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Thread ID: 110892 2010-07-06 04:18:00 region free problems hoanikai (13138) Press F1
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1116405 2010-07-06 04:18:00 hello folks,
my question is this: is there any recommended freeware that will handle the stuck on one region dvd player.
I have looked through various previous threads on this and can't seem to get something practical. My main dvd player has been Power DVD but this software has run out of region options.
I downloaded VLC player and that works well, however it has taken precedent of my windows media player when i want to play music only.
I also have Kmplayer loaded for dvd playing and this won't run with region locked.
Is it simply that I have to buy some region free software or is there an alternative recommended region free player that i can get as freeware. Something that doesn't interfere with my media player when it comes to audio/music only.
I might add that i have tried the 'regionkiller' software but that makes no difference to the powerDVD player or KmPlayer...
Hopefully someone out there has some suggestions.
hoanikai (13138)
1116406 2010-07-06 04:37:00 So I take it your drive is region free? you just want software that is region free?
I'll have to do some searching but I used to use this nice little software tool that works really well as long as your drive is region free, and it works with pretty much any player.
Deimos (5715)
1116407 2010-07-06 04:43:00 It wont be powerdvd thats run out out of regions. It'll be windows. You can only change it 4 times, then it'll lock it at the last region Speedy Gonzales (78)
1116408 2010-07-06 04:52:00 It wont be powerdvd thats run out out of regions. It'll be windows. You can only change it 4 times, then it'll lock it at the last region

That depends, I don't know about the latest versions of Windows but I'm pretty sure that Windows XP does not track region information because

A) there is no DVD decoder built in (you must load a third party app to get DVD playback in WMP)

B) DVD drives MUST have a hardware region lock when shipped, that is, the firmware of the drive keeps a track of the number of changes, and locks in the last region setting on the 5th change (this is imposed on manufacturers by the people who own the DVD IP)

and because of B I would guess that it hasn't changed in later versions of Windows.
Deimos (5715)
1116409 2010-07-06 04:53:00 oh yeah, and if PowerDVD detects a region free drive, it will track region changes and lock it at 5, but like I said, I know of a little tool that will fool it. Deimos (5715)
1116410 2010-07-06 05:01:00 That depends, I don't know about the latest versions of Windows but I'm pretty sure that Windows XP does not track region information because

A) there is no DVD decoder built in (you must load a third party app to get DVD playback in WMP)

B) DVD drives MUST have a hardware region lock when shipped, that is, the firmware of the drive keeps a track of the number of changes, and locks in the last region setting on the 5th change (this is imposed on manufacturers by the people who own the DVD IP)

and because of B I would guess that it hasn't changed in later versions of Windows.

If you go to the dvd in device manager, you set the regions there. Regions do apply in XP, Vista and Win7. Doesnt matter if there's no decoder, the regions are part of XP
Speedy Gonzales (78)
1116411 2010-07-06 05:31:00 So I take it your drive is region free? you just want software that is region free?
@deimos. my operating system is xp pro.
the region is locked.
your disabling/enabling tool sounds perfect
in the meantime i will check the dvd device manager as suggested by speedy
thanx guys...will get back to this shortly
hoanikai (13138)
1116412 2010-07-06 05:47:00 what make/model is your dvd bevy121 (117)
1116413 2010-07-06 05:59:00 If you go to the dvd in device manager, you set the regions there. Regions do apply in XP, Vista and Win7. Doesnt matter if there's no decoder, the regions are part of XP

Incorrect, the region locks are indeed part of the drives firmware. hoanikai, vlc play's your dvd's, correct? Just set WMP back as the default audio player.
jackM (14814)
1116414 2010-07-06 06:14:00 Ah - reading the thread again after JackM's last post, I see it actualy is the PowerDVD software and not the drive itself that is locked, so if you want to fix that, it appears DVD Genie will reset the region count in PowerDVD.

You will find DVD Genie here (www.digital-digest.com)
bevy121 (117)
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