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LG BH200: Hidden Hacking Options - Page 3

post #61 of 331
5/7/08 at 8:52am
Thread Starter 
Thanks Robert. For users who want their BH200 set to Region A, code 80 looks to be a good alternative:

80 = 1000 0000 = R1/RA/NTSC+PAL/Network Update
82 = 1000 0010 = R2/RA/NTSC+PAL/No Network Update

Personally I'd be inclined to use 8D though:

8D = 1000 1101 = R4/RA/NTSC+PAL/Network Update

As we know that's official, that said it's official on the BH100, so how knows . At least we know LG have used 8D on some models.
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post #62 of 331
5/7/08 at 9:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradavon View Post

Thanks Robert. For users who want their BH200 set to Region A, code 80 looks to be a good alternative:

80 = 1000 0000 = R1/RA/NTSC+PAL/Network Update
82 = 1000 0010 = R2/RA/NTSC+PAL/No Network Update

Personally I'd be inclined to use 8D though:

8D = 1000 1101 = R4/RA/NTSC+PAL/Network Update

As we know that's official, that said it's official on the BH100, so how knows . At least we know LG have used 8D on some models.

Will have to wait for test results but 80 might be better when it comes to RCE DVDs (Speculation at this point).
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post #63 of 331
5/7/08 at 9:55am
Thread Starter 
Possibly, but I suspect the RMTM CD takes control of this and that's not RCE compatible.
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post #64 of 331
5/7/08 at 10:20am
I thought I can't let only you guys make the risky tests

I tried switching my 4th digit from 96 to 94 which was intended to enable network-update on a euro player.

My setup:
- European Player, Driver 701, April-Firmware
- No network-update possibility
- Region B and Code-free for SD-DVD's (RMTM CD)
- EEPROM 43 48 00 96 00 05 00 40

Changing 4th digit from 96 to 94 didn't change anything. Still Region B for Blu's and still NO network-update possibility

Dammit! I think we have to find another number which enables network-update without changing Region B to A - for all us having an european player.

Cheers
AlfaGT
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post #65 of 331
5/7/08 at 10:29am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for testing, oh well. I'd put it back to 96.

It could be all Region B codes also disable the Network Update option, it could be an LG policy that only North America gets it. I could well believe that. The BH200 hasn't exactly been released across all of Europe.

FYI AlfaGT the 0702 driver can also be downloaded here without the need for the Ethernet connection:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1009104

I don't know if you already know that.

p.s - Out of interest what Region B locked BDs do you have?
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post #66 of 331
5/7/08 at 10:30am
Hi Alfa,

Did you power cycle the player after making the change?


Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaGT View Post

I thought I can't let only you guys make the risky tests

I tried switching my 4th digit from 96 to 94 which was intended to enable network-update on a euro player.

My setup:
- European Player, Driver 701, April-Firmware
- No network-update possibility
- Region B and Code-free for SD-DVD's (RMTM CD)
- EEPROM 43 48 00 96 00 05 00 40

Changing 4th digit from 96 to 94 didn't change anything. Still Region B for Blu's and still NO network-update possibility

Dammit! I think we have to find another number which enables network-update without changing Region B to A - for all us having an european player.

Cheers
AlfaGT
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post #67 of 331
5/7/08 at 10:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Krobar View Post

Hi Alfa,

Did you power cycle the player after making the change?

You mean shut it off completely or only standby
Yeah, I switched it off (to standby) before testing the regions.

@ bradavon
I have some Fox and Disney Blu's which are Region B locked (My test-disc is Hitman - the one I couldn't play any longer yesterday after switching to 8D)

Thanks for info. I know about the possibility to install the 702 driver (because all your threads are clearly arranged So, one day I will make the update. Don't ask me, why I didn't made it till now.

Hm, could be possible they disabled network-update on all Region B players. On the other side....why? Looks stupid to me.
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post #68 of 331
5/7/08 at 10:56am
I have no idea what is the significance of this difference, but the original EEPROM string in my Canadian player was 43 41 00 00 00 05 00 40
Another Canadian member reported initial value 43 41 00 01 00 05 00 40
While we don't know what that means, it would be safe to assume that that bite (1) has nothing to do with region coding.
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post #69 of 331
5/7/08 at 11:01am
Adjustment after AlfaGT's testing@:
Bit 7 - If on enables PAL
Bit 6 - ?
Bit 5 - Part of BR Zone Control??
Bit 4 - Part Of BR zone Control
Bits 2 & 3 - Control SD Region
Bit 1 - Control SD Region?
Bit 0 - ?

Really need to find someone who is about to return a BH200 to there local store anyway to try "A0" and "B0"
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post #70 of 331
5/7/08 at 11:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Krobar View Post

Adjustment after AlfaGT's testing@:
Bit 7 - If on enables PAL
Bit 6 - ?
Bit 5 - Part of BR Zone Control??
Bit 4 - Part Of BR zone Control
Bits 2 & 3 - Control SD Region
Bit 1 - Control SD Region?
Bit 0 - ?

Am I right when I say, the EEPROM settings are equal for US and EU players? Means, the hardware is the same (beside Voltage-power) and the EEPROM settings defines "the rest" ?

And second (mentioned many times before): SD-DVD settings with Julio's RMTM CD-program "overrules" settings for SD-DVD in the EEPROM-settings?

In additon it would perhaps be helpful, making a thread alike the Firmware-thread; with all "discoveries" and the adjustments at the beginning ?
Would give a fast overview of the actual stand.

Cheers
AlfaGT
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post #71 of 331
5/7/08 at 11:18am
I really appreciate all the pain and risk you guys take to get the best possible performance from the BH200 worldwide. I'm very happy with 314B update (audio codecs) but I appreciate your motivations. Rather than all the risky experiments that might lock up your machines, wouldn't it be conceivable that some cooperative person in the design area at LG could be located for direct answers to all the turmoil?
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post #72 of 331
5/7/08 at 11:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Arroyo View Post

I really appreciate all the pain and risk you guys take to get the best possible performance from the BH200 worldwide. I'm very happy with 314B update (audio codecs) but I appreciate your motivations. Rather than all the risky experiments that might lock up your machines, wouldn't it be conceivable that some cooperative person in the design area at LG could be located for direct answers to all the turmoil?

Dear Gil
Some people here at the forum already have "contact" to LG employees. I don't know how much info the LG's can or want give to public.

You still are on the Beta march firmware (314B), I saw. Why you don't upgrade to the official released final april-firmware (can be downloaded on the LG homepage). The april one is more stable and official released by LG. You don't loose anything when upgrading.

Cheers
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post #73 of 331
5/7/08 at 11:26am
What puzzles me is the impact of the fourth byte - it seems to change BD Region from a default value (whether it is A or B) to the opposite: European player changes from B to A ( with byte 80) , US player changes to B from A ( with byte 96) - otherwise the BD region remains untouched: 82 or 8D in a US player still keeps the BD code at A. Does 00 change an European player to code A?
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post #74 of 331
5/7/08 at 11:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaGT View Post

Dear Gil
Some people here at the forum already have "contact" to LG employees. I don't know how much info the LG's can or want give to public.

You still are on the Beta march firmware (314B), I saw. Why you don't upgrade to the official released final april-firmware (can be downloaded on the LG homepage). The april one is more stable and official released by LG. You don't loose anything when upgrading.

Cheers

Somewhere in the threads, I thought there was a problem with audio dropouts returning with the April update from LG that was not present with the 314B. Please confirm that is not the case [if possible] before I rush into the official upgrade. thanks.
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post #75 of 331
5/7/08 at 11:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaGT View Post

You mean shut it off completely or only standby
Yeah, I switched it off (to standby) before testing the regions.

Krobar means off/on again using Standby. Thanks for the info on your Region B BDs.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaGT View Post

Hm, could be possible they disabled network-update on all Region B players. On the other side....why? Looks stupid to me.

The same dumb reason North American Players have PAL disabled I'd image: Stupidity!

Also: LG haven't exactly rolled out the BH200 properly across Europe, the European servers may not have any updates on them. There could be various reasons why LG didn't see the point enabling it by default.

Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

While we don't know what that means, it would be safe to assume that that bite (1) has nothing to do with region coding.

I would say that's likely and recommend leaving it as default (so 00 or 01).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Arroyo View Post

Rather than all the risky experiments that might lock up your machines, wouldn't it be conceivable that some cooperative person in the design area at LG could be located for direct answers to all the turmoil?

One of the questions I asked this LG Engineer here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...&postcount=152

Was if they could tell me what the appropriate codes are but they were unable to. I can appreciate why LG themselves wouldn't want to release them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

otherwise the BD region remains untouched: 82 or 8D in a US player still keeps the BD code at A.

It's because those two codes were sourced from a BH100 user. So we now reckon they're not BH200 codes "as such", just that they happen to do something.

Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

Does 00 change an European player to code A?

I would guess Yes. I have asked AlfaGT to test it when he has a minute.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Arroyo View Post

Somewhere in the threads, I thought there was a problem with audio dropouts returning with the April update from LG that was not present with the 314B.

I have read that but I have equally read the April firmware is more stable. It seems to be Even Stevens. It didn't read as "conclusive fact" that the March firmware eliminates drop outs but the April one doesn't to me. All we know that is fact, is the April firmware is Official, the March firmware isn't.

Personally I'd try it, you can always roll back.
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post #76 of 331
5/7/08 at 12:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradavon View Post




It's because those two codes were sourced from a BH100 user. So we now reckon they're not BH200 codes "as such", just that they happen to do something.


Not so: these (82, 8D ) are DEFAULT BD Region B Codes for UK (PAL2) and Australia (PAL4) respectively - so they affect the switch form default NTSC 1 region to PAL 2/4 but do not necessarily control the BD region itself....
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post #77 of 331
5/7/08 at 12:28pm
so, to recap the byte four:

00 - Canada/US NTSC only, R1, BD A
01 - Canada/US NTSC only, R1, BD A
80 - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R0 ?? BD A
82 - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R2 BD A - Europe R2 BD B
8D - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R4 BD A - Australia R4 BD B
96 - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R2 ?? BD B

If 00 in Europe switches BD B to BD A, then it is conceivable that specific digits - 0 or 1 control the SWITCH from BD B to BD A and others - 6 - control switch from BD A to BD B, while some -2 and D - have no effect on BD codes, further giving credence to the theory that there is no one "ALL BD REGION" code.... Please comment on the logic of this argument, as the things are getting fuzzier and fuzzier....
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post #78 of 331
5/7/08 at 12:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

so, to recap the byte four:

00 - Canada/US NTSC only, R1, BD A
01 - Canada/US NTSC only, R1, BD A
80 - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R0 ?? BD A
82 - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R2 BD A - Europe R2 BD B
8D - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R4 BD A - Australia R4 BD B
96 - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R2 ?? BD B

If 00 in Europe switches BD B to BD A, then it is conceivable that specific digits - 0 or 1 control the SWITCH from BD B to BD A and others - 6 - control switch from BD A to BD B, while some -2 and D - have no effect on BD codes, further giving credence to the theory that there is no one "ALL BD REGION" code.... Please comment on the logic of this argument, as the things are getting fuzzier and fuzzier....

It takes 2 bits to control Blu Ray zones (To allow for A, B ,C), we know bit 4 effects the BD zone but LG would need 2 bits to offer all zone option which is why I suspect Bit 5 may be involved and why it would be good if someone could take the risk and try "A0" and ""B0".
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post #79 of 331
5/7/08 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradavon View Post

I would guess Yes. I have asked AlfaGT to test it when he has a minute.

I had the minute

Changing my Euro-Player from 96 to 00 results in the following:
- Changes BR Region from B to A (as expected)
- enables network-update option in "others" menu (as expected)

So, my humble self thinks, the 4th digit ends always in the same result, whatever player you use (US or Euro).

@ Gil
Looking the audio-dropout-issue, I had dropouts (one per movie - audio and video) with the march firmware. But they are gone with the april-version. I'm not sure, but all that drop-out-thing can be an issue with HDMI-handshake, depending on your own equipment/setup. I would advise, like Bradavon said before, upgrading to the official april-firmware and in case of need you can still go back to march. You can't lose anything
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post #80 of 331
5/7/08 at 2:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

so, to recap the byte four:

8D - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R4 BD A - Australia R4 BD B
96 - Canada/US NTSC/PAL, R2 ?? BD B

Sorry, to disagree, but there is something wrong in this.

I yesterday tried changing 96 to 8D on my Euro Player which was resulting in switching Blu Region from B to A.

So I think an Aussie player will "react" the same way, my EU player did - but I could be wrong. I think you mentioned the Aussie one changed to B looking at a post from Bradavon. But I think Bradavon mentioned an Aussie BH-100 and not a BH-200. We already discovered yesterday, that 8D is originally from a BH-100 (Aussie).

So I recap for BH-200 this:
- 8D results in BD A (US, EU and most likely also an Aussie player)
- 96 results in BD B (US, EU player)
- 00 results in BD A (US, EU player)

All 3 I tested for an EU player myself. I always ended in having the same Region for Blu's than my american colleagues

I think (my personal 2 cents) changing the 4th digit always ends in the same result, whatever player you change the digit (EU or US).

Thanks for all your effort @ALL
Cheers
AlfaGT

Oh, I hope that Aussie isn't a cuss word ;-)
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post #81 of 331
5/7/08 at 2:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

Not so: these (82, 8D ) are DEFAULT BD Region B Codes for UK (PAL2) and Australia (PAL4) respectively - so they affect the switch form default NTSC 1 region to PAL 2/4 but do not necessarily control the BD region itself....

Yeah but they're still BH100 codes, and we've established that there are differences between the BH100 and BH200 here. I don't think anyone's weighed in with an official 82 or 8D default for the BH200 yet, have they? Certainly not for 8D since there's no BH200 in Australia (unfortunately).
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post #82 of 331
5/7/08 at 2:29pm
Alfa, I agree with your assessment. But if you've got time could you possibly try the 80 and 82 setting just to make sure? I have tried both on my US BH200 with no bad effects, but it would confirm whether all the codes we have are the same for the US and EU players. Which I'm almost sure they will be.

Aussie's not a swear word at all, but make sure you pronounce the middle letters as soft (as in the Wizard of Oz) rather than hard (as in ossified).
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post #83 of 331
5/7/08 at 3:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaGT View Post

I had the minute

Changing my Euro-Player from 96 to 00 results in the following:
- Changes BR Region from B to A (as expected)
- enables network-update option in "others" menu (as expected)

So, my humble self thinks, the 4th digit ends always in the same result, whatever player you use (US or Euro).

@ Gil
Looking the audio-dropout-issue, I had dropouts (one per movie - audio and video) with the march firmware. But they are gone with the april-version. I'm not sure, but all that drop-out-thing can be an issue with HDMI-handshake, depending on your own equipment/setup. I would advise, like Bradavon said before, upgrading to the official april-firmware and in case of need you can still go back to march. You can't lose anything

OK--updated with 402F. Thanks to all. --gil
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post #84 of 331
5/7/08 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

Not so: these (82, 8D ) are DEFAULT BD Region B Codes for UK (PAL2) and Australia (PAL4) respectively

I'm sure no BH200 user from the UK or Australia have posted their BH200 codes period. I posted the Non-American/Canadian members who own a BH200 earlier and none live in the UK or Australia. The 82 and 8D codes came from BH100 users.

Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpierre View Post

so they affect the switch form default NTSC 1 region to PAL 2/4 but do not necessarily control the BD region itself....

We do know 8D sets your BD Region to Region A. AlfaGT had his Swiss BH200 changed from Region B to Region A when he set this. Most users who've enabled PAL by using 8D were from North America so were on Region A anyway.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaGT View Post

Changing my Euro-Player from 96 to 00 results in the following:
- Changes BR Region from B to A (as expected)
- enables network-update option in "others" menu (as expected)

Thanks AlfaGT. I presume when set to 00 you couldn't play PAL DVDs?

Quote:
Originally Posted by peterjcat View Post

Alfa, I agree with your assessment. But if you've got time could you possibly try the 80 and 82 setting just to make sure? I have tried both on my US BH200 with no bad effects, but it would confirm whether all the codes we have are the same for the US and EU players.

I'm positive they'll be the same too:

80 = R1/RA/NTSC+PAL/Network Update
82 = R2/RA/NTSC+PAL/No Network Update

But there is no harm in trying, we may as well try another code other than 00 on a Euro Player, just to make sure that wasn't luck.
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post #85 of 331
5/7/08 at 7:49pm

I wish I could report a stunning success in changing the BD zone, alas, after trying A0 and B0 (as suggested by Krobar) the only result was: from 80 to A0 - BD changed to B
from A0 to B0 - BD changed to A. So I'm back to 80 with the region hack - no problems and I did not brick the player
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post #86 of 331
5/7/08 at 7:53pm
A BIG thanks to those who did the region hack! I received my BH200 from my auction today and did all the driver update, then firmware, then PAL + region free hack and it's AWESOME!!! Thankyou thankyou thankyou! Now I can watch my Hayao Miyazaki Anime DVDs upconverted!!!
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post #87 of 331
5/7/08 at 7:55pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks Robert for "risking" it. Any idea if A0 and B0 disabled the Network Update option or disabled PAL?

A0 maybe better than 96 though, presuming PAL is still enabled and the Network Update option is still available. You couldn't double check, could you? So far B0 has no benefit over 80 or 8D though.

A0 makes it Region B and B0 makes it Region B, weird!

I am starting to think the fourth value is safe to adjust and it's the other values you could brick the player by changing, that's just a hunch though.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pobff View Post

A BIG thanks to those who did the region hack!

No worries from my perspective. We're not finished yet. We will make the BH200 BD Region Free . Okay "maybe" not but it's already really impressive we can switch between Region A and Region B.

There are so few BD Players on the market you can say that about.
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post #88 of 331
5/7/08 at 8:05pm
As far as I could tell, the network update was still there- did not test PAL, though - will do soon. Incidentally, A0 does give you BD B, but B0 changes that to BD A..... As I looked on the binary values, there seems to be no way to contain BD zone in the bits that we investigated, as binary 01, 10, 00 and 11 only result in switching between A and B - no hint of C or multiregion
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post #89 of 331
5/7/08 at 8:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradavon View Post

No worries from my perspective. We're not finished yet. We will make the BH200 BD Region Free . Okay "maybe" not but it's already really impressive we can switch between Region A and Region B.

There are so few BD Players on the market you can say that about.

If BD Region is Free, and LG updates firmware to enable profile 2.0, then this would be "THE" BD player to get!!!
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post #90 of 331
5/7/08 at 8:28pm
Thread Starter 
Can someone explain what the binary values tell you? I will admit to being lost about the binary aspect of our discussions. I could be missing something obvious.

Thanks.
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