Page 1 of Zoran Soft DVD player in the Packard Bell Pc

Anybody know how to get around the problem of only being limited to changing the pc Zoran soft dvd player to region 1only 3 times before it finally locks into the region? The advice on the computer says that it is the harddrive that does this not the program?? Help much appreciated.

This item was edited on Sunday, 22nd October 2000, 21:14

try using dvd genie to make it region free, i did and it worked ok

thanks Olie for your reply, I downloaded Genie, but it came up as a word document which was unreadable, I can`t for the life of me, figure out how to do this. HELP!! !???!!!

This item was edited on Monday, 23rd October 2000, 23:51

David, don`t bother with Genie.
On your PC, go to C:\Program Files\Zoran\SoftDVD3 and select Zdvdrgn.exe.
You will find all the info you need to change the region there.
Read the Region Info tab first, then the Regions Explained tab, then when you are sure, you can easily change the region from the Select Region tab. You even get a nice map of the world ;-)

P.S. DON`T forget you can only change the DVD region a number of times - probably four if yours is the same as mine - before it locks.
Unfortunately the program dosen`t have Region Free, but it`s safer using it than messing about with downloads.

PPS :-
I know (now, having read your original message properly!) you have done what I advised already - try downloading DVD Genie again, from http://www.inmatrix.com/files/dvdgenie_download.html if you haven`t, then changing the region as I advised and trying Genie again. It should work then AS LONG AS the version of Soft DVD is supported. As I said it may be safer not to bother, but what the heck, it`s only money...

Cheers Marshy for your response, unfortunately I used up all my region change attempts and now a proud owner of a "locked-dvd rom drive!!" Didn`t know that when you switch the computer off and on it resets the region back to 2!! So in effect then, you can only change to region 1, twice!! Not all is lost as I have a dvd player which will play region 1`s )Phillips 710, but at that only 25 times whereas my pal`s Proline 1000 is now multi-region and his was cheaper!! Wish I knew more about hacking before now, that`s all I can say.

Sorry not much help but thanks for your response - I didn`t know that the PB reverts to region 2 on shutdown. My first region 1 DVDs are currently winging their way from the States and it dosn`t look good for changing my PB many times! I also have a Toshiba 2109 - great picture but no hack. I`ve recently got a Bush 2109 (aka Alba 103) - check out threads http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/forums/thread.asp?Forum=176&Thread=7352 and http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/forums/thread.asp?Forum=176&Thread=6322 for some enlightining info about ALLEDGEDLY region-changeable cheap Japanese players.

Guys, send me yer Email addresses.
I picked up a very nice we region changer online that also RESETS the region counter on the drive each time!

I managed to succesfully free the sony 220 in my PB Platinum 2010 when it locked, but I don`t know if it does the newer Pioneer and Hitachi`s fitted to current PB models.

However... as I sed before...I do work in Retail and have access to a Packard Bell Dealer line with a couple of foreign friends on it who sometimes give me the info that manufacturers don`t like you to find out, so if it`s possible to unlock them, I might get the "how to" from them..

Hope this helps! :)

I`ve never heard such arrant nonsense as some of the postings above about the drive becoming hardlocked after 5 times - the region resetting when you power down, or not bothering with region hacks because they`ll muck up your machines coding. I have a Packard Bell Pulsar machine, I forget the model number offhand, but it came with Zoran Soft DVD. After a few months of having it, and after surfing some of the DVD sites, I decided to take the plunge and order some region 1 titles. I used DVD Genie to reset my region coding, and have never had a problem. I was using my PC to play DVD`s from about August last year to about May this year, at which point I decided to buy a Wharfedale player, as my disc collection had grown to around 70 or 80 titles. DVD Genie should allow you to reset your region coding an unlimited number of times, opening up the number of titles available to you enormously. It should be noted, that the only title I ever had a problem with using my PC drive was the R2 release of Chain Reaction from Fox, which locked up half way through the movie. I must also say though, that once you`ve built up a decent library of titles, you should really consider investing in a player. You certainly can`t grumble at the Wharfedale, I have one of the first generation of players, but apparently with more up to date firmware, so I should hopefully be able to beat RCE (I`m going to order The Patriot soon as a test). You will notice a definite improvement in picture quality with a dedicated DVD player, and will wonder how you ever put up with DVD`s on your computer. Hope this information helps, and puts some fears, and illusions to rest.

Firstly, I`d agree with your comments on buying a home DVD player and forgetting about using you PC to watch your movies, I did the same.

However, to state that the drive becoming hardlocked after 5 changes or resetting during a restart etc. is "arrant nonsense" is in itself, arrant nonsense!

PB machines are pernickety to say the least!
I work for a Retailer SELLING PB machines, and have had numerous conversations regarding DVD with PB tech personnel, and can assure you that after 5 region changes WITHOUT a program to reset the firmware, the drive can and will lock!

I have had the problem whilst trying to remaster a platinum, because the Sony has it`s firmware chip on board, not on the motherboard, and each time the unit was remastered the Sony reset with no region coding, accepting the first DVD as its current region!

And, as I have said before, a little program I picked up online then RESET the Sony`s region counter to 5 again, leaving it able to be changed when I liked.

One thing to point out to the others with the problems..Zorn is not the greatest DVD playback software around...you may want to invest in better software or look around on line. There is plenty available!
( If you`re using an ATi video card, I found Cinemaster quite easy and responsive ) and the program I found has several different DVD player programs to select from for Region changing.

I have used it on PowerDVD, Cinemaster and SoftDVD with no apparent problems.

I will happily email it to anyone who supplies their email address, and it’s a very small file. :)

One final note to Artoo:
Just because the problem doesn’t exist for yourself, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t or won’t happen to others.