Mac user. I wish to have my "BD-RE WP50NB40" region free. Can anyone help?

[smokeywhitetown]

Thanks.

[st4evr]

Similar topic discussed here:

https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 19&t=23487

And as discussed there, you are attempting to go down a more difficult (and in most cases near impossible, less reliable, or more expensive) route in attempting to find such a drive for various reasons. Also as questioned in that thread, why go down that difficult route when there is a much simpler one?

Additional information can be found via Google. Example:

https://www.google.com/search?q=region% ... bd%20drive

[smokeywhitetown]

Similar topic discussed here:

https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 19&t=23487

And as discussed there, you are attempting to go down a more difficult (and in most cases near impossible, less reliable, or more expensive) route in attempting to find such a drive for various reasons. Also as questioned in that thread, why go down that difficult route when there is a much simpler one?

Additional information can be found via Google. Example:

https://www.google.com/search?q=region% ... efox-b-1-m

Cheaper buying a new drive how?

If I did end up buying one, however, which brand would you recommend?

[st4evr]

Cheaper buying a new drive how?

If I did end up buying one, however, which brand would you recommend?

1. Because you may have to end up spending a lot of time and/or money trying to find that “unicorn” of a drive from many places that claim to have/sell a “Region Free” PC drive. Which in reality, may not be entirely true and end up with an overpriced standard drive or multiple drives cause you’ve been lied to. Seen it happen. Because technically all PC drives are Region Free. It’s the media content that’s locked to a specific Region Code as discussed in some of the discussions in the second link I provided in my previous post.

So, from the beginning you could have just bought one piece of software—or in MakeMKV’s case—used it entirely for free to bypass or completely make null and void Region Codes in your media content altogether.

But in the end if you’re adamant about finding such a drive, go right ahead. No one can stop you.

2. For this specific purpose I can’t recommend any specific drive. Because as I’ve made it clear, there isn’t a need to have any one specific drive to bypass Region Codes when you have software that will remove it from media content altogether. Again, making it null and void on playback.

However, if you are looking for a new drive regardless, you can find recommneded drives here:

https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=19634

That will take advantage of additional new MakeMKV features (e.g Libredrive, UHD capabilities, etc) and in certain case also add some of those features when using alternative ripping software/methods.

[smokeywhitetown]

Cheaper buying a new drive how?

If I did end up buying one, however, which brand would you recommend?

1. Because you may have to end up spending a lot of time and/or money trying to find that “unicorn” of a drive from many places that claim to have/sell a “Region Free” PC drive. Which in reality, may not be entirely true and end up with an overpriced standard drive or multiple drives cause you’ve been lied to. Seen it happen. Because technically all PC drives are Region Free. It’s the media content that’s locked to a specific Region Code as discussed in some of the discussions in the second link I provided in my previous post.

So, from the beginning you could have just bought one piece of software—or in MakeMKV’s case—used it entirely for free to bypass or completely make null and void Region Codes in your media content altogether.

But in the end if you’re adamant about finding such a drive, go right ahead. No one can stop you.

2. For this specific purpose I can’t recommend any specific drive. Because as I’ve made it clear, there isn’t a need to have any one specific drive to bypass Region Codes when you have software that will remove it from media content altogether. Again, making it null and void on playback.

However, if you are looking for a new drive regardless, you can find recommneded drives here:

https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=19634

That will take advantage of additional new MakeMKV features (e.g Libredrive, UHD capabilities, etc) and in certain case also add some of those features when using alternative ripping software/methods.

Thanks for your help. Can I ask you a question: why does MakeMKV.app say "DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)" for my drive? Can't I do this? See, right now my drive is limited to the number of regions I can change it to, so if for some reason I wanted to use another app (for whatever reason), surely it'd be nice to do so with confidence I won't be locking my drive into a region at some point? I'm just trying to understand if I can patch my drive as MakeMKV says I can. I would not mind doing so.

[mike admin]

Thanks for your help. Can I ask you a question: why does MakeMKV.app say "DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)" for my drive? Can't I do this?

You have to understand the concept of RPC-II, and how region coding is enforced. In short, it is enforced by both hardware (your drive) and software.

As for the hardware, here is the recipe (assuming you've flashed a LibreDrive firmware):

1. Insert DVD into the drive, do not start any application or player. If Mac OS auto-starts DVD player, close it
2. Launch MakeMKV.
3. Open a disc in MakeMKV. Make sure you see the message "Using LibreDrive mode ..." in lower pane.
4. Close MakeMKV

Now, your drive is in multi-region code. Your drive hardware would report that it supports all DVD regions and unlimited change count. You CANNOT SAVE THIS STATE - if you change the region setting in software, it would count as regular "change".
But your drive (hardware) is in a state where it reads discs from all regions and reports to the software (DVD player) that all regions are supported. Now it is up to your player whether it would honor these drive settings.

Your drive would stay in this mode until you eject the disc.

p.s. You are persistently asking questions that were discussed earlier in detail - https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22541 . Please, out of courtesy, do use the search button. It works.

[smokeywhitetown]

As for the hardware, here is the recipe (assuming you've flashed a LibreDrive firmware)

That's just it, is it possible to flash my drive (HL-DT-ST BD-RE WP50NB40) and what does flashing the drive do exactly?

[Woodstock]

MakeMKV will tell you if your drive can be flashed, when you start it up. The Info window will include a summary of your selected drive's capabilities, and whether flashing will change them. What does it say?

[mike admin]

As for the hardware, here is the recipe (assuming you've flashed a LibreDrive firmware)

That's just it, is it possible to flash my drive (HL-DT-ST BD-RE WP50NB40) and what does flashing the drive do exactly?

Yes, your drive can be flashed. You have to read this - https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=19634
On mac you'll have to use command-line sdftool (it is located inside MakeMKV bundle). On windows there is a GUI version which is simpler to use.

[smokeywhitetown]

I’m still none the wiser as to what exactly flashing is or why it’s needed. I’m not trying to be smart, I’m only looking to know what flashing is or what it enables.

I don’t see my drive listed on the page you linked to: WP50NB40. I don’t wish to use the wrong firmware.

For convenience, or if needed here is my drive:

[smokeywhitetown]

Anyone?

[morbius]

Doesn’t the screenshot you posted tell you all you need to know? With patched firmware, all the capabilities described as possible with patched firmware, become, er, possible.

So if you update the firmware with the appropriate flashing tool (the guide is stickied), you’re all set.

[st4evr]

Anyone?

At some point you have to take the time and effort to read and learn what this is all about. As we all did. This is an online forum. We can provide the places where this information resides, but it's impossible for us to read it or learn it for you. It will take time and effort to research and understand. It does for everyone.

The guide that was linked by Mike and myself is a starting point. The pinned guides and pinned informational posts across the forum in their respective sections, as well as the forum search function will provide plenty of additional information. As well as Google. It’s your friend, so use it. It will provide thousands of conversations if you want to get more detailed specifics of what firmware is and what it does universally and within what's discussed here as well.

However, if you feel that it is still out of your league, there are people who provide services where they will hold your hand through the entire process. You can find some here:

https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewforum ... 29ca9464af

Some for a fee and others for free. Take advantage of them if you can and if you feel it would be more beneficial to you.