How to delete DVD player app? I'm Region Locked

[Padank]

So, I'm starting to think (after researching) that this DVD drive has been region Locked. I bought computer used. I know that there is a way to "uninstall" the DVD player and then use VLC. Anyone want to give me some hints on how to do this? I have tried deleting using terminal and it did not delete.

I'm on High Sierra on this 2009 imac. DVD drive will burn, play burned DVD and play Commercial CDs but kicks out commercial DVD (US)

Thanks!

 

[TonyAguila]

So, I'm starting to think (after researching) that this DVD drive has been region Locked. I bought computer used. I know that there is a way to "uninstall" the DVD player and then use VLC. Anyone want to give me some hints on how to do this? I have tried deleting using terminal and it did not delete.

I'm on High Sierra on this 2009 imac. DVD drive will burn, play burned DVD and play Commercial CDs but kicks out commercial DVD (US)

Thanks!

The bad news is that the limitation is with the firmware of the DVD player. If it is region-locked, it will always refuse to play anything other than disks for the region that it is set in. You may want to look into the properties of the player, and there might be firmware updates available to reset it.

VLC is an excellent app for playing not just disks, but also most other video formats, but I don’t think there is anything wrong with the player that you have now. If indeed you wish to remove it, you can use a utility such as AppCleaner.app to purge it from your system. Deleting the main app itself will not get rid of all the other files associated with it.

 

[TonyAguila]

I remember now… It has been years since I used a DVD drive/player. I think you can reset the region on your player a limited number of times. Was it 5, maybe? Anyway, try doing a search on the matter. It might solve your problem.

 

[Padank]

Hi, Thanks Tony. I believe it is 5 times. I have seen a thread that indicates that part of the region lock is tied to DVD Player and that
if you can delete it or some of what is in the package contents, that you can then use something like VLC after region lock to play DVDs.
I'm not attempting to be cryptic on this forum but the information was partially removed from the official apple forums.. (4 year old locked thread and I don't see any way contact the people that provided solution)

So, the idea that I have pieced together is that- your region Locked, you "uninstall" DVD player and then you can use something like VLC because you have removed some component that is crucial to the region lock. Since DVD player is totally usless at this point, I might try something like Appcleaner. Thank for the tip. However, this thread I'm reffering to seemed to indicate that it was done within the system.

 

[TonyAguila]

Hi, Thanks Tony. I believe it is 5 times. I have seen a thread that indicates that part of the region lock is tied to DVD Player and that
if you can delete it or some of what is in the package contents, that you can then use something like VLC after region lock to play DVDs.
I'm not attempting to be cryptic on this forum but the information was partially removed from the official apple forums.. (4 year old locked thread and I don't see any way contact the people that provided solution)

So, the idea that I have pieced together is that- your region Locked, you "uninstall" DVD player and then you can use something like VLC because you have removed some component that is crucial to the region lock. Since DVD player is totally usless at this point, I might try something like Appcleaner. Thank for the tip. However, this thread I'm reffering to seemed to indicate that it was done within the system.

I seriously doubt that the player, be it Apple’s or VLC, has anything to do with the firmware lock on your player. I haven’t done it lately mainly because I have mothballed my DVD collection (about 5,000 titles over several regions) ever since the advent of online streaming. I had a MacPro5,1 that had two DVD players and I have had to do the unlocking “trick” a number of times. I will do some digging, online and on my brain, to see if I can refresh my memory. Don’t go by “official” sources such as Apple. There are a lot of aficionados who know better. And for now, leave DVD Player alone. I know it’s not related to the player.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

If memory serves correctly, it is in the firmware of the Apple SuperDrive and not the DVD Player application. You would use the DVD Player application to change it up to 5 times...then it locks.

C