player ,no problems yet.
can't remember the exact details of what to do but a bit of experimentation should make it work.