Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Matsushita UJ-857 RPC-1 (Region-Free) Update Available

dvd region settings all used up

hello and thanks to everyone working to crack these nobby region restrictions. I have a powerbook G4 and I am prepared to run the RPC-1 region-free update (having already researched and found the appropriate one for my drive) but just want to make sure it can be done on a drive whose region changes have all been used up, i.e, it is now permanently a zone 1 drive and if I insert any other zone dvd it just spits it out and says I have no changes left. I only hesitate to run the "FAAG" firmware update because in the past I have heard rumors that the region setting can only be cracked if the original region changes haven't all been used up. thanks again you guys.
 
silslo said:
hello and thanks to everyone working to crack these nobby region restrictions. I have a powerbook G4 and I am prepared to run the RPC-1 region-free update (having already researched and found the appropriate one for my drive) but just want to make sure it can be done on a drive whose region changes have all been used up, i.e, it is now permanently a zone 1 drive and if I insert any other zone dvd it just spits it out and says I have no changes left. I only hesitate to run the "FAAG" firmware update because in the past I have heard rumors that the region setting can only be cracked if the original region changes haven't all been used up. thanks again you guys.
Click to expand...

Just use VLC when you're watching DVDs. VLC doesn't check the region codes on the drives.
 
vlc

alphaod said:
Just use VLC when you're watching DVDs. VLC doesn't check the region codes on the drives.
Click to expand...

No, the vlc will not open a region coded DVD if you have the Matsushita drive. The restrictions come with the drive, that is why you have to hack it. Ripping the disk with a ripper software will not work either.
 
krekat said:
No, the vlc will not open a region coded DVD if you have the Matsushita drive. The restrictions come with the drive, that is why you have to hack it. Ripping the disk with a ripper software will not work either.
Click to expand...

That's interesting considering it worked with my computer before. I won't argue since I no longer have the machine to play with.
 
Will n0t work with Matsu-"shita"

alphaod said:
That's interesting considering it worked with my computer before. I won't argue since I no longer have the machine to play with.
Click to expand...


Just to confirm that region encoded(Gabriel, Sony Inc, for example) is region coded....and not to my region.Therefore VLC wouldn't play it unless I switched, and couldn't rip through encoding either. unless the Region free hack is set.

I don't think i'm willing to mess with my entire drive being able to work(as it is now) and not working, so I haven't implemented the code. Apple's stuff is really finicky when it comes to these procedures.

Sorry, and nothing against the great technology behind all of these devices to allow us to watch films, but when they won't allow us to play my some store bought and some -not- store bought DVD's due to a region code that's the man sticking it to all the consumers, us. Chances are if I really like a film, I'll buy it.... But still want to be able to play it on my drive if i get it from elsewhere...i mean people still travel in the 21 century right!?
 
Skull0Inc said:
Sorry, and nothing against the great technology behind all of these devices to allow us to watch films, but when they won't allow us to play my some store bought and some -not- store bought DVD's due to a region code that's the man sticking it to all the consumers, us. Chances are if I really like a film, I'll buy it.... But still want to be able to play it on my drive if i get it from elsewhere...i mean people still travel in the 21 century right!?
Click to expand...

Fully agree. More so considering that a laptop is made for traveling. I have been changing living places in the last years. I payed for my laptop and have bought some dvd's as well. Now I am not able to change the code (or just once more, which I want to reserve). The reasoning behind the restriction gets so absurd in practice, that they push you to go for pirate copies, which is exactly the opposite of what the industry wants. Pirate copies don't have the region code restriction anymore, since they have been ripped (easily done with a PC, by the way)
I flashed an an old G3 laptop and that is the one I am using for watching the films albeit a malfunctioning screen. I am afraid of flashing the Macbook since -as I explained above- i have to run the update firmware first, which caused a lot of problems to several users and don't want to to mess the machine I am working with, as is your case.
 
hi guys. this is my first post here. forgive me if there is an answer about this already but its 3am already and im too sleepy to use my brain to keep on searching and fail.

i have a matshit. dvd-r UJ-85J Revision FBZ8

region is locked because i didnt knew it will lock after a while. i travel between the caribbean and europe and use different regions when i get movies to rent.....

now its locked in 1 and i cant watch european dvds anymore.

is there any firmware that set the regions free again? i found 2 but they wont work with leopard. i get the message that i have to "update". couldnt be more up to date.

any links?

thanks alot
 
Matshita Dvd-r Uj-85j ::locked::

element115 said:
hi guys. this is my first post here. forgive me if there is an answer about this already but its 3am already and im too sleepy to use my brain to keep on searching and fail.

i have a matshit. dvd-r UJ-85J Revision FBZ8

region is locked because i didnt knew it will lock after a while. i travel between the caribbean and europe and use different regions when i get movies to rent.....

now its locked in 1 and i cant watch european dvds anymore.

is there any firmware that set the regions free again? i found 2 but they wont work with leopard. i get the message that i have to "update". couldnt be more up to date.

any links?

thanks alot
Click to expand...

I will say this up front. I do not know much about the already locked drives or unlocked(but i'm sure there must be a way around it) and have only found this :

http://forums.mactalk.com.au/29/39845-solved-region-free-dvd-playing-macbook-pro.html

I do remember reading somewhere though that once you get it locked you might have to take it to Apple authorized store, and they are able to 'reset' it (only up to 3 times)after being locked, allowing you to switch regions for a total of 15 times. Although I'm unsure if that applies to this drive! I too am switching between these two regions, but can't remember the last time i tried to watch a DVD, movie on the Mac :eek:.

Keep looking around, you should find something of help...
 
I am desperately attempting to reset my macbook pro i have try to run the Update to HAEA region free but keep getting an message that says

the application superdrive update 2.1 quit unexpectedly after it was reopened

So it will not run the HAEA program can anyone help ?

Thanks in advance

Ben
 
my dvd info message is

MATSHITA
Model: DVD-R UJ-857
Firmware: HAEA
RPC-2 (region locked)
State is PERMANENT
4 vendor resets left
0 region change left
Region 1
 
MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857E:
Firmware Revision: ZF1E

Just searched the web but I guess nothing new yet on this one. rpc1.org has helped so much with my past machines (G4 PowerBook, MacBook), I was hoping to get this one (MacBook 4,1 - C2D 2.4) ready for travel as well. Too bad...
 
My ATA info is Blank!!

Guys i tried to check what Model i was having on my UMBP but there is no info at all its says the following: This system does not contain any ATA devices. If you have any ATA devices installed, please check that they are connected and powered on.

Am i doing anything wrong?
 
xpress1 said:
Guys i tried to check what Model i was having on my UMBP but there is no info at all its says the following: This system does not contain any ATA devices. If you have any ATA devices installed, please check that they are connected and powered on.

Am i doing anything wrong?
Click to expand...

Look in SATA (Serial ATA).
 
Thanks found it under SATA !

John Jacob said:
Look in SATA (Serial ATA).
Click to expand...

Thanks Jackob i found it under SATA as you sugested, its an HITACHI

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N:

Model: HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N
Revision: SB00
Serial Number: KZA95RC4151
Native Command Queuing: No
Detachable Drive: No
Power Off: Yes
Async Notification: No

Can anyone let me know where to find the update to flash my drive please :)
 
Hi there,

I ran into a bit of a problem with my DVD unit. I got a MBP 2.5 Ghz (2008 edition) and Apple service recently replaced by unit (GSW) with a new one which is Matsushita.

MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857E:

Firmware Revision: ZA0E
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipping Drive)
Cache: 0 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RW
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO
Media: To show the available burn speeds, insert a disc and choose View > Refresh


As you can see, on DVD-write I got only 2 options out of many more present. I suspect something happened when I upgraded to Snow Leopard but I am not sure.
Hence I cannot read / write all disks, getting an error in the middle of the writing process (medium error etc.), and I cannot read but few disks.

Did any one have this problem and knows how to solve it?

Thanks
 
Sorry to bump an old thread, but has anyone used the region free tools on Snow Leopard? I've downloaded the appropriate firmware for my drive, but the readme says:

"These updaters must be run from Mac OS X (v10.3.9 Panther, v10.4.6 or
later Tiger)"

I'm on the latest Snow Leopard. Is it just old documentation, or is it ill-advised to run under my current OS?
 
russellelly said:
Sorry to bump an old thread, but has anyone used the region free tools on Snow Leopard? I've downloaded the appropriate firmware for my drive, but the readme says:

"These updaters must be run from Mac OS X (v10.3.9 Panther, v10.4.6 or
later Tiger)"

I'm on the latest Snow Leopard. Is it just old documentation, or is it ill-advised to run under my current OS?
Click to expand...

I'm on an original MBP and I also can't run the HAEA update under 10.6 (Snow Leopard). I get this message box:

You can't use this version of the application Update HAEA to region free with this version of Mac OS X.

You have Update HAEA to region free 2.1.0.​

What can I do?
 
oldSystem said:
I'm on an original MBP and I also can't run the HAEA update under 10.6 (Snow Leopard). I get this message box:

You can't use this version of the application Update HAEA to region free with this version of Mac OS X.

You have Update HAEA to region free 2.1.0.​

What can I do?
Click to expand...

I have the same problem with my macbook on snow leopard.
Any thoughts?
 
I found a workaround for Snow Leopard users. You need 2 things:

1. A spare external HD is the best option (but if you're real desperate you can use a flash drive or an iPod)
2. OS X 10.4 install disk

How-to Steps:

1. Format the drive in Disk Utility as a Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
2. Insert your Tiger disk and reboot
3. It should automatically boot from Tiger disk
4. Go through the usual steps and install Tiger on your spare drive (It's so simple on an Apple, the way computing should be.)
5. After installation, reboot and hold down the option key when the computer chimes until drive icons appear
6. Click on your spare drive you just installed Tiger on (it may take a long time to load. no worries. be patient. if you used an iPod, try to keep it cool)
7. On the desktop you'll see your internal drive. Find your DVD Flash file. You can safely run it from there, but if you feel better about it, copy it to the desktop.
8. The flash pauses at 30 and 60% I believe. This is normal. It should finish without a hitch.

I had no problems with this method. I spent more time looking for another solution than it took me to do all this. Hope you also have success.
 
hi

first time posting on forums..
apparently im using UJ-857D (KBVB) according to system profiler.
i followed all of your instructions and i was ready to open Update KBVB to region free but it did NOT open.
it said "Mac OS X and other applications are not affected.
Click Reopen to open the application again. Click Report to see more details or send a report to Apple."

is there something wrong with my comp?:(
 
From what I understand from reading the web, you have the wrong version of Mac OS X. It crashed on my 10.4.11, just like in your case. Still seemed to have done something as my drive is now partially dead.
 
MATSHITADVD-R UJ-898 DVD Settings

I'm hoping to find a solution to my Mac Puzzle in MacRumors. Can I please get some assistance on getting my MacBook Pro's DVD Regional settings fixed? Yes, I travel to Europe and my Mac is stuck on Deutschland! I'm back in Texas and would love to have my player back. (I have VLC but would also like to use the actual original player.)

Model: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-898
Revision: HE13
Serial Number: UL21 16017K

Thank you! :apple:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back