[SOLVED] Windows 7 Media Player won't let me switch between regions 1 & 2 anymore

[beingbobbyorr]

So I inadvertently bought a few region 2 DVDs (I'm in the USA = region 1) . . . .

https://imgur.com/F96dcTa

View: https://i.imgur.com/F96dcTa.jpg


. . . . and now my Windows 7 Windows Media Player is telling me I've run out of opportunities to switch regions:

https://imgur.com/ctiqqEF

View: https://i.imgur.com/ctiqqEF.jpg



1) Are there any 3rd-party media player software (freeware or paid) that can switch between playing region 1 or 2 DVDs whenever I want? Or will they also be constrained by my Windows 7 Windows Media Player's prohibition against my switching regions?

2) Will upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 allow me to switch regions at will? If so, is that a permanent or temporary solution? i.e., Will Windows 10 also confront me with a built-in quantity of switches (N = ___)?

3) Any other ideas for solutions?

Thanks.

 

[COLGeek]

Upgrading to Win 10 will not resolve the issue. The change is on the optical drive itself. The firmware can only be changed so many times (anti-piracy feature) before becoming permanent.

You can replace the optical drive to resolve this situation.

 

[GrandSACHI]

Every DVD players allow for a maximum of 5 region changes before getting locked to the last one used. There is a way though to continu to listen your DVDs from other regions, VLC player can bypass the region codes for (most) of the DVD players and therefor allow to play region-locked DVD without having to change region.

 

[foggystone]

You don't have to go through all that troubles. What you need is a media player that allows you to play encrypted DVD and DVD of any region without third party help. I personally recommend a free DVD player called 5KPlayer. It's a quite good alternative to Windows Media Player. If you want to see some other alternatives, here's a good roundup of top 3 free DVD Players. Hope it helps.