Harman Kardon DVD 48 Region Free Hack

[silverbullet763]

I recently purchased the Harman Kardon DVD 48 and I love the unit, but it would be nice to have multi region functionality. I located a hack for the DVD 38 model which works with several of their other models, but not this unit. I was wondering if anyone came across anything or if another owner managed to figure out an alternate method? Are the remote hacks supported by the manufacturer at all? I've thought about sending an email to make an inquiry, but wasn't sure if this was appropriate. Any help is very much appreciated.

Thanks.

[silverbullet763]

A compatible hack for this player has been located! The credit for this has to go to a member of the Video Help site. I have tried this and confirmed that it will work with the DVD 48. Here is what you have to do:

Region code hack posted by h_socolov, May 15 2008:

Here's how to make your Harman Kardon DVD 48 a multi-region player. With no discs inside, follow these steps with the remote:

1. Press the OPEN/CLOSE button to bring out the tray.
2. Press the CLEAR button.
3. Press the the following code: 1211
4. Press the SUBTITLE button.

Done. There will be no message of any kind on the LED display, but your player will know be Region 0, able to play any dvd from regions 1 to 6, PAL or NTSC. Enjoy. Cheers!!

Thanks so much h_socolov for all the help!

[bluenotes]

Hi, this hack doesn't work FOR ME. I've tried like 20 times.

Just bought the player so I'm wondering if it's got new firmware or something which preventsthis hack. Perhaps somebody knows a new hack?

If I enter SETUP and 1211 I get the service menu and it says F-END 04.53. Is that the firmware version? Does that help?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers!

[silverbullet763]

Hi, this hack doesn't work FOR ME. I've tried like 20 times.

Just bought the player so I'm wondering if it's got new firmware or something which preventsthis hack. Perhaps somebody knows a new hack?

If I enter SETUP and 1211 I get the service menu and it says F-END 04.53. Is that the firmware version? Does that help?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers!

Did you look under Global in the service menu? Instead of a one there should be a zero, if I remember correctly. Take note that if you perform the hack successfully and then do it again, the player will return to region 1 again. So check the service menu before re-entering the hack. I don't believe there has been any change in firmware since the release of the 48. I will confirm my version in the morning and let you know, as it is late here. There is no confirmation on the led of a successful hack. The only way to confirm is through the service menu itself. Make sure there is no disc in the drive while you are performing the hack.

[jman98]

Hopefully silverbullet763's advice will solve your problem, but do note that in the USA and Canada it is becoming almost impossible to hack DVD players to become region free. Hardware and firmware changes can break hacks that worked in the past. All of the manufacturers are under pressure from Hollywood to stop producing players that can be hacked. Additionally sometimes when people post hacks they leave out crucial bits of information without which the hack will never work. So good luck, but do note that if these suggestions don't work, you may not be able to hack your player.

[bluenotes]

Hi,

Yes, I always tried without a disc, and each time I tried a European DVD and got Region Error and also checked service menu.

The service menu says Area: 1 on my player. Here's the full service menu:
SERVICE MENU
F-END VERSION: 04.53
MPEG VERSION: DVD48_080227A0
HOST VERSION: 07.03.13_
DivX VERSION MAIN02.03.00.09
HDMI VERSION: 06.11.23.861B31.03.11.00
AREA: 1
CPMM INDEX: 10836

Would be great if we could compare this, maybe it'll help...

I understand jman98, thanks for your reply, I'm still hoping...

Thanks again!

[silverbullet763]

Hi,

Yes, I always tried without a disc, and each time I tried a European DVD and got Region Error and also checked service menu.

The service menu says Area: 1 on my player. Here's the full service menu:
SERVICE MENU
F-END VERSION: 04.53
MPEG VERSION: DVD48_080227A0
HOST VERSION: 07.03.13_
DivX VERSION MAIN02.03.00.09
HDMI VERSION: 06.11.23.861B31.03.11.00
AREA: 1
CPMM INDEX: 10836

Would be great if we could compare this, maybe it'll help...
I understand jman98, thanks for your reply, I'm still hoping...

Thanks again!

Our MPEG Version is different as well as the CPPM Index. I don't think this is the issue, however. When I tried the hack again, it would not work as listed. I believe there is something missing in the instructions here. It has been some time, so allow me to find the original post and I will report back. I may have forgotten a step. Just to clarify, under Area it should say Global not zero as I previously stated.

Edit: After playing with this, I realized that the process will work as long as you only hit each button once. Adding anything in will cause the hack to fail. For example, hitting a digit twice or pressing clear twice. The original remote makes mis-entering fairly easy as the buttons tend to stick a bit and require more pressure to make contact. Once I hit each key correctly the unit changed appropriately. I'm not sure if the code differences in the menu will hamper the hack or not. Everything, but those two menu options were exactly the same. I would try again and take note that you only hit the above keys correctly. It may seem obvious, but perhaps you missed a digit or forgot a button in there. I know that the hack works for other units as well because I have assisted fellow AVS members in using it for the DVD 48. I will try to help out as best I can, so feel free to ask. Take care.

[bluenotes]

Ok, thanks for checking and re-checking. One quick question, what do you do after the last step? And do you wait a few seconds or a minute or wait at all? (since there's no confirmation) I've twiddled with this, the tray is out, so sometimes I'd put in the Euro region disc and try it right away, sometimes I didn't, sometimes I waited, sometimes I close the tray or power off, etc...

[silverbullet763]

Ok, thanks for checking and re-checking. One quick question, what do you do after the last step? And do you wait a few seconds or a minute or wait at all? (since there's no confirmation) I've twiddled with this, the tray is out, so sometimes I'd put in the Euro region disc and try it right away, sometimes I didn't, sometimes I waited, sometimes I close the tray or power off, etc...

No problem. After the last step, I close the tray and check the service menu. There is no need to wait after completing the final step. If the hack is successful the Area will say Global. The important thing is to check the service menu before making another attempt because if it worked and you do the hack again it will reset to Area 1.

[HKowner]

Hi,

The service menu says Area: 1 on my player. Here's the full service menu:
SERVICE MENU
F-END VERSION: 04.53
MPEG VERSION: DVD48_080227A0
HOST VERSION: 07.03.13_
DivX VERSION MAIN02.03.00.09
HDMI VERSION: 06.11.23.861B31.03.11.00
AREA: 1
CPMM INDEX: 10836
!

Our MPEG Version is different as well as the CPPM Index. I don't think this is the issue, however. When I tried the hack again, it would not work as listed. I believe there is something missing in the instructions here. It has been some time, so allow me to find the original post and I will report back. I may have forgotten a step. Just to clarify, under Area it should say Global not zero as I previously stated.

Edit: After playing with this, I realized that the process will work as long as you only hit each button once. Adding anything in will cause the hack to fail. For example, hitting a digit twice or pressing clear twice. The original remote makes mis-entering fairly easy as the buttons tend to stick a bit and require more pressure to make contact. Once I hit each key correctly the unit changed appropriately. I'm not sure if the code differences in the menu will hamper the hack or not. Everything, but those two menu options were exactly the same. I would try again and take note that you only hit the above keys correctly. It may seem obvious, but perhaps you missed a digit or forgot a button in there. I know that the hack works for other units as well because I have assisted fellow AVS members in using it for the DVD 48. I will try to help out as best I can, so feel free to ask. Take care.

I can confirm that the 1211 hack does NOT work on my DVD48 also, and it is NOT a button pressing problem. I have the exact service menu numbers as in Bluenotes' message, except CPPM INDEX: 10865. (Anyone know what this number is for or what CPPM means?)

I also noticed the following when trying the hack using the following steps:

POWER ON -- (normal as expected)
OPEN TRAY -- (normal as expected)
CLEAR -- (Onscreen display momentarily shows 'prohibited' slashed red circle upper right screen)
1211 -- (small dashes appear upper left, one for each number pressed)
SUBTITLE -- ('prohibited' symbol upper right - same as with CLEAR)
CLOSE TRAY -- (normal)

Service menu check shows AREA: 1 always.

I have also noticed at the screen with the tray CLOSED, you can enter a number key, and the actual number pressed will appear in the upper left in the same location where the dash chars appear when entering 1211 above. A max of 4 digits are shown: scrolling left to show the last 4 entered.. I've no idea if this 'feature' is of any use whatever, or if it might provide some clues. With the try OPEN, you get only the dashes. (This was noted when trying some variations on the hack sequence...none of which worked.)

Any other ideas?

[jman98]

CPPM might mean Content Protection for Pre-recorded Media, which is used in DVD-Audio. I checked and this player plays DVD-Audio, so that's probably what it is. I can't say with 100% certainty, but I would think that an update to CPPM would be unlikely to keep the hack from working.

Firmware or other changes that are invisible to you may be preventing this hack from working, but perhaps someone will yet respond with a solution. I hate the format of their forums, but AVS has some very good technical people in some of their forums. If they have a forum dedicated to your model or HK players in general, you might try posting there too.

[Sje1]

Hi. Provided code used to work with formers HK DVD 48. I've just bought another DVD 48 (it's rather black - former was rather silver). Unfortunatelly code doesn't work with black version of DVD 48. It's most probable they have changed something in firmware. Any solutions?? Thank you

[HKowner]

Unfortunatelly code doesn't work with black version of DVD 48.

I think you've uncovered a clue here!

The one which I posted about above, and which also does NOT work with the hack, is also 'mostly black'. The metal top case is black and the manufacturing date on the rear sticker is April 2008.

It would be helpful if those who *have* gotten the hack to work would post the date code and cabinet color of their players, it would collaborate the theory.

[HKowner]

The silver/black theory appears correct. I picked up a silver-cabinet DVD-48 with a date code of November 2007, the 1211 hack described above worked fine for it.

Other particulars on the Service Menu:
F-End Version: 04.53
MPEG Version: DVD48_070530A0
Host Version: 07.03.13
DviX Version: Main02.03.00.09
HDMI Version: 06.11.23.861B13.03.11.00
AREA: Global

[joytimeday]

This infor are very useful, i will take it.