[vox-tech] DVD DRM Problem

[Harold Lee]

Macs have this "feature". VLC (http://www.videolan.org/) plays DVDs,
ignores the region code and runs on Windows. Some people out there
also seem to be replacing the firmware on their DVD drives with a
patched version that makes the drive ignore region codes.

On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 9:11 PM, Bob Scofield <scofield at omsoft.com> wrote:
> My son has spent a lot of time in New Zealand the last few years, and is
> getting ready to go back.  His laptop is a Toshiba purchased in the U.S.
> When he rents DVD's in New Zealand, Windows Media Player warns him that the
> DVD he is about to play was made to be played in a different part of the
> world.  (I.e., Windows is telling him that his computer distributed in the
> U.S. is about to play a DVD distributed in New Zealand.)
>
> Windows then gives him a chance to change the DVD type on his computer so that
> he can play the New Zealand DVD.  But there's a catch.
>
> The catch is that he is only allowed to change the DVD type so many times.
> After the limit is reached his computer will be frozen so that he can only
> play one type.  Thus as strange as it sounds, he may end up in California
> with a computer that can only play DVD's distributed in the New Zealand,
> Australia, et. al. area.
>
> He says he downloaded a program that would play DVDs with no DRM hassle.  But
> that program messed up his computer.
>
> So the question is:  Can anyone recommend DVD playing software that runs on
> Windows 7, and that will play DVD's without freezing a computer to one type
> of DVD?
>
> (It certainly seems to me that world travelers who can't break from Windows
> ought to be dual booting.  Do Mac's have this problem?)
>
> Thank you.
>
> Bob
>
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