How can I switch the region code on MBP w/ DVD drive for the 5th and final time?

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How can I switch the region code on MBP w/ DVD drive for the 5th and final time?

How can I switch the region code on MBP w/ DVD drive for the 5th and final time? It brings up the window with that world map to do it, including the warning that "this is the 5th and final time I can do this", when inserting a DVD and opening "DVD Player", but it never executes my click on the "Change Drive Region" button prompt.

VLC or Quicktime Player won't play it either, but won't bring up that window to change Region Code anyway....

Otherwise, I'm not having any other issues with this MBP at all. Peak performance on all counts :-)

I tried resetting SMC after chatting w/ Apple Support, but it didn't help.

That was the link they provided. Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac

Tried zapping PRAM as well.

Thanks for any clues, Rene

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Apr 21, 2015 12:44 PM

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Answer 1

Ziatron

Level 5

4,186 points

Apr 23, 2015 12:34 AM in response to Rene MBP15

I've never understood why Apple still uses drives with region settings. You can buy optical drives literally anywhere that are region free. It's actually difficult to find one that has region limitations.

Replacing your DVD drive with a unit that doesn't care about region codes is an option.

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Answer 2

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Apr 23, 2015 2:26 AM in response to Rene MBP15

Region encoding is the mechanism that enables motion picture studios to control the worldwide release of their movies. It is required by the DVD Forum (http://www.dvdforum.org/forum.shtml) in all commercial hardware DVD players. Every DVD-Video disc contains one byte of data representing a region code, which limits where the disc can be played.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2397

Once you have set the region in DVD Player five times it cannot be changed. However see this also:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TA25416?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Instead, use VLC to view videos from different regions:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html

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Answer 3

Rene MBP15 Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 23, 2015 12:26 PM in response to Ziatron

I understand the limitations, yes. I could totally opt for an external drive, that's true. I simply can't understand why there still is one region change left, but I can't excecute it.... Thanks for the reply :-)

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