Code free DVD Playback on iMac G5?

[Denmaru]

Since I´m studying japanese, I´d like to watch some Anime on my Rev.b 20" iMac G5 - the problem is, there seems no firmware or flasher for the drive in my G5.

I searched these forums, and all I found was this -->http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...t=Codefree+DVD Link, but that as 3 years ago, and the website listed on this thread lacks any information now.

Is there a utility for flashing the ROM of the Drive?
Or at least, is there an Utility for resetting the counter about how often I switched the Region Code within DVDPlayer.app?

Thanks in advance...

[Gene Clean]

Use VLC. www.videolan.org/vlc

[Denmaru]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I already tried with VLC - no luck, VLC seems unable to read out the voloume, and displays I/O Errors when selecting the VOBs manually.

My Theorie: The Drive locks any processing of the files (I can´t even copy them ) because of the region code. Anyone care to verify this?

[Ebby]

From what I've heard you can use MacTheRipper to copy the DVD then use your player to watch the files.

[Denmaru]

Well, the prblem is: even when ripping with Mac the ripper, he ripped files are unsuable, and the programs says hat there would be "bad sectors" on the DVD.
Other programs (Handbake, Finder etc.) get I/O Errors when copying, or trying to move these files.

I´m positive that this is some kind of anti piracy measure, since my iBook (12" 800Mhz) reads the files out fine, and when connecting via Airport, I can rip/view/copyy these files normally...

Anyone here to verify this?

[Ebby]

"I´m positive that this is some kind of anti piracy measure"

Exactly. Region encoding was created to control DVD sales and more importantly pricing. (DVD's are sold for more/less in different places to make the most money possible.)

I never ran into this problem because I have a old Pismo with a hacked DVD drive that can read all disks. I've heard there are ways to ignore region encoding, but since it is a communication between the disk and the drive, I don't see how a software-only solution can do it.

However, I've brought this up before in a different thread and everyone called me wrong. But I am still waiting for proof... 8)

[Denmaru]

Originally posted by Ebby

However, I've brought this up before in a different thread and everyone called me wrong. But I am still waiting for proof... 8)

Well, consider this your proof - as I said, the iBook Drive (a MATSHITA CD-RW CW-8123 with Firmware ("Version") CA0T) is capable of reading out the data, while the one in my iMac G5 (a MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-845 with Firmware ("Version") DBN9) doesn´t even let me work with the files.

Man, this sucks.