dvd drive on XP

[geese]

While checking a computer for a friend i found something rather interesting.


I was checking the properties of a Philips DVD+RW drive (Windows XP) , and I noticed that you can change the DVD region. But there was a warning which states that you can only change this for a limited number of times. It also goes on - “after the changes remaining reaches zero, you cannot change the region even if you reinstall windows or move your DVD drive to a different computer.”


my question is, how are they able to implement this ? Is it done at the hardware layer ?

[Nerderello]

I can only imagine that there is a counter (in CMOS) in the DVD controller (the electronics that come with the DVD drive). But that's just conjecture on my part.

Nerderello

[geese]

I've been doing some research and found that it has to do with the firmware of the dvd drive.

I would like to know how does Linux handles this, as I have never seen these type of options on my Linux box ?

I've found some info here - http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsX...ns/regions.php

[Cabhan]

The reason that we don't see them is because libdvdcss (the library that we use to crack the CSS encryption) skips over regional encodings (source: Wikipedia). Therefore, we don't have to worry about such things.

[chopin1810]

The reason that we don't see them is because libdvdcss (the library that we use to crack the CSS encryption) skips over regional encodings (source: Wikipedia). Therefore, we don't have to worry about such things.

lol what winblows losers

[chopin1810]

my question is, how are they able to implement this ? Is it done at the hardware layer ?

No I think they just beam your dvd region changes up to the giant MS mothership in the sky...

[geese]

No I think they just beam your dvd region changes up to the giant MS mothership in the sky...

Its a conspiracy , I tell you Mr. Mulder :smoke:

[chopin1810]

Its a conspiracy , I tell you Mr. Mulder :smoke:

SHHHH!!! THEY'RE LISTENING TO US!!!

[Weedman]

No I think they just beam your dvd region changes up to the giant MS mothership in the sky...

thats no mothership.. its the giant M$ DEATHSTAR!

[benjamin20]

from what i understand it used to be a hardware level thing. and you could only change it five times. but now there are firmware drivers availible that alow you to change it as many times as nessicary. linux does have a tool you can use to change it.