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General discussion

Okay. I have heard it said (read it said?) that computers

Dec 8, 2009 8:28PM PST

can play DVDs in other formats than NTSC. I also understand this is possible without any additional software. I have a fairly large number of PAL discs from Britain and our residence there and an obscure label Chinese DVD player which plays both types of disc.

How do I go about switching my laptop (Win 7 with BluRay player) over to Region 2 (PAL) and back to Region 1 (NTSC North America). Or have I mis-remembered or misunderstood the information.

Computer HP Pavilion dv7, BluRay player, DVD Multi Recorder. BTW, I assume Multi Recorder means DVD+/-, RW, CD, MP3. Anything else?

Rob

Discussion is locked

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Ask the maker but with only 5 changes allowed.
Dec 8, 2009 10:51PM PST

Don't waste them. In fact, while the DVD player SOFTWARE like VLC PLAYER does not care if it's PAL or NTSC the drive is what enforces the regions so the fix is to have one drive at one region and some external USB DVD drive for another region.

Do not complain about this here. All this has been discussed before so if you rant, I can't hear you.

DEPENDING on the country, REGION FREE may be available in the country. Here in the US these are not legally available and some wonder why.
Bob

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Thanks Bob. I did discover the 5 changes limit just this
Dec 9, 2009 7:53PM PST

evening and my heart dropped as this indicates to me that there really is no escape from this one. I have no idea what the situation is in Britain now, but when we left 8 years ago basically all DVD players had begun playing both Region 2 and Region 1 discs. This may be because so many British tourists buy US DVD's that MPAA or whoever regulates that sort of thing in the States doesn't want to lose the sales, and has given the Brits a pass.

Just for information's sake, and again regarding stand alone DVD machines, you used to be able to get region free models there, as well as numerous electronics shops willing to swap out the chip for the region free variety for about L 30.00. These were widely advertised, all major manufacturers, all major stores.

As you point out none of that's relevant here, and I'll just mope in silence.

Rob

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I offered the legal escape route.
Dec 9, 2009 10:18PM PST

While you can do your own research on region free DVDRW drives I can't offer more than that on that (see forum policies.)

The full legal way is to have two players. One for one and number two for region two. Again, please don't rant about this (you haven't but others do.)

The NTSC or PAL playback on the PC has never been any trouble here.
Hope that helps.
bob

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Thanks so much for your seemingly endless reservoirs
Dec 10, 2009 7:23AM PST

of information. I really appreciate your help over the years.

Rob