DVD Region Free on Macbook Pro?

[TheStoat]

Hi guys,

I'm loving the new Macbook Pro but when I inserted a DVD it asked me to select the region and warned me that only 5 changes remained. I had dimly assumed this was a quirk of Windows but now remember flashing the drive on my Dell laptop. Doh!

Is there a way to make the Macbook Pro region free? I'm a complete noob with Macs so I'm loathe to just download the first util I find on Google and install it. Don't want screw up anything! Are there any freeware programs that overcome the region setting?

Thanks for any tips - they're much appreciated as I'm a bit stumped on this,

Andy

[Zod]

I'd quite like to do this too, as I had to choose a region last week watching a DVD on a plane to the US. This p*ssed me off royally, given that I was going somewhere with different region-coded DVDs at less than half UK price.

[bobthemonkey]

There’s a freeware program called MacTheRipper that will rip a copy of a DVD to your hard-drive, removing region codes and (optionally) macrovision in the process.

[ThePassenger]

I also think VLC just blind reads the disk for playback, so it doesn't do region code checks.

I remember, the 'select region' thing only appeared when I tried to use a legit program in Windows (i.e. "fully licensed to the appropriate people and fully supporting 'legitimate security features'), VLC just got on with it.

[page3]

VLC used to work as it simply ignores region coding, but unfortunately the new drive Apple use in some of their newer machines (MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-85J) has additional hardware regional locking which no-one has yet found a way around

When I need to play a legally bought DVD on my iMac it is usually quicker and easier simply to download it via bittorrent.

[TheStoat]

Bum, I've just checked in System Profiler and it reports my DVD drive is a Matshita UJ-857D I guess that means I'll need to use an external drive of some sort or get this one flashed...

Thanks for the help everyone,

Andy

[cjs]

Yep just tried my Macbook using VLC. It would play Region 1 DVD's (the Mac is currently set Region 1) but will not play Region 2.....Bummer!

Only option is to Rip the DVD using Mac the Ripper and wipe the Region Code and then playback on VLC or burn to Disc using say Toast.

Both MTR and VLC are great and are free downloads and will not do anything bad to your Mac.

Chris.

[ThePassenger]

page3 said:

VLC used to work as it simply ignores region coding, but unfortunately the new drive Apple use in some of their newer machines (MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-85J) has additional hardware regional locking which no-one has yet found a way around

When I need to play a legally bought DVD on my iMac it is usually quicker and easier simply to download it via bittorrent.

Bugger is all I can say. Bugger.

Must admit, all my DVD's find themselves being ripped, transcoded (if they're going on the ipod) and the originals stuffed in a cardboard box on top of the wardrobe.