Hya,

Question is:

How to switch DVD drive region code within Linux?

I found this page http://german.about.com/library/bldvd2_how1.htm , but unfortunately, I do not have any other OS available.

Also, similar thread is found in LQ http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...VD+region+code without answer.

It is possible to switch the region code with Macintosh, so I do not think it is illegal suggested by http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...VD+region+code

So far, I have checked sf.net fsf.org but have not found yet.

Any comments will be appreciated.

Happy Penguins!

In the DVD player in the home cinema there is a region code too.
My retailer told me that it is not allowed to change the region code.
So why is it different for a DVD player in a computer?

All the best

It's possible in Windows by many programs and it's possible in Linux too,look at this thread of mine

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...lem...-640761/


Good luck !

Really ? Then why do they sell these ?
http://www.regionfreedvd.net/
In fact it's kind of a ripoff as most DVD players have cheat codes that will let you change the region code to region-free, with just your remote, imagine that.

That's a very interesting program, I must try it. Does it really work ? It would save me a lot of trouble of trying to flash my external drive, not to mention that it's dangerous to do so, especially with hacked firmware and especially on an external drive.

Yes,at least It worked for me in Pclinux 2007 with a Samsung Lightscribe Dvd-writer,try it BUT of course i don't guarantee it works on Slackware too and i'm not responsable for any of your possible hardware problems

Good luck !

Well, I did try it, but it says it failed to change it. This is also with a samsung drive.

A quick search of apt turned up a utility called regionset that says it can display and change the region code of dvd drives.

But be careful here. DVD drives generally give you only five region changes before becoming permanent. The only way to truly get around it is to install a "cracked" version of the firmware. There are some programs that do some kind of software conversion so that you can play disks from other regions without affecting the firmware setting. I know there are Windows programs available for that, but I'm not sure if there are any Linux options.

Also, how illegal or how strictly the region-changing thing is enforced depends on which country you're doing it in. You need to check the local laws if you're concerned about that kind of thing. But since it's almost impossible to enforce the thing on an individual level, it's mostly a worry for electronics makers and retailers who may be forbidden from selling devices that have been, or can easily be, altered. Not that that affects computer dvd devices much anyway, since they pretty much all conform to standard interface designs.

Yeah,i knew the limited numbers times changing option

BOH...the one i said before worked for me..anyway,next time i should need i'll try others and investigate how they can change the region..

I've done the region change in linux,next time i will take a look if the windows region programs work better and how it is the way they change the region

Anyway,the region limitation is a stupid thing..if i buy i dvd drive and i want to see a specific film or any other thing but with other region,why should i become mad and eventually damage my hardware just only to use what i've paid ? it has no sense..

Ciao !

Certainly it's stupid, and one of the main reasons it's stupid is that people don't usually buy DVDs according to region, they buy them according to the languages they support. I'm a perfect case in point. After about 8 years I still only have a handful of DVDs, because the ones sold in Japan are prohibitively expensive, if the title I want is available at all, but if I go back to the U.S. to buy cheaper ones, they won't play in Japan's region 2 players (and vice-versa should I want to take a Japanese video back to the U.S.). You either have separate players for each region or hack a player to be region-free to get around this.

It's all really frustrating, and it's costing them sales.

You're right,it's stupid and your case is a really clear example..i see you use Debian Sid,i've always used rpm distros but after installing Sidux 2008 3.1 i think i'll always keep it and delete from my hds all the other ones,it's much more stable and has a bigger repos and so programs archive..just now i'm in Sidux..so all the goodness they say about Debian i can see it's all true !

good day

Just either buy a region-free DVD player or one that can be hacked easily (like with a simple remote control code, like this samsung one I have). The bigger problem is the one on your computer, but that's not too much of a problem, because I don't usually play DVDs on my computer, and if I do, you can still get to the VOBs no matter what region it is.

Hya,

I think the reason I missed the thread mentioned in #3 is that I did not use "setting" DVD region code as key for search. (No change nor switch is used.)

I will post following for the next penguin with same question, so that search engine can pick up this thread.
How to switch DVD region code?
How to change DVD region code?
How to alter DVD region code?

Happy Penguins!