region code setting under linux

[the oil]

hi,

after i switched to linux a question that came up was if there is an application (like dvd genie under windows) which gives me the opportunity to switch the region code so the DVD drive won't lock this setting at some point in time.

thanks for any help.

[ultimatebilly]

I don't know if such an application exists, I updated my drive with an improved firmware, now I can change the region as many times I wish...
You can find firmare updates here:

http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php

Please note that this will void the guarantee of the drive (you might be able to make a backup of your old firmware, so the vendor maybe isn't able to see that you have changed the firmware - I returned a drive which was broken once, unfortunately I had updated the firmware to see if it would work again. Before I returned it I downdated the firmware and had no problems getting a new one) and there are rumours it could destroy your drive, although I've never heard of such a case...
I will look around if I can find something to change the region-code on a software level...

[ultimatebilly]

Here is a small program to change your region setting, but it only changes the region, it doesn't try to get around the region code checking like DVDGenie does...
http://www.ox.compsoc.net/~swhite/DVD/#regionset
Here it is, and here is the usage:

gcc -o dvd_region dvd_region.c
./dvd_region -s -r 2

The first line compiles, and the second one sets your region to 2...
"./dvd_region" gives you information about the changes you have left and the current region.

Something similar is here:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/dvd/regionset.tar.gz?download

Sorry, nothing like DVDGenie so far...
I think the best would be to flash your drive...

PS.: Look what I have found :D
(I bet there are people who would certify me "criminal energy", but after all it's just about using something we bought the way we want, isn't it?)


All Zone Player
This is a relatively new option that does not involve doing anything to your drive, it works by bypassing the drives region checking. One example of these players is video lan client, which is a cross platform client for the videolan mpeg2 video streaming solution, that just happens to play DVDs using libdvdcss. Now I have heard mixed reports on this and other such players, it seems that they only work on some drives, so if you try it and it works please tell me and I will add you to the list.

[madluther]

@the oil

If your drive is RPC-1 (region free) then you dont need any region changing utility. Linux is a region free O/S.

If your drive is RPC-2 (region locked) then you will need to flash it to make it region free.

Programs like dvd genie change the Windows ( the O/S ) region setting and are only useful if the drive is RPC-1. Such programs have no use in linux.

The program dvd_region that ultimatebilly mentions can change the region setting of an RPC-2 drive to another region, but, usually after 5 region changes the drive will not be able to be changed again until its returned to the manufacturer for a reset.

Bottom line - If you can find region free (RPC-1) firmware for your drive you'll be completely region free.

Regards Mad.

[the oil]

thanks a lot for your help.
i successfully flashed my drive and should now be able to watch any dvd under linux !