why do pc's have DVD regions that expire?

Question

Ok, my laptop gave me the option of swapping between, certain dvd regions (i should have picked DVD region...uk) and it ended-up that my pc is stuck in the wrong region...
MY QUESTION IS...
If a pc can switch between regions (initially) WHY can't they continue to allow us to switch???
An argument with a friend has promted me to post this Qu' pls help!

Answer 1

I'd expect it's programmed in there on purpose. Otherwise the device would be considered a 'region free device' and could cause tension between the hardware and software / studio companies.

Regional lockout is nothing more than attempted censorship IMO (ie: a US DVD will not work in China). It's also used to keep prices higher in certain countries (such as the UK) so people cannot buy a foreign DVD for cheaper. As for piracy, it does little to stop it, as most programs can easily remove lockout and create a region free disc.

At any rate, you can get a brand new 16x DVD +/- R DL burner for well under $50. Thats for a good name brand one too.

Answer 2

The region codes were not so much for anti-piracy. Until recently, a lot of Hollywood movies were not released overseas until long after they were out on video/DVD in N. America; especially if they needed subtitles or dubbing done.

To handle this, Hollywood came up with region codes - so they could sell DVDs in N. America while the movie was still showing (or not yet showing) in theatres in Europe or elsewhere. In each country, you would only be able to buy a DVD player for your country's Region Code, and it would not play DVDs from any other region. They were worried if someone could buy a pile of DVD's of a hit movie in NYC, they would be selling them in London or Tokyo while the movie was playing, and cut into ticket sales.

A laptop might be shipped all over the world, so this is the technique for computer DVD-readers: each time you put in a DVD, it reads the code. If it's different from the last disc, it warns and asks you if you want to change regions. You have 5 (usually) chances to change the region before you can't change it any more and you're stuck on that last region. If you swap between discs of 2 different regions, you'll run out of chances pretty fast.

Check you drive model on the internet, and see if there's a utility to "unregion" it - a few have that. Alternatively, you mmight find another drive that fits in your laptop (I.e. IBM drives pop out) so you can run one for each region.

Answer 3

Programs claim that this is an anti-piracy feature but they really want you to purchase an upgraded version of their software to enable reading of multiple regions.

I have Power DVD pro and have never had this problem...but when I had the original version of Power DVD I had to choose my DVD region.

Download VLC media player and you won't have those problems...it reads all DVD regions, nothing "expires." It is a free media player that plays everything.

You can also get around this by ripping the DVD with "DVD Shrink" which is another free program. You can remove the security features as well as burn the movie onto a DVD thats remade into your region or "Region free" meaning any DVD player will be able to play it.

Answer 4

I don't think it's the PC, it's the DVD that has the region set, probably when it was ripped.

A dvd from the U.S. will not work in the UK if the region is set (and vice versa). This applies to most orginal DVD movies.

Answer 5

I think its basically if a computer may be made in a different country so you can choose the region that is suitable for your country, OR it could be to prevent DVD Piracy????

Answer 6

It is an anti-piracy feature that they use to prevent people in countries with very little copyright law enforcement from selling them to people in the US or other countries for pennies on the dollar.

Answer 7

Anti piracy.