How good is the region-free solution for Pioneer DV-454?

[Barbapappa]

I read in the DVD Hacks forum about the region-free hack for Pioneer DV-454/DVD-350. It involves sending a long binary code to the DVD player.

How does it work? Is is possible to manually change region after the hack has been applied, or is the player locked to auto-switch forever?
I am about to buy a DV-454 Region 2-player that will be made region-free by the dealer, probably using the same hack as posted here.

I am a little bit worried about what may happen if there starts to appear Region 2 RCE discs. I have not heard about one yet, but if they turn up it would quite bad not being able to play them. I guess the auto-switch allows for Region 1 RCE (even if it is not stated) but fails for Region 2 RCE.

Is there anyone who has applied the region-hack that can tell me more about it? Should I buy a player with manual region selection just to be safe?

[The_Pioneer]

I've pasted my original post. Please feel free to provide no feedback of any sort whatsoever, criticise what can only be seen as an attempt to help fellow owners and then post about how 'it seems to involve pressing lots of buttons until it works, huh-huh, ho-ho, ha-ha' etc.

If you can possibly try this technique on the pioneer you're planning to buy before purchasing a multi-region version of the machine. I was desperate to find a 'workaround' for playing multi-region dvds on my region 2 pioneer, without resorting to paying a ridiculous price to have the firmware updated. Here we go...

This is intended to be a 'workaround' for anyone owning a Pioneer DVD player with a 'Search Mode' button (or equivalent) on the standard remote
control and preferably with stop/eject, fwd + rev skip buttons on the front of the player (not essential but makes things SO much easier).

I hope you're ready to read a LOT of text. This is so simple but describing it is much more difficult - well, the more specific points at least.

I have a region 2, Pioneer 737 DVD player. I want to play region 1/3/4/5 discs. Using 3 different dvds, that give 3 different responses, I am hoping to have discovered a workaround that is temporarily able to remove the problem of regional coding for several different models of Pioneer players.

Essentially, my method accesses the dvd whilst bypassing the windows-style 'autoplay', that is almost always the stumbling block.

The first DVD gives the process in full detail. This must be carried out before playing any incompatible DVD, don't worry - it'll take less than 10 seconds each time!

I'm assuming that this process, seeing as it disregards any of the protection, will work with Region 1 players trying to play Region 2 discs, Region 3 players trying to...you get the point.

DVD used - 'Changing Lanes' Region 1

1. With the player drawer open and the dvd on it, press 1 on the remote. The dvd will be inserted and 'This player is incompatible with the region marking of this disc' appears.

2. Using the controls on the DVD player, press eject twice (quickly so that the mechanism never comes near to actually opening the tray) then press fwd skip once then press stop (stop/eject - it's the same button but after pressing fwd skip it switches into a 'stop' button).

3. The player should show DVD on the LCD display. Press the 'Search Mode' button on the remote. The display will show TITLE and underneath, the number 1 will flash. Press Search Mode again and the display will also show CHP. Underneath CHP, will be a flashing number 1 (if think the numbers flash - regardless, if they're there the process is working...).

4. Press enter on the remotes pseudo-joystick thing, that you use to navigate the menus on dvd. If your player is playing and says 1' 1' then you're watching your movie! Regional codes? Not for me thankyou.

To access the menu, press the MENU button on the remote, as per usual. you will be taken to the menu - surprisingly enough...

'MENU'

Listen up! If you want to return to the movie by pressing the menu button again, you must not select any bonus footage, that is 'exactly' as I describe it - footage. If you watch an interview with the director, deleted scenes, trailer or music video you will not be able to return from the main menu to the film via the MENU button on the remote. To return to the film, you'll need to go back to step one.

You can change the sound, language and subtitle setup without having to restart, though these can be adjusted via the remote - unless that feature does not extend to all Pioneer models?

What I'm saying is this - if you want to check out the DVD extras, you'll have to start the film as described, press MENU but will be unable to return to it after viewing any bonus footages contained in sub-menus. This doesn't matter of course - going back to step one through to actually playing the film takes <10 seconds.

NB : You cannot select 'Play Movie' or similar from the main menu. Nor can you jump to a chapter or jump to an episode in the case of a multi episode DVD. Should you wish to jump to a specific chapter, substitute the second '1' in step three above for the chapter you wish to view. Of course, you can go into the 'scene selection' sub-menu on a DVD and look at the pictures alongside the titles of the chapters. This will tell you which chapter relates to the point you want to jump to - though most dvds seem to have a chapter index in the box nowadays.


Next DVD used - 'Tomb Raider' Region 1 (this is too easy!)

When I insert Tomb Raider, the LCD display says 'MENU' but the menu doesn't appear. All I have to do though, is press stop and follow 'Changing Lanes Step 3+4'. I don't think I'll find a DVD easier to access than this one.

BTW - comments on accessing extra DVD material described in the 'Changing Lanes Procedure' applies to ALL discs.


Third DVD used - 'Buffy The Vamire Slayer - Series One' Region 1


1. Follow 'Changing Lanes Step 1+2'

2. To select the episode of (in this case) Buffy you want to watch, press the corresponding number on the remote. Again, the screen telling you that the DVD is not compatible will show up.

3. Follow 'Changing Lanes Step 2' again. The 'TITLE' display on the LCD screen will show whichever episode number you selected at step 2 above, when you press the fwd skip button during 'Changing Lanes Step 2'.

4. Go to 'Changing lanes Step 3'. This time, the 'TITLE' will be the episode number you selected at step 2 above. The 'CHP' will be 1 - i.e. the first chapter of whatever title.

5. Press enter on the remote - yep, you're watching again!


!!PROBLEM!!

Whilst watching Buffy, I tried to go into the main menu by pressing MENU on the remote. It took me to the episode selection screen but I could not navigate back to the proper Main menu. Ah, solved. On the remote I pressed subtitle whilst on the episodes menu. From this subtitle menu, I managed to get back to the actual main menu. From here, pressing MENU on the remote will bring you back to the film at the point you were watching - however, observe the 'MENU' text in bold above.

BTW - I am confident that my technique will not only play all dvds on my player but will work for a large percentage on pioneer players. I am NOT confident that more than 10% of owners have the competency to perform it however.