XBox remote "DVD region is not valid"

[vertigo]

Hi chaps,

I have an XBox bought in Australia, and a region 4 XBox remote.
Contrary to popular belief, region 2 and 4 aren't cross-compatible, although it would be obvious as it's a different number, it's commonly held that they are, but many DVDs are only coded for region 2, not 2+4.
So, seeing as I've been back in the UK for a while it was obvious I'd need to pick up a region 2 remote at some point. Recently got one delivered (which was advertised and pictured as original but is actually third-party, but that's a whole different argument and it's being sent back anyway) and put it in the XBox in place of my region 4 one. Turned the XBox on and loaded a region 2 DVD and it says "Your DVD remote region is not valid. Remove the disc to continue". This is a new one on me.
After you've already put one DVD remote in, does this then lock your XBox to that region, or is this because I bought it in Australia, even though I was under the impression that all PAL machines were just PAL and they went by what remote was in for DVD regioning?
If anyone's got any clues here, coz the internet doesn't, then I'd like to hear it.
Cheers.

[Pavey]

I thought it is as you say,locked to the region of the first remote you put in.

Maybe someone knows more/better,but i have definitely heard that before.

[vertigo]

Bugger, coz I'd heard that it was fine to swap remotes and it'd work ok.
Is the only other option here to chip it?
Is there a chip that I can fit that will just make the DVD playback all-region, or do I have to do all that crapping about with changing the bios etc before any of that will work?
I've seen something on a forum from 2003 that has a patch you apply to your xbe file that will change it to all-region but tbh I don't trust it, coz if I bugger it up there's no guarantee I can put a good original bios back on.
What are my options here? (Buying a UK XBox isn't an option)

[Pavey]

Soft modding?

Where do you live? I could lend you the stuff. I think you have to do it every time you turn it on though. Not sure as ive only done it the once.

Very easy though.

Ill go check now.

[vertigo]

If I'd have to do it every time then it's not really possible, the comp's at one end of the house and the XBox is at the other. Bit of a pain in the backside to cart it to the PC every time. Is there a software mod that can at least clear the region set bit of the bios so that it thinks it's a virgin, then I can put the region 2 remote in? The vast majority of DVDs we have that we do want to watch are region 2, so that'd work fine for now.
I'm quite surprised that no one took the region coding from the chip inside the remote, edited it in an assembler and then put it back together, surely that's possible, I'd have a look myself but I don't have anything that can dump the contents of the chip.

[EvilBoris]

I've got a feeling using the enigmah video selector resets the region, which you can do from a softmod.

If not, almost all the chips reset the dongle region anyway

[Pavey]

Once you have the Linux save on the X-box all you need is an original (ie not Classics) copy of Splinter Cell and its as easy as loading a saved game.

I didnt put the region free dvd app on the save so i will do now.

Other than that i think you are stuck mate.

[Yod@]

I believe the Xbox becomes locked to the region of the first film that you play on it - it's a setting stored in the EEPROM.

If your Xbox isn't chipped, then you'd need to use an exploit in conjunction with Config Magic Final. I have to say, the potential to **** your Xbox up by messing with both an exploit and Config Magic is just staggering - be careful! :P

[Pavey]

Whats your thought's on soft modding Ameer? Is it wise. I only have the enigmah videomode switchdisc app on my bedroom machine. Is it possible to make the X-Box a multi region dvd player by soft modding?

Thanks (again)

[vertigo]

Is it possible to make the X-Box a multi region dvd player by soft modding?

Count me in on this one.
Two are eagerly awaiting the answer

And anything you can send me, Nick, that doesn't involve chipping or does involve a fixable XBox if it goes wrong, would be greatly appreciated. I live in North London, by the way.

[Pavey]

I got the soft modding idea for mine from here. There's a big thread on it.

Ill do a bit more research in a couple of hours (watching 24!) about getting the multi region dvd app onto the softmodded dash and let you know.

Someone on here sold a soft modded X-Box recently and listed all the apps on it they had,and they sort of hyped it as being able to do anything a chipped X-box could.

F***ed if i can remember who they are/were though.

Im in Potters Bar so no probs there,fingers crossed i come up trumps.

[vertigo]

I see. OK, I'll have a read, you have a read, and we'll see what happens
I'm completely not interested in playing pirated games or emulators at all, I just want to run any region DVD on my system.
Any idea if this soft-modded dash can play non-DVD video discs too, like just mpegs on a DVD or CD? My XBox plays DVD-RAM discs quite happily as long as they're written to region 4. It'd certainly save me a lot of DVDs if it can.

[Yod@]

I had an Xbox in for chipping the other day which had already been soft-modded - whoever did it had done a great job of it; whenever you switch on the Xbox it just loaded the EvoX dash straight away. It also used a BFM (boot from media) BIOS which means that it works like a real modchip would - lets you eject the DVD drive without resetting the Xbox, has in-game reset etc.

Only downside with a mod like this is that you can't use the Xbox on Live afterwards.

[vertigo]

There's this much chance that I'll ever be using Live: None.
As long as it'll play all my original PAL games, I don't have to lose my saves or change my HD, and everything will be as it was except with a new bios and can play any region DVDs, then count me in.

[Friction]

I know there is a DVD region free prog if your machine is modded, AND you don't even need a remote you can use the joypad to sort everything.

Not sure if that's been mentioned or would indeed help, but if you can get yourself soft modded to boot and evo X dash then it might help loads.

Failing that you could chip the machine - fairly easy with a Xapter kit I'm told (Well my brother did his ok )

HTH