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DVD Unlocking/Multi-region Article Discussion
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If you watch DVDs on your computer, download VLC Videolan player (Free!), and you'll be able to watch any region DVD, regardless of your hardware and software settings.
The best site I have used for unlocking dvd players is http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/ they have a massive archive of players but it can be tricky to trawl through the list. To be honest I don't really see as much need for multi region now as it was when dvd first came out as stuff in the UK is cheap now and everything is available to region 2 anyway.
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Last edited by Coveredinbees!!!!; 27-02-2008 at 8:43 AM..
Many 'cheapo' DVD players are already multi-region, but over the years, I have seen many high end players and home cinema players cross my service bench, that have become irretrievably lost to this world by their owners screwing up the internal software in an attempt to make them either multiregion or region 0, often by entering website-derived remote 'hacking' codes. Be warned ...
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We have recently purchased one of these combination 15 inch HDTV with built-in DVD player but have been unable to find an unlocking code anywhere. All the codes available seem to be for standalone DVD players and recorders.
This set is only available from Currys and Dixons apparently but I understand that it is "rebadged" with the Hitachi brand. Does anyone know the region hack code, presuming there is such an option?
If anyone has a newer model Philips DVD player and needs to make it multi-regional, here are some of the models and procedures.
Make Philips DVD Players and Recorders Multi-region CapableIn a few easy steps you can turn your DVD Player or Recorder into a multi-region capable machine; then you can enjoy DVDs from the USA.
Notes: the folowing codes will turn your DVD Player or Recorder into what is called "region-free". If you require the player to be a single region, for example region 1, then simply repeat the process and replace the "0" with a "1". This may be required if you have trouble playing DVDs purchased from outside the UK that have Region Code Enhancement technology on them. These titles are in a minority and you will find a substantial amount of titles will play without the need to change region. Our recommendation is that you set the player to region 0 and change to a specific region when the need arises.
NOTE - After a certain number of changes in the region coding the hack will stop working and will be locked into the last region inserted. The Screensaver may also be defaulted back to the original manufactures'.
1. Remove any inserted discs and press STOP.
2. Press the following on your remote: PLAY, 2, 7, 4.
3. The Display should come up '------- --- --'. Enter the required code below:
Region 1: 0050001 281 56 Region 2: 0020001 281 56 Region 3: 0100001 281 56 Region 4: 0120001 281 56 Press PLAY.
4. The TV should blink to confirm the selection.
Hack 2; MX 1060d, DFR 1600:
1. Press the System button on your remote control.
2. Using your remote control, press the buttons 1, 6 and 7, in order and one at a time.
3. A box will appear requestion a new region.
4. Enter the code 1 for region 1, or 2 for region 2, and so on, or press the Mute button for multi-region playback.
Hack 3; HTS6510, HTS9800, DVD 625:
1) No DVD inside the player
2) Turn on the player.
3) Press DISPLAY
4) Press 9 9 9 9 0 on the remote
5) Region Code 0 (Zero) Appears on Screen
Hack 4; DVD755VR:
1) Put your Region One (R1) disc in the tray then Power the player off.
2) Power it on, and wait for the "check regional code" to appear.
3) Press DISPLAY.
4) Press DISC MENU.
5) The disc should now completely bypass the menu stage and start playing.
This works perfectly on most R1, R3 and R4 discs. The hack doesn't work on R1 copies of Fight Club and Titus, though. (These are both Fox discs.) The rejection screen is Fox's own, rather than the player's. However, all is not lost... Try this:
1) Go into player's set-up menu and select AUTO PLAY - ON (If you're not too bothered about seeing logos, adverts and copyright warnings before your films, you might as well keep this setting.)
2) Put your R1 disc in the tray and wait for the "check regional code" message to appear
3) Press DISPLAY
4) Press DISC MENU
5) The disc should now completely bypass the menu stage and start playing
Hack 5; DVP5960, DVP5980, DVP5160, DVP3120, DVP3020/05:
1) Turn unit on.
2) Open the loading tray.
3) Press the "Setup" button on the remote.
4) Navigate to the "Preferences" page using the right arrow key
5) Enter 138931
6) You will now see the current region code displayed
7) Use the Up/Down arrow keys to select the region required or "0" for all regions
8) Press the "Setup" button on the remote
9) Press "OK" on the remote
Hack 7; DVDR 3380 DVD Recorder:
1) Make sure no disc is in machine switch on and wait until display shows no disc 2. Enter 0009 and press ok this will display the region code the machine is set to.
2) Open /close tray.
3) Display shows no disc; enter 0086000 and press ok.
4) Open the tray.
5) Now region free ...to verify region . use step 1 again
Hack 8; PET 720/05 Portable DVD Player:1) Turn on player.
2) Open disc tray.
3) Press setup button on remote.
4) Press down button twice to highlight preferences page.
5) Press ok or right button.
6) Press down button twice to highlight DISC MENU but DO NOT PRESS OK.
7) Press 2,1,2,2,2,5,left,down.
8) You should now see region select page if not try again.
9) Press 0 to make it region free.
10) Press OK then press SETUP to exit.
Hack 9; HTS3357, HTS3154:
1) Open the tray.
2) Press STOP
3) Key 7 3 4 4 6 6 0 using the remote.
4) Player should now be region free
Anyone got unlocking codes for a Funai HDR-B2735 VCR DVD recorder. The make nor modl are not mentioned in any of the quoted forums. I don't think that "try all the other on a link" is a "safe" idea.
Doesn't unlocking a player break the law in regard to computer misuse/DMCA? Sensible question as I don't know but if it does, surely it shouldn't be discussed on these boards?
Doesn't unlocking a player break the law in regard to computer misuse/DMCA? Sensible question as I don't know but if it does, surely it shouldn't be discussed on these boards?
Again, I'm not 100% sure, but as I understand it: it is illegal to circumvent copy protection (not region locking). The DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) is an American piece of legislation, and so totally irrelevant in the UK.
Doesn't unlocking a player break the law in regard to computer misuse/DMCA? Sensible question as I don't know but if it does, surely it shouldn't be discussed on these boards?
This is discussed in the article that prompted this thread.
Is it legal?
It's perfectly above board, as DVD region coding isn't a product of law, it's a product of savvy Hollywood execs keen to maintain an iron grip on worldwide distribution. After all, it makes bad economic sense to have people cheaply importing films when they could be paying a premium for their own local releases.
Though it is worth noting, buying US discs from UK shops is unlawful as they're not approved by the British Board of Film Censors, but importing them yourself is fine.
"The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get to the office." - Robert Frost.
The idea of making your dvd player multi-region does not seem quite as moneysaving as it was 4 or 5 years ago.
Nowadays you can get region 2 films on dvd almost the day after they have appeared in the cinema, so unless you already have a lot of region 1 (or other) films you will not need to buy many from overseas.
As previously stated, many "cheaper" players are already multi-region out of the box.
I remember getting a Samsung unit about 5 or 6 years ago from Comet which was just that, despite them saying they did not sell multi-region players.
I've unlocked my DVD player and the picture I get from my Region 1 DVD is rubbish - black and white and shaky. I've been told this is because you need an NTSC TV to view Region 1 DVDs.. but nobody seems to have mentioned this here? Anybody know any more?
All my DVD players are now reigon free. One thing to note is the new protection system (not that they are calling it that)
RCE Regional Coding Enhancements. This is where they tailor the disks for a specific country/reigon. Some companies like Playusa.com state if a disk has RCE coding. Not all region free players will play RCE disks, it all depends on how the player selects and locks the region. Players work by setting the region when the disk is first read, if a disk is RCE enabled it then trys to change the region, if it succeeds it then jums to the end of the disk and displays a map of the world with insrtuctions to go and buy a copy from your own country, If the player does not switch regions it continues as normal and plays the disk.
You may also notice on some region 1 disks the picture jumps slightly, this is probably due to the USA enconding at 30fps and the UK at 25fps, this is only a guess though.
BBC america issues better BBC TV series disks 12-18 months earler than the UK, also cheaper also with better features. The special features on Black Adder from the states contain special episodes not seen in the UK and some bits that are available in the UK but only on a seperate disk for another £15.00
Without region free players I would be stuffed as about 20% of my disks are not region 2.
Just a quickie. You can get round the RCE system!!!!. If you set your player to the region for the disk instead of region free the RCE cannot change the player so it continues playing OK
Yup
So far we've been discussing region codes. These are put on the discs by the movie companies to restrict where and when they can be viewed.
But NTSC and PAL are something different. They are TV broadcast standards. In USA the programmes are broadcast in NTSC system, in UK they are broadcast in PAL system.
So the DVD discs are recorded in the system of the country where they are going to be used.
The difference between NTSC and PAL is technical. Different number of lines on the screen, different frame rates.
Sometimes NTSC discs will play OK on PAL equipment - sometimes they won't.
It depends on the DVD player. These days many DVD players are manufactured 'dual standard' so that they can be sold all over the world.
The day that Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck will be the day that it starts making vacuum cleaners.
I've unlocked my DVD player and the picture I get from my Region 1 DVD is rubbish - black and white and shaky. I've been told this is because you need an NTSC TV to view Region 1 DVDs.. but nobody seems to have mentioned this here? Anybody know any more?
You could try setting your TV to Auto rather that PAL, this usually fixes to problem, or on your DVD player setting the output to PAL (sometimes not available)
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps. Take care over copyright. Use excerpts and links rather than copying long text. This site asserts copyright on all comments posted on the board.
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps.
DVD Unlocking/Multi-region Article Discussion
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