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Simon · 04:32 AM

I recently stumbled upon this thread.

It appears region-free DVD firmware is now available for the SuperDrives in the C2D MBPs. These are Matshita drives and from what I heard they were until recently considered hardly hackable at all.

In System Profiler > Hardware > Disc Burning check if you have Matshita UJ-857 and what firmware revision you have.

There are different firmware patchers available here according to different firmware revs (HBEA, KBVB, KCVB):
UJ-857-HBEA.zip
UJ-857D-KBVB.zip
UJ-857D-KCVB.zip
UJ-857-HAEA.zip

As always: Be careful, read the thread, and consult the README first. If you screw it up, your drive could be toast.

Simon · Aug 30, 2007, 04:21 AM

In case you're wondering, these are the firmware revisions and the Macs they're on (according to the thread I linked to above):

HAEA MacBook Pro Core Duo (15")
HBEA MacBook Core Duo (13")
KBVB MacBook Core 2 Duo (13")
KCVB MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (15")

fire3500 · Aug 30, 2007, 06:24 AM

The firmware revision of my C2D MacBook is BE39, so not showing KBVB and as much as I'd love to try it, I daren't.

megasad · Aug 30, 2007, 06:53 AM

Hoo-hah! No longer will I have to rely on my 600MHz G3 iBook to watch/rip DVDs other than region 2; my MacBook's HBEA drive is now region free, as it was always meant to be.

Also, for those others what do this, you will need an Intel version of Region X, which someone has been kind enough to provide via RapidShare.

Thanks to Simon for posting about this, else I might not have found out.

Simon · Aug 30, 2007, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by fire3500

The firmware revision of my C2D MacBook is BE39, so not showing KBVB and as much as I'd love to try it, I daren't.

There's still a solution: BE39 firmware.

This page is in French, but you can find firmware for lots of other iB/PB/MB(P) drives there.

Simon · Aug 30, 2007, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by megasad

Also, for those others what do this, you will need an Intel version of Region X, which someone has been kind enough to provide via RapidShare.

From what I understand development of Region X has been stopped.

Fortunately there's also DVD Info X which does the same. It's UI isn't nice, but it does what it's supposed to.

Thanks to Simon for posting about this, else I might not have found out.

I'm glad you like it. When I stumbled onto it I figured others here would also be interested in getting RPC-1 drives.

megasad · Aug 30, 2007, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

From what I understand development of Region X has been stopped.

Fortunately there's also DVD Info X which does the same. It's UI isn't nice, but it does what it's supposed to.

Mm-hmm, they are both abandoned as a matter of fact, both being made by xvi long ago. I didn't know DVD Info X could be used to change DVD Player's region as well but as I have Region X working now I figure I'll stick with that.

amazing · Aug 30, 2007, 10:34 AM

mega thanks on posting this, Simon!

ajprice · Aug 30, 2007, 12:01 PM

So which would it be for a MacBook C2D 2.16 with a UJ-857E Revision ZB0E ?

megasad · Aug 30, 2007, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by ajprice

So which would it be for a MacBook C2D 2.16 with a UJ-857E Revision ZB0E ?

From the fifth page of the linked forum thread:

"...any chances that any of the patched UJ-857 firmwares will work with the UJ-857e ?

No, it would be too much of a risk. If the drive has another reference, it hints that the changes between the models go beyond the simple firmware revision and that there are physical differences."

Sorry.

rafalski · Aug 30, 2007, 04:50 PM

I took the plunge today, no regrets!

albarosa · Aug 30, 2007, 11:25 PM

Thank you! Here is what I get when I check with DVD Info X:

Vendor: MATSHITA
Model: DVD-R UJ-857D
Firmware: KCVB
RPC-1 (region free)

I have been been searching for a solution ever since I bought my MacBook Pro. As I often travel, my region-locked drive was really starting to irritate me. The firmware was very simple to install, and I am now watching a Region 2 DVD without a problem.

moonmonkey · Aug 31, 2007, 03:34 AM

Great, works perfectly!

If only I could flash the Combo Drive in my Mac mini, I would pay cash for anyone that can help.

MATSHITA CD-RW CW-8124:

Firmware Revision: DACD
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported)
Cache: 2048 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
Burn Underrun Protection CD: Yes
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw
Media: No

Simon · Aug 31, 2007, 04:11 AM

Originally Posted by moonmonkey

If only I could flash the Combo Drive in my Mac mini, I would pay cash for anyone that can help.
MATSHITA CD-RW CW-8124:
Firmware Revision: DACD

The French page I linked to above says there's no patch for that drive. But according to them you should be able to use VLC to watch DVDs with other region codes on that drive.

JoshuaZ · Sep 1, 2007, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by megasad

From the fifth page of the linked forum thread:

Sorry.

Sadness. Oh well, Japanese movies suck anyways.

Maos · Sep 1, 2007, 10:23 PM

will this work for my macbook pro coreduo?

this is what it says under system profiler:
ATA Bus:

MATSHITADVD-R UJ-857:

Capacity: 7.85 GB
Model: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-857
Revision: HAEA
Serial Number:
Removable Media: Yes
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk1
Protocol: ATAPI
Unit Number: 0
Socket Type: Internal
Low Power Polling: Yes
OS9 Drivers: No
S.M.A.R.T. status: Not Supported

Simon · Sep 2, 2007, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by Maos

will this work for my macbook pro coreduo?

Well, of course! The UJ-857 drive with HAEA firmware revision is mentioned in my very first post at the top of this thread.

Maos · Sep 2, 2007, 03:36 AM

haha yea i noticed that too after i clicked the link and read the other forum.

now my dvd drive is region free

nmac · Sep 2, 2007, 04:58 AM

I must say that I was excited to find that I may be able to 'region' free my DVD drive on my MacBook Core Duo (13"). I have read all of the above posts but I am unsure if I can flash my drive. When I go to System Profiler, my firmware revision says HBE4 and not HBEA. Why is that? And, does that mean that I can't flash my DVD drive?

megasad · Sep 2, 2007, 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by nmac

I must say that I was excited to find that I may be able to 'region' free my DVD drive on my MacBook Core Duo (13"). I have read all of the above posts but I am unsure if I can flash my drive. When I go to System Profiler, my firmware revision says HBE4 and not HBEA. Why is that? And, does that mean that I can't flash my DVD drive?

Run Software Update first and update your firmware using the official Apple updater. That should update it to HBEA and then you can apply the region free one.