Weren't we able at one time to reset DVD region code by reformatting?

[jng]

So the title says it all: Weren't we able at one time to reset DVD region code by reformatting?

I'm living in Germany again and so I have both Region 1 and 2 DVDs and last time with my old 12" powerbook, I could have sworn that I just reformatted the machine and the counter reset.

Now after searching, I find that it's built into the drive's firmware? When did this change happen?

 

[sndcj1]

My understanding is that it was always built into the drive firmware as part of the specification. Now you might be able to find a region free firmware hack for the drive, bypassing all your issues, but I didn't think that system software ever had anything to do with it. You got you 5 changes... and that was it.

 

[jng]

Really? I thought it was recent (within a few years). My previous powerbook was from '03.

Yeah, I blew through 5 chagnes swapping DVDs in a matter of weeks. Wish I had known that it really wasn't changeable. But I'm not going to hack my drive as from what I've read, it'll void my warranty, which goes until 2009...