DVDs (US vs. Europe)

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I live in the US, but travel to Europe quite often, and would like to
use the DVD player of my new laptop in both continents.

Is it possible these days to play European and/or US DVDs on the laptop
without changing any setting?

If I'm not wrong, a few years ago you were allowed to modify the region
on your laptop, but just a few times (around five or so) before it was
locked. Is it still the same?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Generally, it's still the same -- you can select and change the region,
but after a few changes, it becomes locked forever.

There are some drives and some players (software) for which "hacked
firmware" is available that makes them "region free". The question,
which will take some research to answer, is whether or not the specific
drive in your laptop is a model that can be hacked to become "region
free". Some can, some can't. But from the factory, they are almost
never region free, and making it region free will void the warranty.


wolfgson wrote:

> I live in the US, but travel to Europe quite often, and would like to
> use the DVD player of my new laptop in both continents.
>
> Is it possible these days to play European and/or US DVDs on the laptop
> without changing any setting?
>
> If I'm not wrong, a few years ago you were allowed to modify the region
> on your laptop, but just a few times (around five or so) before it was
> locked. Is it still the same?
>

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"John Doue" <notwobe@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5hLMe.334$x21.217@read3.inet.fi...
> >>
> Although the firmware approach is theoratically preferable, it is
> definitely not without risks. After trying both routes, I finally prefer
> to run DVD Region Killer which has never failed me and is trouble-free
> once installed.
>

Be aware, that these products work by decrypting the DVD files before
feeding the data on to the video playing software. The upshot is that your
favourite copying software will probably copy the disk. They therefore
constitute a tool for the purposes of circumventing digital copyright
protection, possession of which is illegal under the Digital Millenium
Copyright Act.

By rights this should only be an offence in the US, but the American
authorities have already succeeded in enforcing this act outside of their
territorial limits.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Barry Watzman wrote:

> Who cares as long as it is only for viewing (not reproduction) and only
> for private, non-commercial viewing by one single individual at that.
>
>
> Ye Electric Fanne Clubbe wrote:
>
>> "John Doue" <notwobe@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:5hLMe.334$x21.217@read3.inet.fi...
>>
>>> Although the firmware approach is theoratically preferable, it is
>>> definitely not without risks. After trying both routes, I finally prefer
>>> to run DVD Region Killer which has never failed me and is trouble-free
>>> once installed.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Be aware, that these products work by decrypting the DVD files before
>> feeding the data on to the video playing software. The upshot is that
>> your
>> favourite copying software will probably copy the disk. They therefore
>> constitute a tool for the purposes of circumventing digital copyright
>> protection, possession of which is illegal under the Digital Millenium
>> Copyright Act.
>>
>> By rights this should only be an offence in the US, but the American
>> authorities have already succeeded in enforcing this act outside of their
>> territorial limits.
>>
>>
Barry,

I tend to agree. Anything can be used for illegal purposes. The author
of the famous decss software having been cleared of all charges, this
must be put into perspective.

--
John Doue