The first time you insert a DVD title, to be played on PowerDVD, a small dialogue box will appear. It will set the region code to match that of the DVD title you wish to play. After this the program will be set. However, if you have a region free DVD-ROM drive, you have the option of playing DVD titles from different regions. PowerDVD will allow you to change the region code setting up to five times, and then it will be locked on the region you have listed on your fifth and last change. At that point you will only be allowed to watch DVD titles from that region.
To change the region code, from the original setting, just insert the DVD title in your DVD-ROM drive and run PowerDVD. When the software recognizes that the disc is from a different region than what was previously set, a dialogue box will appear (see image below).
For this example, using my DVD-ROM and PowerDVD, you can see the Current Region is Region 1. As well, after changing from one region to another, I will have four changes left. The program detected the disc I inserted was from Region 2, so it selected this option. Once I click OK the Current Region will be changed to Region 2 and the DVD title will play.
When a region 2 DVD is inserted into a DVD drive set to region 1, Windows XP Media Center displays the error message:
Media Center cannot play this DVD because the disk prohibits play back in your region of the world. You must obtain a disk that is intended for your geographic region.
The Media Center application and dialog box for changing regions for the optical drive does not launch when a DVD of a different region is inserted into the DVD drive. The user cannot change regions within Windows XP Media Center.
Change the region on the DVD drive in the Windows? XP device manager.
To change the region for the DVD drive in Windows XP, perform the following steps:
1. Click the Start button, and then click the Settings menu option.
2. Click the Control Panel menu option, and then double-click the System icon.
The System Properties window appears.
3. Click the Hardware tab, and then click the Device Manager button.
The Device Manager window appears.
NOTE: Administrator access is required to make changes to the devices in Device Manager.
Locate the optical drive device group in the device tree, and then click the + next to the DVD drive entry.
Right-click the DVD drive, and then click the Properties menu option.
The DVD drive properties window appears.
Click the DVD Region tab.
NOTICE: The DVD region can be changed only be changed two times. When the Changes Remaining field on the Region tab reaches 0, the DVD region cannot be changed again, even if the operating system is reinstalled or the DVD drive is moved to another computer.
4. Click the desired DVD region from the list provided, and then click the OK button.
The DVD drive properties window closes and the DVD region is set.
