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Trying to play DVDs from non Western European regions is subject to a number of restrictions
Q I recently finished building my own media PC, but have a question regarding DVD playback.
I have many Region 1 DVDs that I would like to play, but I can only switch the DVD drive’s region code five times.
If I purchase a second copy of
Power
DVD (or any other DVD software) is there a way that I can install it to play
only Region 1 discs and have the original installation set to Region 2?
Clive Dickinson
A Frustratingly, for owners of both Region 1 and Region 2 DVDs (from North America and Europe/Japan respectively), there are a number of restrictions that officially limit you to just using one type on your PC.
The problem is that regional coding is typically enforced by the physical drive, the playback software and even the operating system itself.
As such, the only official solution would be to effectively set up two separate installations, one for each region.
This will require two DVD drives and a dual-boot environment with the playback software installed on each operating system.
This would allow you to either boot up into a Region 1 environment or one configured for Region 2 playback.
This is clearly a pain, but those are the official restrictions regarding DVD playback.
Unofficially, there are a number of tools that can make life easier.
Some reset the counter in the drive allowing you to make unlimited changes, while others simply make the disc appear to have no region, therefore rendering the restrictions in the drive and software redundant.
Since these typically involve circumventing copy protection and encryption though, we cannot write about them on the PCW website.
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Regional coding
Does it really need to involve illegal acts in order to deal with this problem (which is at the end of the day an outrageous imposition on us all)- I've found several sites which discuss ways of breaking regional coding and which don't involve any copying infringement etc in doing so .
Posted by johnhawk, 20 Oct 2009
Set up two dvd drives?
That won't be necessary. I do have a cheaper solution. Try anydvd. It can emulate your drive to any suitable region and remove all the protection when you are trying to play your dvd in your PC
Posted by Sonic the Hedgehog, 15 Oct 2009