MediaDirect Region Check

Hello,

I've just bought a dell M1210 and I've having trouble getting MediaDirect 3 (the stand alone version, the one booted by pressing the MediaDirect button) to play different region DVDs.

The first time I inserted a region 1 DVD (I'm in Region 2), I got a prompt that told me I could temporarily change my region, but I understand that this can only be done a few times before the change becomes permanent.

I've flashed the RPC1 firmware to the drive, which removes all the hardware region checks, but the region check is now being handled by the MediaDirect application, so I am in exactly the same position.

Does anyone have any other solutions, apart from booting into the full O/S everytime I want to watch a film?

 

You have a simple solution. Just stop using Mediadirect!

 

Definately the simplest solution!

Because MediaDirect is lightweight I get a little extra battery life than I would get when running the full O/S to watch DVDs, so I would much rather use it.

 

I am sure you will come up with a solution soon!

 

I've found a solution to this problem . The details are below, should anyone else want to achieve the same...

It seems MediaDirect runs on a lightweight version of XP and it is possible to install software that runs in the background. By installing AnyDVD software, it means that all region DVDs can be played. You do not need to modify the firmware of your DVD drive.

Step 1.

Boot into your full O/S. Download the AnyDVD install package from the SlySoft website and save it to the root of your C: drive. If you have a registration key for the software then you should also place it in the same place. Shutdown your main O/S.

Step 2.

Press the MediaDirect button to boot into the media centre.

Step 3.

Press CTRL-ALT-DELETE and the familiar Windows XP task manager will open. Open the FILE menu and click the NEW TASK menuitem. Enter explorer.exe and press enter.

Step 4.

Use the tree on the left of the Windows explorer window to open the MY COMPUTER node, and open the drive that is your main O/S partition (one is called MEDIADIRECT, you want the other one).

Step 5.

Run the AnyDVD install file from the root of your main O/S drive, and install the software. The installer will want to reboot so let it. When the Dell BIOS screen shows, press the MediaDirect button again to turn the machine off to prevent the main O/S booting. Press the MediaDirect button again to boot back into MediaDirect.

Step 6.

Press CTRL-ALT-DELETE to open the XP Task manager. If AnyDVD.exe is in the list of running tasks then end the task by selecting it, pressing the right mouse button, and selecting END PROCESS.

Step 7.

While still in the XP task manager, open the FILE menu and click the NEW TASK menuitem. Enter explorer.exe and press enter. Browse to the C:\Program Files\Slysoft\AnyDVD folder on your MediaDirect partition.

Step 8.

If you have registered AnyDVD then open the RegAnyDvd.exe file and select your registration key on your main O/S partition.

Open the AnyDVD.exe file. The AnyDVD interface will open. Turn off automatic updates and set the option that instructs AnyDVD to load at each bootup.

Step 9.

Close the AnyDVD interface and return to the MediaDirect application.

Step 10.

Insert a region protected DVD and it should play!

 

Just wanted to add something else I found out.

MediaDirect doesn't play DivX/Xvid videos by default, but if you use the above process and install the XVid codec (from http://www.xvidmovies.com/codec) you can then watch your movie rips.