VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 11 of 11
Thread
  1. possibly dumb question. just deal with it. i know that my computer's OS allows for 5 region code changes before locking into the last one used. if i try to back up an out of region dvd with some software package (shrink/decrypter/ripit4me), is it the software which notices the region coding or windows? as in, if i try to back up a region 1 disc after backing up five region 2 discs, will the computer then be permanently locked into region 2? which program has priority on region coding?
    thank you to pieces.
    Quote Quote  
  2. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Certain software will check the region when you attempt to play an out-of-region disk.
    To play the disk successfully on that software you must change the region code.

    Other software is able to access out-of-region media without having to change the code.
    You can set/check the setting in the device manager
    Image Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version

Name:	region.jpg
Views:	69
Size:	128.6 KB
ID:	48424  

    Quote Quote  
  3. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by majormulatto View Post
    possibly dumb question. just deal with it. i know that my computer's OS allows for 5 region code changes before locking into the last one used. if i try to back up an out of region dvd with some software package (shrink/decrypter/ripit4me), is it the software which notices the region coding or windows? as in, if i try to back up a region 1 disc after backing up five region 2 discs, will the computer then be permanently locked into region 2? which program has priority on region coding?
    thank you to pieces.
    The OS itself doesn't check at the disc region code against the drive's region code.

    Backup software doesn't change the optical drive's region code. Backup software typically removes the region code automatically for the backup. Some backup software also allows the user to pick a different region code for the backup.

    Unlicensed players like VLC or DVDFab Player don't check the disc region code against the drive's region code setting. Only licensed player software like PowerDVD, WinDVD or Windows Media Player versions that play DVDs care about the region code and require changing your optical drive's region code to match the disc's region code for discs which are not region-free or all-region.
    Ignore list: hello_hello, tried, TechLord, Snoopy329
    Quote Quote  
  4. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by majormulatto View Post
    possibly dumb question. just deal with it. i know that my computer's OS allows for 5 region code changes before locking into the last one used. if i try to back up an out of region dvd with some software package (shrink/decrypter/ripit4me), is it the software which notices the region coding or windows? as in, if i try to back up a region 1 disc after backing up five region 2 discs, will the computer then be permanently locked into region 2? which program has priority on region coding?
    thank you to pieces.
    you would need to rip the disc with a program such as dvdfab or anydvd
    in order to make the disc region free, however you may run into the NTSC- PAL issue
    Quote Quote  
  5. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Netherlands
    Search Comp PM
    The region code is locked in the drive firmware.
    It can be changed 5 times, after that the drive will remain the last region code that is set in the drive.

    usually_quiet describes perfectly how this works with a player and backup software.

    So if you want to change a region code from a drive that is over 5 changes the only option is to buy a new drive.
    Sometimes it is possible to re-flash the drive's firmware to reset the region code, but i never had to deal with that
    Quote Quote  
  6. I'm a Super Moderator johns0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    canada
    Search Comp PM
    If you find a firmware for the drive it will reset the region code when you update it,also if you can find a program for the drive it might be possible just to reset it by software.
    I think,therefore i am a hamster.
    Quote Quote  
  7. Originally Posted by usually_quiet View Post
    Backup software doesn't change the optical drive's region code. Backup software typically removes the region code automatically for the backup. Some backup software also allows the user to pick a different region code for the backup.
    Are you sure about that?

    I have recollections of DVD Decrypter and possibly DVD Shrink telling me the disc and drive regions don't match and asking if I'd like to change the drive's region. If you don't change it to match the disc, a "brute force" decrypting method is generally used instead. It might take a bit longer.
    Image Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version

Name:	DVDd.gif
Views:	48
Size:	23.5 KB
ID:	48442  

    Click image for larger version

Name:	DVDd2.gif
Views:	57
Size:	53.5 KB
ID:	48443  

    Last edited by hello_hello; 17th Mar 2019 at 22:40.
    Quote Quote  
  8. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    According to this it does not actually change the drive's code:
    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/301721-DVDDecrypter-wants-to-set-Region-Code#post1846331
    Quote Quote  
  9. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    According to this it does not actually change the drive's code:
    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/301721-DVDDecrypter-wants-to-set-Region-Code#post1846331
    That is my recollection as well. I haven't used DVDDecrypter to decrypt a DVD in a very long time but I don't recall that DVDDecrypter ever required me to actually change the drive's region code to simply rip a disc to HDD, or burn a copy.

    I know that ImgBurn, which derives from DVDDecrypter's burning feature, includes a drive utility with the ability to change the drive region code. I'll admit to never having used this feature and I'm not willing to test it for obvious reasons. The option is probably there to help someone who needs a way to change the region code to satisfy their licensed player software's requirement for region code compliance. I can't think of any other reason for it to exist.
    Ignore list: hello_hello, tried, TechLord, Snoopy329
    Quote Quote  
  10. Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    According to this it does not actually change the drive's code:
    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/301721-DVDDecrypter-wants-to-set-Region-Code#post1846331
    I can't imagine what other region code it'd be offering to change.
    The first screenshot in my previous post shows the DVD Decrypter dialogue for changing a drive's region code. It also shows the number of changes left for the drive in question.
    The second screenshot shows the ImgBurn menu, but it opens an identical dialogue for changing the drive's region code.

    This is from the DVD Shrink changelog:

    Version 3.1.6 - 23 Feb 2004
    Fixed bug which caused occasional skipping/freezing of output DVD during playback on some players.
    Fixed bug which caused non-display of menu buttons in some output DVDs.
    Fixed ripping from Pioneer 120S drives.
    Added support to change drive region of RPC2 drives in case of region mismatch with disc.

    Version 3.1.7 - 14 March 2004
    Added function to read and write ISO files, also backup option to burn an ISO file with DVD Decrypter.
    Fixed bug of remapping the last subpicture streams in re-author mode, or full-disc mode if "logical remapping" enabled.
    Changed "About" dialog with new graphics from Guy Incognito.
    Small enhancements to "Backup Target" dialog.
    Fixed file opening code to work with only a partial DVD when browsing in re-author mode. This means you can still re-author parts of a DVD, even if missing some files.
    Fixed UDF reading code to open files stored in the VIDEO_TS folder of a CD-ROM disc.
    Added preference option to disable RPC2 drive region checking which solves problems with some hacked firmware.

    I'm not saying you have to change the drive's region code to rip a disc from another region, but I'm sure DVD Shrink has asked if I want to in the past. The programs I just mentioned certainly give you the option to do so when they detect a region mismatch, despite usually_quiet's original statement to the contrary. If you don't change the drive's region code, they'll usually still rip the disc using a brute force method.

    It makes sense for burning software to at least give you the option. If you have a drive that's set for a different region to the discs you normally rip/play, it's probably a good idea to change it.
    Last edited by hello_hello; 18th Mar 2019 at 16:42.
    Quote Quote  
  11. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Canada
    Search Comp PM
    FWIW.
    I'm region 1.
    If DVD Decrypter detects a mismatch between the drive and the disk, it gives the message and you can either use Tools > Drive >Region code to change the code or use the Brute Force method to rip the disk (without changing the code).

    DVD Shrink informs you of the mismatch and requires that you change the Region Code.

    Solution is to run DVDFab Passkey in the background and the problem goes away.
    Quote Quote  
Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!