[G4] DVD Player and region codes

[Perry The Cynic]

--On February 14, 2006 9:15:21 PM -0800 Carol <java_j at macosx.com> wrote:

> Hi Folks,
>
> I am running OS 10.3.9.  I recently discovered that a DVD I received
> would not play in my standalone player presumably because it was not from
> the expected region.  I thought I would try it out in my computer using
> Apple's DVD player.  No problem.  It played.  Then I decided to try a PAL
> disc.  I expected the computer to ask me about changing the setup somehow
> since I usually play NTSC discs, either region free or region 1.  It
> played without any trouble.
>
> Can anyone confirm whether or not the region code is being changed by DVD
> player without warning me?  I would not appreciate it if I used up my 5
> region changes without warning.  Since I am the only one using my
> computer, I have administrator privileges.

Even if you are an administrator, *after* the initial region is set, you 
will see a dialog before the region code is changed, and you'll see a 
confirm-administrator (Authorization) dialog. While it's possible to 
reprogram the system not to show those dialogs, that's not something you're 
likely to do by accident. So you're very likely to be fine.

If you're really paranoid, make a non-admin account to watch DVDs. It's 
quite impossible to change the drive's region code without administrator 
privileges. (except the first time).

Note that "region 0" (zero) disks can be played on any player, and do not 
require or prompt for region changes. Of course a region-0 disk should also 
play on your stand-alone player, but it may not for entirely unrelated 
reasons (particularly if it was made "creatively" in a foreign country).

> Does anyone know how to determine which region DVD player is set at?

I don't know offhand how to ask your Mac how many region code changes are 
left (you have a total of 5), though if you *do* get the change dialog, it 
will tell you. To check what the current region is, just stick in a DVD 
with known region code and see if you get a dialog.

(There is allegedly a tool called "DVD Info X" that can tell you, but it 
seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.)

Cheers
  -- perry
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Perry The Cynic                                             perry at cynic.org
To a blind optimist, an optimistic realist must seem like an Accursed Cynic.
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