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How do I set my DVD region on a MacBook Pro?

I just got a new Apple MacBook Pro and am totally excited about it. As a member of AMPAS, however, I watch lots of "screener" DVDs and commercial DVDs and before I launch the first one, how do I set the regional encoding properly on the Mac?

Dave's Answer:

Sweet! Nice to hear from someone who's part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group that sponsors the Oscars! If you have some spare screeners, send 'em along to our offices, eh? :-)

In terms of your concern about the region coding on your MacBook Pro DVD player, you're right to be aware of it: while you can change it from one region to another, you can only do so a half-dozen times, and then you're stuck with whatever region you last selected.

On the other hand, Apple makes it really easy within Mac OS X to set things correctly. In fact, the very first time you insert a DVD you should see this:

Select the right region (I'm guessing North America, region #1) and click on "Set Drive Region", and ...

Done!

Now I have to say one thing puzzles me: aren't screeners region-free? I know that they have various steganographic and other methods of tracking per-disc to prevent illegal uploads, but are they also region encoded? If not, that half of your query isn't a big deal anyway.

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Categorized: Mac OS X Help (Article 8724)
Tagged: dvd player, dvd region, mac os x
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Comments

I wish that the whole concept of regionalization could be dispensed with completely and forever. After the fifth switch, our only alternative is to have one dedicated Mac set up for each region whose DVDs we may ever conceivably want to watch.

Its counterpart in the iTMS is that here in Japan we can't access US content.

Posted by: Jim Swan at February 7, 2009 8:07 PM

Jim, I agree--DVD regions are just a dumb, dumb, dumb idea that barely slows down pirates, but causes no end of aggravation for regular folk, especially those of us who live overseas (I too am in Japan).

However, instead of buying a whole extra Mac, what about buying a lightweight USB DVD player? No matter what, it's got to be a lot cheaper than buying a second Macbook just to watch movies.

Posted by: Dave Farnell at September 23, 2009 5:13 AM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!