Changing the DVD and Blu-ray region codes

Commercial DVD movies are protected by the Content Scrambling System (CSS). Blu-Ray movies are protected by the AACS. Both these protections divide the world into regions for playback of different discs. Content designated for one region cannot be read by playback systems in another region.

The CSS specification divides the world into seven unique regions. These regions are numbered '1' to '7'. The region code for CSS is stored in the drive. CSS allows an initial setting and four setting changes. On the initial setting, no disc is required to change the code. On a region change, a single region disc from the proper region must be in the drive. After the last change is used, the drive becomes locked into the last setting forever.

Since the drive manages the regionalization of DVD CSS, both the drive and the disc can be checked for the region. WinDVD will alert you if a wrong region disc is inserted, and offer you the choice of changing the region. You can decide at that time to change the region or cancel playback.

The Blu-ray specification divides the world into three unique regions. Blu-ray regions are lettered 'A' to 'C'. The region code for Blu-ray is stored in your computer’s registry. Blu-ray allows an initial setting and four setting changes. Blu-ray does not allow a player to check the region before playing. So the disc in the drive during Blu-ray region change does not matter. After the last change is used, Windows becomes locked into the last setting forever. As the setting is stored in the software, re-installing Windows will reset the Blu-ray player to 'no region'.

Blu-ray regionalization does not allow WinDVD to view the region before playback. The first time that you insert a Blu-ray disc into the drive, WinDVD will prompt you to select a region. If you later insert a region mismatched disc, the disc will play to its own region error message. Most Blu-ray discs will display a message and require that the disc be ejected on a region mismatch.

You can change the DVD or Blu-ray region code at any time by completing these steps:

1.Turn on your computer and start your operating system.

2.Click Start > Programs > Intervideo WinDVD > WinDVD 8.

3.Click the Properties icon to open the Properties window.

4.Click the General Properties tab.

5.Select DVD region or BD Region in the drop-down box.

6.If you are changing the DVD region, insert a single region DVD of the new region.

7.Select the correct region code for your country.

8.Click OK.

Using DVD Movie Factory

You can use DVD Movie factory to write data, audio, and movies to BD-RE, BD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD+R, CD-R, and CD-RW media. BD-RE, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and CD-RW media can be written to many times, while DVD-R, DVD+R, and CD-R media can only be formatted and written to once.

DVD Movie Factory comes with a number of programs to perform different tasks:

vBurn-Now: You can use this program to create data, audio, mp3, or bootable discs.

vDVD Disc Recorder: You can use this program to create DVD Videos or Video CDs from your own video files or camera.

vBlu-ray Disc Recorder: You can use this program to create Blu-ray movies from your own video files or camera.

vDVD Movie Factory Launcher: This interface allows quick access to several additional features:

–Copying discs

–Saving and burning disc images

–Erasing discs

Chapter 2. Using the Blu-ray drive 2-7