This one is a lot of fun: You borrow a DVD from a friend, or you buy one online somewhere.
You stick it in your player.
And then, disaster strikes!
You get a message like “Region not allowed”, and the movie won’t play.
WTH?!
Welcome to the glorious world of Region Codes!
Sometimes, it’s possible to bypass this restriction, but it depends on your DVD/Blu-ray player.
Region codes explained
Region codes are basically DRM (digital rights management) techniques that allow studios to control the release of films in various regions. So, for example, they can release a new movie in the USA first, and then the UK, and then elsewhere.
If you’ve ever looked for movies on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, you’ll notice that DVD and Blu-ray movies are usually released in the USA first, and then a month or two later, they’ll appear for sale in the UK.
Why the movie studios do this is anybody’s guess, but mine is that they’re trying to make as much money as possible. Shocking, I know.
Now, let me just say that I don’t support pirating movies. But, here’s the thing: If I want to buy a movie in another country, I’m still paying for it. It’s not piracy. If I want to buy a movie in another country, in another currency, and if they’ll ship it to me, then what’s the biggie? There isn’t one, except that Uncle Hollywood says, “No!”
Well, screw you, Uncle Hollywood. I’m a rebel. You’ve got enough money, I’m not shortchanging anyone, I’m not pirating anything, and goddammit, I wanna watch my movie! 🙂
The following is a color-coded Region map for DVDs:
Blu-ray discs also have region codes, but most studios don’t enforce the region code restrictions, which are way more lax than for DVDs. There are a few exceptions to this rule, so there are no guarantees. Also, hacks that exist for Blu-ray players usually don’t turn off the region code setting for Blu-ray discs – it usually just makes playing DVDs a region-free experience. Sometimes, it also unlocks the Blu-ray region code, also.
As for DVD players, some are hackable, and some are not. Some are hackable until you update the player’s firmware (via ethernet, WiFi, or an update file on a USB stick). Then, the player is no longer region-free. YMMV (your mileage may vary), so be careful.
Hacked Off
Right, so: How do you hack your player?
That depends. Some manufacturers basically don’t allow it. Toshiba is kind of famous for having non-hackable players. Sony usually requires downloading a CD image, burning it to a disc, and playing the disc in your player. Samsung players are often hackable, but then they’ll issue a firmware update that resets the region code and disables the hack – lame! My personal preference is Philips, because almost all of their players are hackable.
The hacking process for some players is quite simple:
- Go here: http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhack
- Search for your model number, i.e. “Philips DVP2880“
- Go through the list of instructions, and try it out!
The instructions will usually be something like this (this is just an example, specifically for the above player):
- Power ON the DVD player with no disc inside
- Goto SETUP and go to Preferences
- With preferences highlighted, Press NEXT CHAPTER>|, PREVIOUS CHAPTER |<, NEXT CHAPTER>|, PREVIOUS CHAPTER |<
- The OSD will show the current Region Code
- Press the Navigation Up or Navigation Down buttons to select your desired region, or 0 for region free
- Press OK to confirm your region selection
Poof! You’re done.
Note that different manufacturers have different methods for hacking the region code on their players. Not all hacks will work for you. For example, you may have the exact same model number, but the Australian version of the player instead of the EU version. Like I said, YMMV. But, usually on sites like VideoHelp.com, there will be several sets of instructions, so try them all before you give up.
How do I watch movies on my puter?
Piece of cake!
Buy Redfox’s AnyDVD. You can use it for a free 21-day trial by downloading it here:
https://www.redfox.bz/en/download.html
The price is now a bit steep, but I’ve used it for years, and it really rocks. Many movies also contain added copy protection so that the disc won’t play on a computer. AnyDVD conveniently disables all that nonsense for you, on the fly. It’s one of my favorite bits of software, and it’s updated regularly to remove the latest copy protection mechanisms, so you can just watch your dang movies in peace.
Got another favorite player hack site? Post it in the comments below!
Also, don’t miss:
HD Home Theater Setup: HDMI vs Optical, 5.1 vs 7.1, and everything else
Informative post
Can you recommend some decent inexpensive current PC DVD drives which have region free firmwares available to them?
Nope. I just usually grab a $15-$20 Samsung burner off Amazon, and then I bought Slysoft AnyDVD to take care of the region-free-ness. It’s a bit expensive now, but I bought it back in the day when the lifetime licenses were cheaper.
I bought an Alba/TV combo. Model AELKDVD1988 and I’d like to play DVDs from other regions. Please, where can I find someone to open it up for a suitable fee?
I want to play dvds from region 1. videohelp tells me how but with a different remote. I live in Greece and the sony dvp sr170 comes with a remote that is rmt d197p. can anyone help? PLEASE!
They say that the reason for region coding is to stop movie piracy.But what they seem to fail to realise is that it has the opposite effect and just encourages more people to download and buy pirated movies. Like seriously wake up and smell the coffee.
@clive
Try buying a special multi region hack remote.I bought one for my Panasonic DVD/Blu-ray player and it worked like a charm. Very easy to use.U can buy them from ebay.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sony-DVD-Blu-ray-player-multi-region-hack-remote-/110665303085?hash=item19c42a842d:m:mt3csbhA1CDsfv9mIdVsXwg
Thanks, Paul. I’ve found a friend who’ll copy them for me. But how ridiculous it is ! ! !
“Sony usually requires downloading a CD image, burning it to a disc, and playing the disc in your player.”
I cannot find any reference to this “CD image” to download. Has anybody tried this? Thanks
I once went hunting for one, and found it. But they’re hard to find and not available for all Sony players. Usually, it’s kind of a hack that somebody put together with “inside info”.
Have Panasonic blu-ray model DMP-BDT330 /DMP-BDT230.Not big on hi tech just can’t make it region free.Help
Most blu-ray players these days cannot be made region-free, even just for DVD playback. 🙁
Hello My Friend.
You know how make Panasonic dmb-bdt330 Region Free.
Thank You!!!
Hi I have a Samsung BD player. I have managed to make the DVD region free. However the blue ray still isn’t region free. I am struggling to find any codes for Blue ray. Is it possible?
Thanks.
Generally speaking, no. Blu-ray region hacks are rather difficult to find for a specific player. I’ve never found one… If anybody out there knows of a source, I’m all ears!
I have tried to unlock Samsung bd5300 without success. Please help.
Please help! I have a Sony Bdp- s580 blue ray DVD player. And I don’t have any special remotes, just the one that came with it. I can not find a code anywhere to make it region free. Please please please help, been looking for per a month. Thanks
Very few blu-ray players have region code hacks, but you MIGHT be in luck. See here.
I tried this one and it didn’t work either 🙁
There are some region free Blu Ray and DVD players available. Are they all really region free for both Blu Rays and DVDs? Example – Sony BDS – s1500 or S3500 or Some others who claim to be region free. Planning to buy a new one. They also claim tombs voltage adjustable, especially am located in US.
The ones I have been able to find are usually much more expensive, and it appears they have hacked firmwares. So, not sure what happens if/when you update to a new official firmware. I don’t really know for sure, though. I have a blu-ray player (not region-free), and a DVD player (region free). That pretty much takes care of most cases – as long as I buy blu-rays locally.
Hello, my philips 3d bluray HTB3510/12 is region 2 and my country is region 5. So many Bluray discs that i get locally do not play – showing unknown disc. please help me with decoding system to unlock and watch my blurays. Note that it only play DVDs and not blurays. thanks
I have a Panasonic DMP-BD85 Blu-Ray player. I would like to make it Region free for my region 2 DVD’s. Don;t care about the Blu-Ray part.
I could not find a hack in the link you provided. Am I looking in the wrong spot?
Can anyone help me out?
Thanks!
SEIKI – SE24HD01UK 24″ LED TV with Built-in DVD Player
i have tried all sources for a region code to unlock for multi region dvd`s can anyone help
this model of seiki isnt on any site all others are
Cool…I like what I just read. My brother just got in from Germany and brought some DVD’s that won’t play in the samsung player and had a 0 region code on the disc. We have samsung smart tv as well….Im anxious to try your suggestions. Thank you!!
If you get yourself a Lazer BD3000 blue ray player it can play all regions. Well not quite, most players are made to be able to change region 5 times, this is for manufacturers convenience. The Lazer blue ray player has no limit on how often you can change regions, so its a simple 2 button press on the remote to select and the thing is cheap.
we have sorted the problem now thanks , very kind of you to try too assist
For the SEIKI – SE24HD01UK 24″ LED TV? How did you sort it out?
he bought another dvd player from ebay that was multi regional
How do i make Samsung BD-ES7000 region free?
Please help me!
Help please, how do I unlock my SONIQ E192Z10A TV/DVD player from region 4 to region 0?
Well, I’m not sure, but this person got the unlock procedure from Soniq tech support for a different model. Worth a try!
I bought a Philips DVp 2800, but I cannot get the ‘Preferences’ on the
list, so I could not continue with your instructions.
Can you suggest any other way for me to continue?
Cavan.
@Scottie
Thanks Scottie, but there is nowhere to enter code 1389 to unlock my SONIQ E192Z10A TV/DVD player when the Set Up screen appears. Scrolling to the “VIDEO” line, all there is displayed is “P-Scan YPBPK”, which can’t be changed. Entering 0000 on the password line does nothing when pressing enter. I’ll try contacting SONIQ Tech direct. Cheers Graham in Australia.
@Graham
SONIQ Tech Services had the answer to hack a SONIQ E19Z10A TV/DVD player (not E192Z10A which was my typo).
For future forum members it is…
1. Switch on unit
2. Press SOURCE to change to DVD mode.
3. Press OPEN / EJECT on remote button once.
4. Enter 5168 on remote to bring up factory menu.
5. Scroll up to Region option and go right by pressing RIGHT arrow on remote.
6. Scroll up to region 0 and press ENTER.
7. Press OPEN / EJECT button once to exit.
Cheers Graham.
Now THAT is some good tech support! 😉
Hello.I’ve got a Samsung Bluray BDH6500 bought in UK.l want to change it to region free,it’s currently region 2.
I’ve tried all the hacks I could find,non work.
Downgrading the fimware has been talked about on a forum or changing it somehow.
Any ideas?
I used to have a Samsung Blu-ray player a few years ago, and it was region-hackable. But after that model, it seems they stopped making it easy as I couldn’t find any solution, either.
Hello
I have recently a Yamaha Blue Ray 3D BD S473, can you help me with code and procedure to play in region 1 and 4 please
I’ve got at Denon DBT-1713UD, purchased in the US, which *says* it’s region free for DVD’s as well as Blu Ray. But it isn’t. I just brought home a DVD from Australia and low and behold, have received the “Invalid Region” error. I’ve tried switching the region in the Settings, still to no avail. In the manual, it actually shows all the regions are playable…
FRUSTRATED!!! I can’t get the same version of this DVD in the US as I can in Australia. It’s “The Castle”. If you’ve ever seen it – the idiots in the US have gone and stuffed it up by removing Australian slang and dubbing it with American slang, which I’m sorry, has NO comparison and loses all of the charm of the movie!
D’OH!
Yeah, I hate it when they do that. Believe it or not, many Americans have a hard time understanding Australian accents. I dunno why. Everybody understood Crocodile Dundee… 😉
@Lisa
I meant to post this as new…not as a reply…
Bought the slysoft thing like a year ago, then found out the company went bankrupt or something. Then they reorganized and now I have to buy a new license… Just a warning, really.
Hello.
I have a Samsung BD-JM57C Blu-Ray / DVD ” Smart ” Player, and I am trying to find a Hack, or a Multi-Region or 0 Code-Code so that I can watch Other Region DVD’s and Blue-Ray Discs through it.
Can Anyone here hopefully Help me here with this ?
Thanks much.
Jim Evans in Clovis CA. USA.
Hi.
I have a Sharp BD-AMS10 Blu-Ray3D and I am trying to find a Hack, or a Multi-Region or 0 Code-Code so that I can watch Other Region Blue-Ray Discs through it.
Can Anyone here hopefully Help me here with this ?
Thanks much.
Hi,
I have just purchased a yamaha bd-a1060 bluray player. How can I set this to Zone 0 ?
Many thanks
As I mentioned in the article, this is usually not possible. I have never found a “normal” Blu-ray player that is region-hackable. It is of course possible, I’m sure, but there is no source on the net that I know of that catalogs such hacks.
Hey ,i wanted to know how to change the region on my westing point dvd player and nothing seems to work for me.
Hi, I am in the UK and have a JVC LT-32C666 Smart TV/DVD combo. Is there any way of making it region-free?
HI
Can you change a Samsung Blu-Ray Dvd player?
As found a dvd that is region 1 and want to know if possible to change dvd player to make it multi regional
Anybody have any thoughts on the Sony BDP S-1200, and where one might find the info to unlock it? I bought one for a song, and am not eager to buy another one for over 100 dollars just to have it region-free. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Thanks for the DVD Hack link… got it working
I live in the US and have purchased a region free blu-ray player (Samsung BD-H5900) from this company:
http://www.220-electronics.com/region-free-blu-ray-players.html
I have had my player since late December 2015 and play discs from regions 1, 2 and 4. No issues. I believe they update the internal bios software on these drives. I was advised by the company to not accept software updates from Samsung unless it was needed to allow the device to play discs. They offer a lifetime warranty on their modifications. I cannot attest to their warranty support as I have not had to use it.
Problems are people give instructions but cannot even use the right terminology so say “return” when there is no such thing on my remote. Plus all the blah blah blah that everyone hates. Yo do not look knowledgable you look like a tool. Just tell us what we need and make sure it makes sense.
What do I do if I Dont have the remote with me (I bought it at goodwill) please help, can’t find anywhere for non remote instructions, I have an INSIGNIA NS-D160A14
You could try using a universal remote that can be programmed for that model. Of course, the universal remote would need to have all the necessary buttons, depending on how the hack is entered (sometimes it involves weird buttons).
According to the FAQ on the Insignia products support site (question 12), you can get a replacement original remote from the PartsStore site for about $8
http://community.insigniaproducts.com/t5/DVD-and-Blu-ray-Players-FAQs/Insignia-DVD-Player-NS-D150A13-amp-NS-D160A14-FAQ-13-0570/td-p/68659/page/2
https://www.partstore.com/SearchResults.aspx?q=ns-d160a14&ctf=Parts&sa=1&sp=1&sm=1&rsp=PMN&x=33&y=10
That’s an even better idea!
Sitting here with a US-spec Philips BDP7510 and a few boxes with Swedish origin DVD movies… any ideas? I tried the BDP3000 hack suggested at videohelp.com but it does not seem to do anything.
If it’s a Blu-ray player, you’re probably out of luck even for unlocking just the DVD region code.
I would like to know if there is any way to unlock a Toshiba SD-2300 Nuon DVD player.
I bought it to play Nuon games, but am not from the US and only have region 2 DVD’s.
I read somewhere it might be possible to unlock it by burning an image to a disc, but cannot find any information about said image.
Please help.
Is it possible to unlock a Telefunken TDV 500 UB DVD player to enable one to watch DVDs from all regions?
Hmm, can’t seem to find one. You might luck out trying one of these hacks.
Thanks for your advice. Can you help me get the region codes off our Samsung BD-J5700/ZA? I tried the hack on the link you posted, but those instructions did not do it. (Nor others.) Any other options. Again, thank you.
Years ago (I’m talking around 2002) a friend showed me a trick on how to make a dvd player region free. You basically had to press two keys on the remote at the same time (I can’t remember the keys for the life of me now). I tried it on the player I had just bought at the time and it worked. Does anyone know if this works on blu ray players?
That website doesn’t have my DVD player. It’s a Sony DAV-HDX500. Any help?
Thank you very much!!! I bought months ago a LG 132 DVD player- and I did not check the regions, I assumed that it did not exist anymore, and when I wanted to see a movie from a different region … I was so frustrated because I could not, I even went to buy another one incluiding all regions but there are not … I saw your article and try it out … and voilà !! it worked with the second one 🙂
I have LG DP132 DVD player region 1 made in October 2017 (remote COV 33662707). Tried to convert to region 2 to watch DVDs from UK but none of the hacks found on several websites worked. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Hi can any one help me to convert my portable Panasonic LS70 into a multi zone player looked every where found nothing’,cheer.
Darin
Hello,
I live in Belgium and i wanna buy a region free dvd player.
But they don’t sell these players anymore.
So can you tell me a good dvd player that is easy to hack??
I’ve been searching for a player but couldn’t find any hacks for it.
Thanks
Hi,
I have purchased Sony S1700 for my Dad, and like the complete F@%k up I am, I understood the model to be region free regarding DVD. It of course is not.
Is there a work around that works for this without buying a universal remote of Amazon or is that the only way to do it?
TIA
Lady B
Not that I know of…