Problems changing regions

[MacEachaidh]

I'm having problems with changing regions on my PC, and would appreciate any help or suggestions people can offer.

I'm using PowerDVD 11 Ultra on Windows 7 SP1, and DVDFab 8.0.4.2. If I play a Blu-ray disc from one region, and then want to play one from a different region, then PowerDVD stops loading the disc. I have to completely reboot my PC, and then PowerDVD will play it.

The makers of PowerDVD, of course, are blaming DVDFab. And it may be true: if I use the option inside PowerDVD to change the region the software is set for, then I have no problems: at most I have to restart PowerDVD, but not the whole computer, and then the disc plays straight away. But PowerDVD only lets you change region 5 times in total, and then the region is permanently locked.

So, is this the way the DVDFab software works? Does a change between regions always require a reboot?

[90312]

Region Reset might help you out with this, check here

[MacEachaidh]

90312, thanks for the reply - did you mean Region Reset?

I've tried that before, but it doesn't work with PowerDVD 11, only version 10 and older. That's a large part of why I bought Passkey.

Passkey has the same option built in, and it does work with PDVD version 11. I have no trouble changing the region, but actually playing a disc of the new region is a whole different matter, and requires a reboot of the PC.

I'm trying to work out why. It may not be DVDFab's doing, but Cyberlink says it is (no great surprise there, of course), and as I said, if I change regions in PowerDVD without DVDFab loaded, then I don't have the problem of needing to reboot. It's only when DVDFab is loaded that the issue occurs.

[90312]

Yeah I went back and edited my post, too late I guess. I don't have either program, just thought it might work. Have you thought about or searched for a region free firmware for your drive?

[Bob]

So, is this the way the DVDFab software works? Does a change between regions always require a reboot?

No it's not DVDFab it's windoze7 that does it.

Post what drive you have so maybe someone can help you find region free firmware........

ah k the other guy from Misery beat me to it

[MacEachaidh]

It's an LG BH10 LS30 Blu-ray writer.

I'd be delighted if anyone knows of a region-free firmware for it, thanks!

But I don't think it's the drive. I had a Samsung before this (an SH-B083L) that I had to replace because it was failing to read a fairly hefty percentage of newer Blu-ray discs, but of those it read successfully, this reboot issue happened as well.

It does seem to be only when DVDFab is loaded that I need to reboot, and I thought that the region coding for Blu-rays was all in the disc and the software, not the drive itself? So I'm not quite understanding how flashing the drive with an RPC1 firmware will help the situation, even though I appreciate the suggestion. What have I missed?

[Bob]

Looks like you will need to use the MCSE Utility

and you can get it from here and be sure to follow the instructions exactly

[MacEachaidh]

Ummm ...

OK, I've never used MCSE before, but I understand what it's doing. With the firmware for this drive, I don't have the option to set the drive as RPC 1 - only to trigger an RPC 2 Auto_Reset flag, which (correct me if I'm wrong, please!) I assume resets the number of available region changes on the drive back to five when ... when what? When I reboot? Or do I have to flash the drive again each time? I couldn't find any notes to tell me what this flag in MCSE actually does.

But I still don't understand: what has changing the RPC setting in my drive got to do with having to reboot so I can play Blu-rays of a different region? RPC only applies to DVDs, doesn't it?

[Bob]

I was always under the impression that you could make it region free with ala42's MCSE app. It always worked great for me on my DVD drives when he got it going and i was a beta tester for him many times. It only used to work for a few brands but he has come along way with it.

I do not have blu-ray drive so i'll bow out of here and let someone else take over.......sorry if i steered you wrong.

[MacEachaidh]

No no mate, don't apologise, and I appreciate your suggestions. It's just that region coding is a very different beast in Blu-ray than it is in DVDs.

So. To get back to the first question:
Does anyone know why I need to reboot the PC to change the region with DVDFab Passkey in PowerDVD 11?

[Bob]

Well i don't think it's that much different than DVD's if you only have 5 changes on a windoze system. It's been close to 10 years since i've not had region free firmware so don't even recall what it is like to be in that position or if i had to reboot. Surely your not in the USA. Good luck!

I also think it's BS to only have 5 changes for stuff like that..........not exceptable at all.

I used to go to a certain forum i can't really mention here but i don't keep up with burning anything anymore but i know some of them are here and can help you.