Macbook Pro DVD Regions

I would like to know why it seems I have to pay more money to watch a DVD i've already paid for, purely because I am limited to the amount of times I can switch the Region on the basic DVD player. Funnily I can't just switch it because I have DVDs from Region 1+2 so either way I will not be able to view some of my collection. I tried to bypass the problem via VLC player, which due to the updated Matsushita drive also refuses to act as a multiregional DVD player. So apparently the only other options I have is to use my old laptop which should really be Jurassic in comparison, To change the drive I already have on my Macbook Pro which apparently Apple give a lot of grief over in store... Or to buy an external DVD drive. And for what? To play a DVD that I paid for. The only reasons I imagine the DVD player is set this way is to either, prevent piracy... Which it won't, because pirated DVDs are usually produced with 0 Region, frankly they don't feel the need to limit viewing options, alternatively it's because film companies give Apple grief about the fact that people can buy a film from abroad before it's released in their own country, which despite paying fairly for it, they are against. I guess i'd like to hear if you have any way to bypass this problem that I haven't already tried, or a more valid reason as why I should pay more money to watch something obtained legally and free from piracy.

Try starting up the computer and hold down cmd + alt(option) + P + R, until you hear the Apple chime go off twice. Then try changing the region again.
This resets the PRAM on your computer, ie. parameter ram. Although http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1242 does not mention anything regarding optical drives directly, PRAM does store temporary data that the computer uses for quick access. Although the region code is not permanently stored in the PRAM and is written into the firmware, the change of the region code does run through the PRAM.
Since it is not a detrimental step to your computer, try this, and see if it helps.

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MacBook Pro DVD Region Settings...

Hi I have a new MacBook Pro and use the DVD drive quite frequently with different regions.
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My macbook pro dvd drive opens all disks as blank. I have no access to a near by apple store as I live in remote NSW. I purchased the macbook when I lived in Sydney and the old owner had just had a fresh copy of the OS loaded. I've read a discussion of a similar nature and the only comment was take it back, that is easier said than done. Is there a fix I can do from home?

Nifa86 wrote:
the old owner
If you didn't buy this from the store, the first thing you need to do is boot from the install DVD, erase the disk drive (perhaps even zeroing it) and install a fresh copy of the OS. You do not want to inherit any changes the previous owner may have made to the system software (or worse).
had just had a fresh copy of the OS loaded
…and the cheque is in the mail.
I am talking about putting in any CD that is known to have content and it loads the CD and says its blank with nothing on it
Who says?
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I travel a lot. The last 3 years has been 5 continents and over 20 countries. The fact we now live in a globally accessible world means this DVD region BS needs to stop. Good example, in the next 6 weeks I will travel/live in 3 different DVD regions. Why I shouldn't be allowed to use my laptop for work/travel everywhere I go is ridiculous.
Rant aside, I have found a few things online, but am wondering if there's something authoritative as to how to go about doing? Also, are there any complications vis-a-vis apple care? Or any other issues that I should be aware of?
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This is a murky subject. Basically, DVD region codes aren't meant as a DRM measure since they don't affect the copying of a work, or restrict playback by an individual, only by device (there's nothing preventing you from having a drive for every region). For members of the World Trade Oragnization (like the USA), it doesn't qualify as DRM either and, in fact, it technically not permitted by terms of the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and Technical Barriers to Trade agreements.
So, why do RCS-enforcing drives still exist? First, because DVD producers want them to and require DVD manufacturers to include it in order to license the DVD trademark and CSS technology. Technically speaking, DVD manufacturers are allowed to provide mechanisms to disable region codes in their products (which is why most set-top boxes have a way to disable them by typing certain codes using the remote control). In response to the WTO rules: the availability of region-free options, plus the ability for people to own separate players for specific regions, allows the media companies to argue that RCS doesn't constitute a barrier to trade or a market discriminator. So, as long as there exists means to circumvent RCS restrictions, the restrictions are legal to implement (so goes the argument).
Why do media companies region code their disks? By dividing the world into economic subdivisions, they can exercise price controls / discrimination. In fact, Blu-Ray discs have different market segmentation because the economics underlying the controls have changed.
Anyway, the gist is that while it's perfectly legal for you to make your player region-free (in fact, in several parts of the world, you'll find that RCS is officially considered an illegal restraint on free trade), there's no official mechanism for you to do so on your Macintosh computer. Depending on the model of drive you have i, you may be able to find replacement firmware on the Internet and update it, but doing so will void your warranty from Apple.
Most people will simply purchase a small USB external drive that's region-free or can be flashed to be made region-free. Depending on what part of the world the drive was to be marketed in will determine whether the drive is region-free by default. Generally speaking, only drives from Matsushita drives are consistently RCS-enforcing. In many countries, code-free or region-free players are the default.

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This might help ya -> DVD Player 5.x: Select the language for a DVD

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http://www.maciverse.com/install-os-x-snow-leopard-from-usb-flash-drive.html
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Macbook Pro DVD Regions

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