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You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Hardware Hacking > Finally region free firmware!

Finally region free firmware!
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Pringlis
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Jul 27, 2000, 01:13 PM
 
Today a guy called XVI released the following items
For Macintosh :
- RPC-1 firmware for Matshita SR-8585 1X29 (the one on the latest G4)
- RPC-1 firmware for Matshita SR-8184 AX31 (the one on the IMAC DV)
- RPC-1 firmware for Matshita SR-8174 X113 (the one on the latest Powerbook)
- A new version of the DVDToolkit.

Good news eh? I'm about to d/l and install so i'll tell you if it works.

Pring


Nearly forgot.. URL is http://perso.club-internet.fr/farzeno/firmware/

[This message has been edited by Pringlis (edited 07-27-2000).]
     
Xavier
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Jul 28, 2000, 06:17 AM
 
It works on my iMac DV. This is awesome. That guy XVI deserves accolades aplenty.
     
agrothey
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Jul 28, 2000, 08:50 PM
 
Yes, it works perfectly!!!!
     
AusRob
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Jul 30, 2000, 06:33 AM
 
I too took the plunge (or risk) but too my great joy everything went fine and it seems that I too now have a RPC-1 (region free) drive. Three cheers for XVI.
     
agrothey
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Jul 30, 2000, 10:16 AM
 
What is the best way to spread the word about this very, very helpful DVD crack in the Mac community? I don't think that the major sites can report on it due to legal issues...
Anyone to prove me wrong?
     
Peter Pan
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Jul 30, 2000, 02:49 PM
 
Well,... I installed the new firmware and now everytime I insert a DVD and it is being mounted in the Finder, my system freezes. :-(
Though, CDs still run well.
Anyone can help??
     
agrothey
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Jul 30, 2000, 05:06 PM
 
Peter Pan, in order to help you, more information would be helpful:
MacOS 9.0.4?, DVD player 2.2?, previous region code? etc.
     
P
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Jul 31, 2000, 04:57 PM
 
Those of you who have it working, are you using just the firmware hack or the "Codefree DVD Player" as well?
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
AusRob
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Aug 1, 2000, 04:50 AM
 
P....I have used just the firmware hack. I still get the message that I only have "X" number of changes left when I stick in a different region DVD but the number of changes stays the same if I use region setter utility the XVI has written as a companion. Anyway, the system profiler says I'm RPC-1 so I have just been ignoring the message. Maybe I should use the code free version to get rid of that message once and for all.
     
agrothey
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Aug 1, 2000, 07:27 AM
 
the procedure AusRob described is exactly what I am using. It works flawlessly. No need for a code free DVD player software.

Cheers!
     
AdamS_UK
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Aug 3, 2000, 08:31 AM
 
I just updated my DVSe fimrware with this update.

After the first restart it gave me a heart attack, since it wouldn't recognise anything in the DVD/CD drive at all. A restart later and I was playing a region 1 in a previously region 2 drive. A quick check with an Info util, and indeed the drive is now rpc 1 or region free.

I'll still treat it carefully, but it looks good.
     
Pringlis  (op)
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Aug 3, 2000, 08:38 AM
 
Adam.. I had the same problem as did several other people. I wouldn't worry about it.
BTW out of about 40+ people that have reported that they have installed this update I have only seen one who says it hasn't worked. Anyone with any doubts just go for it!

Pring

[This message has been edited by Pringlis (edited 08-03-2000).]
     
ligux
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Aug 3, 2000, 02:59 PM
 
I am completely new in the business, so I just simply downloaded a hacked software to avoid te region code ( maybe it wasn �t the one you all are talking about) and the result was that I broke my DVD (ImacDV) drive it could not even read cd�s the drive simply spit them out. At the moment I have no drive and it is at the technical service.
I will try again with this one you all talk about, so once downloaded what should I do with it.
Thanks Macmates
-Mac G4 867, 240Gb HD, +1gb Ram . OS9.2.2 and OS X 10,2,8
-iPod 10 Gb
-PB 12'' 1Ghz 768 RAM + AirPort Extreme OS X 10.2.8
     
asfafa
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Aug 3, 2000, 05:19 PM
 
Hi

I tried the firmware patch on my iMac DV SE (bought in Feb 2000), the Matshita SR-8184 version, but it said that it couldn't update my DVD drive.

Is there a reason for this?

paul
     
Pringlis  (op)
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Aug 4, 2000, 06:39 AM
 
Well first of all you need to have your firmware updated to the highest Apple Version available before you do the region free update. I'm not sure if your DV will have shipped with it or not but you should check, AA31 is the version number. Otherwise XVI says that some iMacs are unable to be updated for some reason, it's in the docs which I don't have a copy of.

Pring
     
davi
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Aug 15, 2000, 01:12 AM
 
BE CAREFUL WHEN APPLYING XVI'S AX31 PATCH!

There is a bug which he/she hasn't yet documented in the readme included with the download.

Make sure your DVD drive has a region code set BEFORE you apply the patched firmware. Do not apply the patch to an iMac you've just unpacked from the box. Out of the box iMacs have no region set. If you apply the patch before you insert a DVD to set an initial region, you won't be able to play any DVDs at all!

It's a longshot, but I learned this the hard way. However XVI quickly replied to my concerns and sent me another patch so I could re-install Apple's original AA31 firmware without doing permanent damage. I then put in a DVD to set the region. Then I can apply the patched firmware to enable region-free playback.
     
Pringlis  (op)
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Aug 19, 2000, 03:21 PM
 
XVI updated the Firmware to coincide with the new apple firmware. http://perso.club-internet.fr/farzeno/firmware/ once again

pring
     
superman
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Aug 23, 2000, 09:43 AM
 
please excuse me for my ignorance but, what is region free good for anyways? Sorry to ask this but if you could please tell me I'd be very grateful.

NOT EVEN KRYPRONITE WILL KILL ME ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!
BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!
sorry for that outburst too. =)
     
Pringlis  (op)
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Aug 23, 2000, 05:41 PM
 
Well a lot of people like to be able to play DVDs from regions all over the world for different reasons. Myself I find Region 1 DVDs can be bought cheaper and have more extras than Region 2 ones, other people just like to watch foreign firms.


Pring
     
superman
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Aug 24, 2000, 10:30 AM
 
This is not about macs but does anyone know how to do this with the playsation. I have a couple of games from europe that I would really like to play on my american playstation. I know I can get a modchip thatv can do it but I already bought one a while ago that was less "advanced" and can't play games from all over the world. If anyone knows the procedure could they please tell me. Thank you so much.
     
bluehz
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Aug 24, 2000, 06:30 PM
 
I just checked the Apple System Profiler in my G4/400 (AGP) and is says I have a Hitachi GD-3000 in my machine. What is the proper update for this one? I could not find it listed on the page (Other than a listing that said it was very rare).
     
Silencer
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Apr 30, 2004, 03:04 AM
 
I have tried searching the site for the file, but I could't find it for download anymore . Could someone please send me or link the file if its not too big?

Thanks
     
yukon
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Apr 30, 2004, 06:49 PM
 
Four years late. man. This is back for the original G4s, almost certainly on OS9. You might want to look around for newer stuff.
[img]broken link[/img]
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rjenkinson
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Apr 30, 2004, 08:32 PM
 
     
Lancer409
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May 11, 2004, 06:35 AM
 
i have a Powerbook G4 1.33ghz (revision c) with combo drive. i watch alot of chinese movies, and would like to have region free dvd drive. which link one should i download?

my drive shows up as

MATSHITA CD-RW CW-8123

in system finder. i dont know beans about macs or firmware yet, as i'm a new mac user. any info would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance

-Will
     
rjenkinson
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May 11, 2004, 07:11 AM
 
Originally posted by Lancer409:
my drive shows up as

MATSHITA CD-RW CW-8123
that particular drive is not on the matshita combo drive list yet, but you should check the page every once in a while.

-r.
     
motti
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May 11, 2004, 10:06 AM
 
Originally posted by Lancer409:

in system finder. i dont know beans about macs or firmware yet, as i'm a new mac user. any info would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance

-Will
Beware! A firmware update kann kill your hardware if applied "wrongly".
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rjenkinson
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May 11, 2004, 10:16 AM
 
if you follow the instructions included with the firmware, nothing will go wrong. i've flashed a bunch of drives numerous times and never had a problem.

-r.
     
motti
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May 11, 2004, 02:46 PM
 
Originally posted by rjenkinson:
if you follow the instructions included with the firmware, nothing will go wrong. i've flashed a bunch of drives numerous times and never had a problem.

-r.
me too, but I've done this for a long time now.. It was just meant as a warning, not to scare anyone
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Lancer409
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May 13, 2004, 06:46 AM
 
hopefully if you guys know when it comes out for rev C 12inchers (combo drive) please forward a message to me =) .. i dunno how to subscribe to a thread so every time i check user center, it shows up as blanks .. =( .. so please message me if anyone remembers and or has the time. thanks again =) .. lucky i didnt go flashhappy earlier .. hehe
     
   
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