Query Regarding "DVD all region: Yes"

[icourt]

I’ve been wondering about the exact functionality behind MakeMKV’s “DVD all region” assertion. Is this just for within MakeMKV? Or is it patched in MK firmware?

I have a BH16NS55 drive for which the Windows drive properties show as being set to Region 2 (4 changes remaining). I’ve been testing capability and speed using a few MK firmwares, just out of curiosity more than anything.

I use AnyDVD in combination with MakeMKV when ripping DVDs of various regions. AnyDVD confirms the Windows drive properties that the drive hardware is set to Region 2.

This evening, I noticed after flashing BH16NS55 1.04-MK, Windows was reporting the drive as being Region 1, still with 4 changes remaining. This seemed odd, but on opening AnyDVD, it stated “Drive (Hardware) Region: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8”. Truly all region, it would seem.

However, upon reflashing the drive (NS60 firmware), it went back to showing as being Region 2 only. Back to the BH16NS55 firmware, still Region 2 only.

Has anyone seen anything like this before? Does/should the MK firmware have region patches that present the drive as all region to the operating system? Or is the all region functionality ‘only’ within MakeMKV by way of LibreDrive commands? If it’s the latter, then this seems be have been a strange anomaly that I cannot reproduce!

(As an aside, is it possible to reset the region change counter on these drives? )

[mike admin]

This evening, I noticed after flashing BH16NS55 1.04-MK, Windows was reporting the drive as being Region 1, still with 4 changes remaining. This seemed odd, but on opening AnyDVD, it stated “Drive (Hardware) Region: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8”. Truly all region, it would seem.

The fundamental philosophy of LibreDrive microcode is that it never makes any changes to drive firmware, settings included.

When you open a DVD with MakeMKV, the LibreDrive microcode changes the value of drive region in (volatile) drive memory. The moment you've "blessed" the disc (saw "Using LibreDrive ..." banner), drive became "truly all region" with 4 changes remaining. Once you turn off the drive, this setting is gone. And drive firmware would not let you write this setting into flash memory.

[icourt]

Right, kind of as I expected. Just learning a bit about how things work here.

So, when processing a disc, if I check the drive region in the Windows drive properties, or indeed in AnyDVD, at the ‘right time’, then I should expect to see what I saw.

That’s pretty cool. Thanks for the details.