Error when trying to play DVDs from other regions

[nicjac]

I get the below error message whenever I try to play certain DVDs from Regions other than what my laptop is set to (Region 2):
vcd: search for kIOCDMediaClass came up empty
vcd: failed to get the TOC
vcd: no movie tracks found
access_file: file /dev/rdisk1 is empty, aborting
cdda: search for kIOCDMediaClass came up empty
cdda: failed to get the TOC
cdda: no audio tracks found
main: no suitable access module for `dvdnav:///dev/rdisk1'

I have a Macbook 1 GHz Intel Core 2 duo running OS X 10.4.11.
My VLC version is 0.8.6d Janus (Intel)
This problem happens only with some other region DVDs and not all.
Could someone please help?

[madmax_2069]

the issue is cause your optical drive (DVD drive) is locked to only one region (which is region 2). unless you used all 4 - 5 of the user selectable region settings on the drives firmware (if it supports it) if you used them all then its a locked drive to the region you last set it to

someone needs to make a sticky about region playing on this part of the forum.

[nicjac]

I have never changed my optical drive from any other Region than 2. Whenever I have been asked to change regions(which also says I have 4 more times in which I can change my Region before it locks), I cancel the request so my laptop shouldn't be locked on one Region.

[madmax_2069]

apparently you misunderstood what i was trying to tell you

your Laptops optical drive is set from factory to be at your regions code (which is region 2) and can not play DVDs from other regions which is why VLC is giving you those errors when you try, the drives manufacturer allows you 4 - 5 region changes so you can. i was just telling you if you use all of the region changes the drive will be locked to what ever the last region you set it to, and the drive will be hard locked to that region forever and even trying to flash to a region free wont help, flashing the optical drive before you use all of the region changes will allow you to have a region free (means fully unlocked) optical drive which is capable of playing every region (also will void any warranty you may have, not to mention you run the chance of killing the drive if the flash goes bad)

[nicjac]

Thanks for that (I did know that my laptop would lock after several Region changes). I thought the great thing about the VLC player was that it could play other region discs in this sort of case or did I get that wrong?
Also what is flashing?

[madmax_2069]

flashing the optical drive is where you put a new firmware on the drive. there is a site you can go to get the region free firmware and the flashing utility for OS X to do this, but like i said with flashing the optical drives firmware (DVD drive) to unlock it to region free will void any warranty you might have for your computer, and if something goes wrong with the flashing process it might kill the drive to where it might not be reversible and never work again, and if that happens you will have to buy a new drive to replace it cause trying to flash it will void the warranty and Apple will not cover it cause they do not support this. but if you use all of the user changeable region settings on the drive it will hard lock and will never be able to be changed again and never able to be flashed to a region free drive cause its hard locked to the final region change.

if you want to try and chance it everything you need is here http://lasvegas.rpc1.org/ the link to the forums is also in the link, but before you even attempt to try i would advise you to study up on it on how to use the flashing utility and what firmware you would need and what can happen if things go wrong. as stated on the site, All software on the site is provided without warranty. All risk is that of the user. i am not 100% sure if the optical drive in your computer is flash-able or not you will have to study up on it or ask questions on their forums to find out if it is supported.

basically how your drive is now (with its stock firmware) will not read DVD's from other regions cause the drives firmware prevents it. VLC only allows you to play DVDs from any region only if the firmware on the drive is unlocked to region free. VLC will also allow you to play a DVD from another region if you use one of the user changeable region in the drives firmware but you will have to waste another to set it back to the default region if you want to view DVDs set for your region.

since my DVD drive (pioneer DVR-110D) in my Mac is stock region 1 (i haven't tried to unlock it) i cant play DVDs from other regions. i don't want to take that chance on killing my drive if the flash goes wrong so i didn't attempt to unlock my drive.

[aborel]

I thought the great thing about the VLC player was that it could play other region discs in this sort of case or did I get that wrong?

It generally can. Unfortunately, ever since the G4 Aluminium Powerbook, Apple has insisted on picking drives that go above and beyond the norm for region checking. VLC is unable to break their locking.

[nicjac]

Is there anything that can play any region DVD on a Mac?

[madmax_2069]

Is there anything that can play any region DVD on a Mac?

its not the video player thats keeping you from viewing them its you optical drive. you would have to either flash your drive (if you have any user region changes left) to a region free or buy a pre flashed unlocked drive. i dont know if a USB DVD drive (when flashed to unlock) wold work with this or not.

but again i say you can not view DVD movies with any video player that is not set to the same region as the DVD drive in your laptop, and again you would have to flash your drive to region free ( if you have any user region settings left) or buy a pre flashed region free drive, and maybe (if its a desktop drive) you can use the unlocked drive in a firewire or USB external drive case to play them.

after you do that only then will VLC or any other DVD player play out of your region DVDs. i have never tried Apple DVD player with a unlocked drive to see if Apple has a software block in place or not i cant test it cause i dont have a unlocked drive.

[aborel]

i have never tried Apple DVD player with a unlocked drive to see if Apple has a software block in place or not i cant test it cause i dont have a unlocked drive.

Like all proprietary DVD player programs that I know, it has. One needs one further program (Region X, http://xvi.rpc1.org) to trick it into playing discs from another zone. Yes, even on a region-free drive.

[Guchi]

Version 0.8.6d Janus On my Imac Alu 20" works just fine, the drive is set to region 2, but it plays my region 1 disks just fine in VLC, where as Apple's dvd player just poops it out again

System profiler reports the drive as a MATSHITADVD-R UJ-85J so it apears this drive just plain works, with VLC at least anyway

No mods are applied to this system

[blue_999]

Have VLC player v. 2.2.4 (64-bit) on OSX El Capitan v 10.11.6 using Firefox 53.0.2. Recently purchased two sets of Region-free DVDs: One set refuses to download and play, second set plays first 2 discs, the 3rd disc will not download and play. Cannot figure out problem. Should I remove 2.2.4 VLC version and download again --- is there a glitch why now it refuses to play DVDs? I am not computer savvy. Please advise -.... if DVDs are defective, I must return them before 30 days of purchase....(((