The VideoLAN Forums

Have an IBM T-30 laptop running Win2K. Machine was purchased in the US. Those DVD's play without issues - the machine has InterVideo's WinDVD installed by IBM + a new install of VideoLAN. Eastern European DVD's fail to be recognized by that drive - and have been BSOD'd.

A desktop XP machine at the same location has a Lite-On DVD drive - same version of VideoLAN - plays both (region's DVD's) using VLC media player (with those same discs) without issues.

Am I missing something in the way of configuration?

TIA

What model of Lite-On DVD drive ? Is it delivered region free? Or has it been modified to become region free. ?
I am not an expert in this field but have got the imprsession that DVD-units can have have hard-codes region locks and /or software locks. Even if a player has been made region free, still problems may occur if thw involved softwares is region sensitive . The VLC Player region is region insensitive. DVD-Players are cheap now, you could consider to install an additional Plater for the other region.
Regions etc are listed in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_region_code

Eastern European DVD's fail to be recognized by that drive

I would try to seek firmware update for that drive.

The laptop drive is a TEAC DW-28E. In general, I am aware of the hardware constraints/lockouts for regions. This drive was allowed 10 "Views" and then the region was locked out. I have used "DVD Region+CSS Free" with limited success - some disks play normally, others not - some are not recognized. Region 1 DVD's continue to play normally.

The desktop machine does not "see" the title of a Region 1 DVD - presumably because the drive is region 2 - but when you select the drive letter and ask VLC to play it [since you know there is a disk in the drive] - no problem. The DVD is seen as single track - no separate leadin/trailers/warning. You can just push the slider to where you want to be. Pretty trick. + the desktop plays the region 2 disks with no issues, and it sees the name of the disk.

The laptop drive has never been reset, and I understand that this can be done 3 times before it permanently locks out. I presume VideoLan cannot play the DVD's now because that region is locked out by the hardware. If I were to have the drive reset - will VLC play the DVD without triggering another lockout countdown? I presume so, and I would expect the region 2 DVD's to act in an analogous fashion to the desktop drive.

I have looked for firmware updates that deal with the region issue, but none are available for this particular drive - AFAIK.

Appreciate the assistance.

Region doesn't matter to seeing of the disc content. The content can be seen always, it is just playback of those movies that might have issues.