[LINK] Region Locked DVD Drives Illegal?

[Ivan Trundle]

Most likely it was because the software was using the default NTSC  
output instead of PAL. iMovie, iDVD, Final Cut Express, and Final Cut  
Pro all permit changes to the output to suit non-American output, but  
people often overlook it. Both compression settings and frame rate  
should be altered from the NTSC equivalents - unless, of course, the  
output is intended for North America or Japan.

I'd be surprised if it was region-locking. Newer Macs (since  
late-2005) no longer have drives with region-locking, either.

iT


On 23/08/2006, at 9:59 AM, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:

> Doing some family history stuff... I have been investigating and  
> testing various mediums including Open Source Video <http:// 
> www.ramin.com.au/linux/acs-os-sig.html>
>
> I was asked to help evaluate a MAC laptop and used some footage to  
> test the Mac's DVD making capabilities.... there were various  
> issues with the production software... but the biggest problem was  
> when I sent the DVD to the UK, they apparently "could not read it  
> on various laptops."
>
> I haven't investigated the details of the problem, but could the  
> problem be attributed to the region locking?
>
> M
> Kim Holburn wrote:
>> You find rpc-1 firmware for your laptop drive and reflash it so  
>> it's  region free.  It's not hard to do, although you usually have  
>> to wait  a bit until the firmware is available.
>> Alternatively, you get an external DVD drive that is region free  
>> or  for which the region-free firmware is available.
>> Or, if you run windows there are programs that can let your spc-2   
>> drive read and write region free.
>> Or you sue the manufacturer for advertising a product that doesn't  
>> work?
>> On 2006 Aug 22, at 9:33 PM, Adam Todd wrote:
>>> At 06:35 PM 22/08/2006, George Bray wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks everyone.
>>>>
>>>> The ACCC came back to me and confirmed those views.  It's only  
>>>> a  legal
>>>> issue if the unit is marketed in AUS for a specific purpose and  
>>>> does
>>>> not perform as advertised.
>>>>
>>>> I guess I'll be spending a few CPU cycles to rip my foreign  
>>>> DVDs. Or
>>>> is that illegal here now thanks to the FTA?
>>>
>>>
>>> Wouldn't the mere act of ripping the DVD be illegal in Australia   
>>> anyway?  Isn't that the reason the 'Copyright' holders are suing   
>>> everyone?
>>>
>>>> It used to be you could re-burn the ROM in the drive to accept any
>>>> region, but alas that doesn't look possible now.
>>>
>>>
>>> yes I had to set my laptop to a region the other day.  You know   
>>> what the problem with this stupidity is?
>>>
>>> Well I was in Aus pre May, France in May, Australia in June, so   
>>> that's Three changes.  Then I'll be in the USA later this year  
>>> for  a bit, that's another change, then I'll be in the UK, so  
>>> I'll have  to change it again.
>>>
>>> Then I can toss the DVD+RW drive in my laptop and buy a new one  
>>> and  do it all over again.   Sad isn't it.  Portable technology  
>>> that  isn't portable.
>>>
>>> Maybe I'll not buy or play any DVD's whilst I'm out and about,  
>>> just  seek out the Independent movie makers and enjoy those instead!
>>>
>>>> As usual, the media industry's efforts to protect themselves force
>>>> their customers to investigate new ways to acquire the content. My
>>>> contempt for them is inversely proportional to their trust in me.
>>>
>>>
>>> As usual the industry prevents customers having the benefit of   
>>> hardware that plays materials in all places they might travel to.
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
>>> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
>> -- 
>> Kim Holburn
>> IT Network & Security Consultant
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>>                           -- Lloyd Biggle, Jr. Analog, Apr 1961
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>
>
> -- 
> Marghanita da Cruz
> Ramin Communications
> http://www.ramin.com.au
> Phone: 0414-869202
> Email: marghanita at ramin.com.au
>
>
>
>
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--
Ivan Trundle
http://itrundle.com ivan at itrundle.com
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