# Multi Region DVD



## Paul C (Nov 19, 2003)

Is their any software or download or idvd which allows you to play multi region dvds as you can only change the regions 5 times from purchase


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## DeltaMac (Nov 19, 2003)

Paul C said:
			
		

> Is their any software or download or idvd which allows you to play multi region dvds as you can only change the regions 5 times from purchase



VLC,or MPlayer may be helpful (sometimes ignores regions entirely)

There is quite a lot of info HERE  This is a 'gray' area, skirting some supposed legal issues, and some of it, you do at your own risk, as the firmware of your DVD drive is modified. Read carefully, some info is very specific for individual DVD drives only.


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## ksv (Nov 19, 2003)

Paul C said:
			
		

> Is their any software or download or idvd which allows you to play multi region dvds as you can only change the regions 5 times from purchase



You can either bring your 'book to an authorized Apple service provider to have them reset it, or patch the firmware. See http://www.opuscc.com/download/powerbook.shtml#ibook .

Do it on your own risk, though, and I wouldn't really recommend doing it if you can't afford replacing your drive in case anything goes wrong. Read all of the instructions carefully.


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## Paul C (Nov 19, 2003)

Oh right, didn't know that it was illegal, I'll watch my step then, thanks for the advise guys


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## Giaguara (Nov 19, 2003)

There is such thing as a multi-region dvd (the disc). That plays in ALL the regions. (But there still will be the NTSC / PAL issue). The normal codes are from 1 to 7; 1 is US, 2 is Europe (PAL) and Japan (NTSC), I don't remember where the other codes are. The all-region-playable movies are coded to 0. I like to see 0-coded movies, as it just is fair that you can see the movies you purchased in other countries in your whatever dvd player.

There are some hardware .. modifies that you can do to make the dvd player work with more changes. Here there was some discussion of the topic: http://www.macosx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30699

If you have many different coded movies, lets say many from US and many from Europe, I suggest you to buy a world-dvd player. E.g. in Amazon uk there are some not that expensive models to try,http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000B0A4G/ref=sr_aps_electronics_1_1/202-7460945-4653403, http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009MGDY/ref=sr_aps_electronics_1_2/202-7460945-4653403, http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DC3MW/ref=sr_aps_electronics_1_3/202-7460945-4653403. Those will for sure play the movies - if you try to hack your Mac's settings - some of the suggested hacks (however you call, enabling the region code change to be done more than 5 times) will work or may work, and some may just be rally bad for your hardware. 

I have personally this issue with the DVDs. Mine are Europe coded, and the other movies I want or need to see are US-coded. So, my Mac is set to view region-2 movies, the other region-1. The ps/2 that is used as primary dvd player (ie. with tv) works only with those that are region-1 and NTSC. We are about to buy a multi-region (world) player, as it will allow to show all the dvds.


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## Giaguara (Nov 19, 2003)

Yea, "legal issues". In my opinion, if you buy dvds, you should be able to view them on any of your dvd players if you like. But that isn-t always the case if they are from different countries. :-/

If I was you, I'd probably buy a world dvd player. The cheapest seem to be from 30 pounds up. If you think of the firmware hack, it could not work. And in that case you will have to pay a lot more to fix your mac than what a world dvd player costs.


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