| Running a site that deals with unlocking stand alone | | | | by default. These types of drives are known as RPC1, |
| DVD playback devices and allowing them to play discs | | | | drives made after 2000 are known as RPC2 and are |
| from different regions naturally brings many questions | | | | normally locked with the limitations which I mentioned |
| to my inbox. One particular question that seems to be | | | | earlier. |
| asked frequently is from individuals seeking to convert | | | | Most of us probably own a drive manufactured in the |
| their desktop PC or laptop DVD drive to region free | | | | year 2000 or later and the commercial market |
| status, in this article I hope to answer this question and | | | | currently offers a few select software based solutions |
| point these looking for a solution in the right direction. | | | | to get around the region issue. Personally my preferred |
| The chances are that your current drive will only | | | | option is permanently change the internal software of |
| change its region around five times, once these | | | | the DVD drive, this software is commonly known as |
| permitted changes have been used up your drive will | | | | firmware. So to put it simply we need to downgrade |
| be locked in to the region that it was changed at the | | | | your current firmware. The previously mentioned "DVD |
| final region switch. A free and simple is tool is available | | | | Drive Info" program will display your drives make and |
| which can display the status of your DVD drive, it | | | | model, you will need to made a note of this. In most |
| should work on most Windows based systems - to | | | | cases you will be looking for a compatible RPC1 |
| download "DVD Drive Info 2.2" visit: | | | | firmware for your particular model plus a compatible |
| Owners of older DVD drives made before the year | | | | tool to install it with. At this point you should be made |
| 2000 are the lucky ones, this because most DVD | | | | aware that changing your devices firmware could in |
| drives made before this year are already region free | | | | rare circumstances permanently damage your drive. |