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Region restrictions on Compaq Laptop

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Region restrictions on Compaq Laptop

Old 10-26-04, 02:29 AM
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Region restrictions on Compaq Laptop

I just got a Compaq 3320 Laptop with wide screen. The manual says that you can only change the region settings 5 times. The last change seems to lock in the settings. This seems totally crazy to me. Why would they do such a thing? Does anyone here know a way around this?
Old 10-26-04, 06:13 AM
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There's a very cool software solution to your problem: DVD Region-Free. You can get a link to the site from http://www.videohelp.com under the "tools" section.
Old 10-26-04, 04:38 PM
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That is pretty standard on all laptop DVD players. Ditto the comment on VCDhelp.com.
Old 10-27-04, 08:17 AM
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Try an uncreatively named program called DVD Region+CSS Free from this site: http://www.dvdidle.com/

It also comes in a lesser, stripped version called DVD Region+CSS lite.

It just runs in the background and makes any DVD you put in the player look like it's R0 (region free.) Very simple, not a lot to do to it. I'm in the same situation as you w/ the new laptop and have been using the trial version. I'll probably check out a couple others when this trial is over, but I think this one is definitely a keeper.
Old 10-29-04, 03:25 AM
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Thanks for all the tips. I knew I could get help here. This was a problem I didn't know about - all my other computer drives are region-free & I "assumed" the laptop would be too. Is this just a laptop thing?
Old 10-29-04, 04:17 PM
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Nope it's inherent to any machine with a DVD drive as the hardware has the region coding built-in. To be fully region-free on a computer you need to defeat both the Software and Hardware restrictions. Doing just one won't work.

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