Region Free Macbook?

[mperreault]

...Does anyone know if there is a way to remove the region protection from the new macbook? I've just moved to italy and now I have to decide, Do I change the region so that I can play rented DVD's? Or do I keep it the same so that I can watch my old North American DVD's, and just download everything I want to watch???

Or is it possible to crack the macbook drives firmware and make it a region free drive...

Is it me or is region protecting a portable device REALLY stupid? IT'S PORTABLE!!!

Any thoughts?

THANK YOU APPLE FOR NOT LETTING ME DO WHAT I WANT WITH MY COMPUTER.....

 

[sierra oscar]

...Is it me or is region protecting a portable device REALLY stupid? IT'S PORTABLE!!!...

I can't help you - but I agree, we are marketed these portables as 'global citizens' from a 'global' non-US-centric company - yet there a regional restrictions on hardware (I assume this is software controlled/managed though and nothing to do with the physical unit) but I could be wrong.

I also suspect this has nothing to really do with Apple and it's a wider issue - and Apple are purely doing the done thing by keeping to regional DVD/software restrictions.

Be interested myself to hear what others really know about this.

 

[stoid]

Don't blame Apple, blame the MPAA for forcing the Region codes into the DVD format. I hear that VLC can play 'out of region' DVDs.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

...Does anyone know if there is a way to remove the region protection from the new macbook? I've just moved to italy and now I have to decide, Do I change the region so that I can play rented DVD's? Or do I keep it the same so that I can watch my old North American DVD's, and just download everything I want to watch???

Or is it possible to crack the macbook drives firmware and make it a region free drive...

Is it me or is region protecting a portable device REALLY stupid? IT'S PORTABLE!!!

Any thoughts?

THANK YOU APPLE FOR NOT LETTING ME DO WHAT I WANT WITH MY COMPUTER.....

Use MacTheRipper to rip your NA dvds then reburn them as region free and set your drive to europe. That way you can watch rentals in italy and watch your old stuff too.

 

[LastLine]

Hm, I know there's a software solution known as Anydvd on Windows...I'm sure ther'es a Mac answer somewhere.

 

[matttrick]

region protection is one of the most trash ideas ever. what the hell does it even accomplish aside from frustrating consumers?

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Like stoid said, use VLC to watch your DVDs. Just remember to set System Preferences -> CDs and DVDs -> When you insert a video DVD to Ignore (or Open other applicataion -> VLC).

 

[pjo]

Hm, I know there's a software solution known as Anydvd on Windows...I'm sure ther'es a Mac answer somewhere.

as stoid guessed, VLC will play any region DVD, so will mplayer and xine.
Reason: they access the DVD as a data disc and ignore the whole region nonsense.

If you *really* want to flush your firmware, then install windows via bootcamp and run driveinfo. (doom9.org) When you are sure about what exact drive you have, go over to the mother of firmware sites (rpc1.org) and look for firmware that matches your drive EXACTLY.

Please note that you may create an expensive inbuilt paperweight out of your MB drive so unless you MUST use quicktime (probably for frontrow?) I'd suggest you just install VLC.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

 

[Concon]

thanks

Thanks for the info guys,couldn't believe that I'd only one more swap left when I tried to play a dvd last night.
VLC ftw