Does anyone know if it is possible to region unlock the DVD drive in an iMac? I have a Core Duo iMac. I'm sure I got boot it into Windows and unlock it but would it still work in OSX?
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iMac DVD Region Unlock
- Thread starter nsheikh80
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I assume what you do in windows has no effect on the mac os as it'd be all software based i'd gather depending on what you were doing.
Though i do have some kind of workaround.
Download VLC and go into system preferences > cd/DVD and change the option from open DVD player to open VLC (you'll have to search for the app location)
VLC doesn't have any region protection/region check on it for dvds from what i understand
Though i do have some kind of workaround.
Download VLC and go into system preferences > cd/DVD and change the option from open DVD player to open VLC (you'll have to search for the app location)
VLC doesn't have any region protection/region check on it for dvds from what i understand
It's the firmware in the DVD drive that counts your region changes and prevents playback from a non-authorized region. I don't know the answer to the question, but it's conceivable that a fix in Windows might work in the MacOS.
How did you do it in Windows, would you share the procedure?
This trick doesn't for me. VLC just does not play the wrong region DVD and VIDEO_TS folder. The region locking is in the hardware/firmware and independent of the actual player, from what I understand.
The procedure involves finding a hacked firmware for your particular DVD drive to make it region-free. Even if this works and you manage to not brick your drive, it isn't a perfect solution as some newer disks use RCE to prevent the disks from playing on region-free players. You can find a list of such titles here. It seems to me a better solution is to simply buy a firewire or USB2 DVD drive, and set it to the appropriate region.
Works fine for me, don't know if it has anything to do with the age of the mac, only got this 2 weeks ago. I'd change the region to R1 but seeing as other people use it and from time to time i'll put in R4 (local region) dvds i just thought of using VLC seeing as i remember it worked with out of region dvds on the pc.
The VLC trick for region-free is no longer possible on later model Superdrives. For more information on the alternatives you can check this recent article at Macworld.
My personal solution here in region 2 Japan where I often watch region 1 DVDs from home in the states was to get a Firewire external DVD and flash it to an RPC1 firmware.
what is VLC?
if you put in a dvd with the wrong region, could you just load it onto the computer first? and then change the format or something to bypass the region thing? i hav no idea?
and do you have to change the region if you are just using something like superclone or toast?
if you put in a dvd with the wrong region, could you just load it onto the computer first? and then change the format or something to bypass the region thing? i hav no idea?
and do you have to change the region if you are just using something like superclone or toast?
tongzilla there r ways like after u use all the region changes in software u can use an app to do the vendor reset.....this is a special setting that resets the region changes that they can use if u send mac to apple for repair or such things....but vendor reset is limit too i think it was 6 on imac g3 new macs i dont know
seriously.....the easiest is just buy an external dvd drive they r cheap now
....for vlc and toast and such ideas.....no they dont work the region check is part of the drive u cant use software to avoid at least in new machines
seriously.....the easiest is just buy an external dvd drive they r cheap now
....for vlc and toast and such ideas.....no they dont work the region check is part of the drive u cant use software to avoid at least in new machines
VLC is a multi format media player which plays basically every video format.
If you rip the DVD with MacTheRipper, it's default setting is to rip it region free, which you can change though.
If you rip the DVD with MacTheRipper, it's default setting is to rip it region free, which you can change though.
A couple of options....
1) Boot into Windows XP, and use the Q609 firmware available here
http://tdb.rpc1.org/#DVRK06
It will reflash the firmware on your DVR-K06A to region free.
I have NOT done this, and will NOT untill I feel like playing Russian roulette. Besides, I use VMWare Fusion, and not bootcamp; I just don't know if you can use this utility inside of a virtual machine.
2) Using VMWare Fusion, I run AnyDVD (which is a software only tool), making my drive emulate whatever region is appropriate to whatever disc is inserted. This works, I've done it, and it poses no potential hazard that I am aware of. I've watched PAL region 2 discs on my iMac purchased in North America. Downside is that you don't get this 'de-regionizing' in OS X; it's just in Windows.
Tom
As a final warning note; I DO NOT ADVOCATE FLASHING YOUR DRIVE INSIDE OF A VIRTUAL MACHINE.
1) Boot into Windows XP, and use the Q609 firmware available here
http://tdb.rpc1.org/#DVRK06
It will reflash the firmware on your DVR-K06A to region free.
I have NOT done this, and will NOT untill I feel like playing Russian roulette. Besides, I use VMWare Fusion, and not bootcamp; I just don't know if you can use this utility inside of a virtual machine.
2) Using VMWare Fusion, I run AnyDVD (which is a software only tool), making my drive emulate whatever region is appropriate to whatever disc is inserted. This works, I've done it, and it poses no potential hazard that I am aware of. I've watched PAL region 2 discs on my iMac purchased in North America. Downside is that you don't get this 'de-regionizing' in OS X; it's just in Windows.
Tom
As a final warning note; I DO NOT ADVOCATE FLASHING YOUR DRIVE INSIDE OF A VIRTUAL MACHINE.
Hit a nerve! (rant)
I love Apple. I really do. But I think they are very unfair to those of us who are bilingual.
Many of my DVDs are from Regions 2 and 4 -- foreign films I've purchased when I travel, almost always titles that are likely to never be released for Region 1.
I understand the whole regional encoding mess isn't Apple's fault... but why do they have to contribute to the problem? I mean, isn't Apple the company that's supposed to make things better, easier, more intuitive, etc?
I don't want to have to put Windows on my iMac. I don't want to have to download anything to work around it. If I wanted to do crap like that, I would have stuck w/ my PC instead of switching to Mac! And I certainly don't want to have to buy one external hd for Region 2 and another for Region 4.
I just want to be able to play my DVDs on my iMac without worrying about which zone they're from and how many times I can switch zones. Is that really too much to ask??
Maybe if every bilingual person in the US boycotted all Apple products and services for year, they would get the message.
¿Oíste, Señor Jobs?
iMac 24" 2.4GHz 2GB 500GB
iPod Touch 32GB
I love Apple. I really do. But I think they are very unfair to those of us who are bilingual.
Many of my DVDs are from Regions 2 and 4 -- foreign films I've purchased when I travel, almost always titles that are likely to never be released for Region 1.
I understand the whole regional encoding mess isn't Apple's fault... but why do they have to contribute to the problem? I mean, isn't Apple the company that's supposed to make things better, easier, more intuitive, etc?
I don't want to have to put Windows on my iMac. I don't want to have to download anything to work around it. If I wanted to do crap like that, I would have stuck w/ my PC instead of switching to Mac! And I certainly don't want to have to buy one external hd for Region 2 and another for Region 4.
I just want to be able to play my DVDs on my iMac without worrying about which zone they're from and how many times I can switch zones. Is that really too much to ask??
Maybe if every bilingual person in the US boycotted all Apple products and services for year, they would get the message.
¿Oíste, Señor Jobs?
iMac 24" 2.4GHz 2GB 500GB iPod Touch 32GBIt's not Apple's fault at all and boycotting them won't help. Apple don't make the drives. So your beef is with the drive manufacturers. Besides, I have a distinct feeling their licencing agreement states that thay have to be region locked. No region lock = no licence = no drives manufactured 
Exactly. If you don't like it, talk to the politicians who write laws, because they're the ones letting the MPAA get away with this. It's not in any computer manufacturer's interest to reduce functionality of their hardware (that includes Apple) but they have no choice.It's not Apple's fault at all and boycotting them won't help. Apple don't make the drives. So your beef is with the drive manufacturers. Besides, I have a distinct feeling their licencing agreement states that thay have to be region locked. No region lock = no licence = no drives manufactured
you are a GENIUS!!!
mr. speedfreek,...i just registered from macrumors just to drop-by to say that YOU!!! YES , MY FRIEND YOU!!! ARE A 'GENIUS!!!" your VLC advice works!!! thank you, thank you, thank you!!! -strong
mr. speedfreek,...i just registered from macrumors just to drop-by to say that YOU!!! YES , MY FRIEND YOU!!! ARE A 'GENIUS!!!" your VLC advice works!!! thank you, thank you, thank you!!! -strong
well. that does the trick for my aging iMac running on the good old Snow Leopard
Thanks speedfreak!
There is a limit of 5 region changes. To be clear this is not Apple's fault. This is the movie industries fault. Apple does not make the DVD drives. They buy them.