solving the dilemma of region restricted DVD players

[latte81]

Hi
I would like to raise the issue of the restrictions placed on DVDs from playing any discs from outside the region you are in .
I am originally from London and currently live in San Fransisco and I am cheesed off that I have not been able to play any of my DVDs from back home on a player and a recorder I bought in a store San Jose.
It is not the store’s fault. It is that big business has decided to restrict our use of players which is not fair on people like me.
Having searched frantically and hopelessly (I am not as techy as some on this forum) for some kind of code or hack, for want of a better word, to allow me to use my Denon and JVC units I thankfully as it turned out came across a thread on another forum which recommended going to a service called DVD Unlocks 4u at http://www.web.ukonline.co.uk/mwill96/dvdunlocks4u which apparently as the thread goes does the work for you if you buy him a beer. I laughed at that and thought I would give it a go.
He came up trumps with instructions for both which cost me two pints of beer, actually, and I never for the life of me thought was possible even if I spent hours pouring over website after website.
Now I can watch Trainspotting, Python and the Holy Grail and the like quite happily in the comfort of my new home in the US.
Now having bought a computer I find my DVD write is locked to this region.
It is crazy.
I am hoping our DVD Unlocks 4u chap might come up with a solution to this as well, now.
But what a palavar (as we say in England) just to get a player that will play everything.
I just don’t think it is right and I don’t know anybody who feels any differently.
Perhaps we have all become immune to this restriction on what is lets face it a pretty expensive piece of equipment.
What does the forum think?

[latte81]

Sorry, got the link completely wrong it was http://web.ukonline.co.uk/mwill96/dvdunlocks4u

[OuTpaTienT]

Um, buy him a beer? I don't know where you got that crap, but that site obviously charges a fee.

You still haven't got your link right, but I managed to find it anyway. I'm not going to correct the link because it's a fee service and your message is starting to look like spam.

[latte81]

Sorry, I got it wrong again.
It was http://web.ukonline.co.uk/mwill96/dvdunlocks4u.htm
My understanding of spam is different from yours.
I thought spam were those unwelcome emails sent by advertising companies.
I am just raising the issue of how wrong I feel it is that there are restrictions on these DVD players in the hope of establishing debate and perhaps with more discussions pressure can be put on the companies that produce these restrictions to stop people like myself who have little experience in technical matters having to go to third parties for help.
I am sorry if I have caused offence but I thought it was worth discussing.
I realise not everybody will agree with what I say, but there you go.

[EXreaction]

Don't complain to us about region restrictions, all of us know how stupid it is as well.

Complain to your congressman.

[outlaw2001it]

Hello,
What is the Model of your DVD Player???

[latte81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by outlaw2001it

Hello,
What is the Model of your DVD Player???

It was a Denon and a JVC as I said.
Am sorry I brought up the issue, really.
I will take it up with my congressman but I thought this forum was here as a comment board on issues such as this.

[DanU]

Some DVD players can be made "region free" so they will play any DVD. Usually this involves a series of key presses, and every model is different. Plus, not all DVD players can be made region free. You'll have to specifically search for one that can.

As for playing DVD's from other regions on your computer, the same applies. You need to make the DVD drive region free. Typically you can download software from the drive manufacturer to change the region.

I believe can also use VLC to play out-of-region DVDs. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, as I don't use VLC that often.

Oh and I agree with you.. the concept of region locked DVD's in a globally connected world is truly absurd.

[sweeper2]

isn't it just a fact of NTSC or PAL ...?

my dvd player will play both a NTSC dvd or a PAL dvd .. i have it set to auto .. some dvd players don't have that option.. but alot do... you just have to look in your settings to adjust it.

[sweeper2]

http://www.ihffilm.com/videostandard.html

that shows you which countries use PAL or NTSC ...