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4. Using the Notebook PC
Regional Playback Information
Playback of DVD movie titles involves decoding MPEG2 video, digital AC3 audio and decryption of
CSS protected content. CSS (sometimes called copy guard) is the name given to the content protection
scheme adopted by the motion picture industry to satisfy a need to protect against unlawful content
duplication.
Although the design rules imposed on CSS licensors are many, one rule that is most relevant is play-
back restrictions on regionalized content. In order to facilitate geographically staggered movie releases,
DVD video titles are released for specific geographic regions as defined in “Region Definitions” be-
low. Copyright laws require that all DVD movies be limited to a particular region (usually coded to the
region at which it is sold). While DVD movie content may be released for multiple regions, CSS design
rules require that any system capable of playing CSS encrypted content must only be capable of playing
one region. The region setting may be changed up to five times using the viewer software, then it can
only play DVD movies for the last region setting. Changing the region code after that will require
factory resetting which is not covered by warranty. If resetting is desired, shipping and resetting costs
will be at the expense of the user.
Region Definitions
Region 1
Canada, US, US Territories
Region 2
Czech, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Gulf States, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ja-
pan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, UK, Greece, Former Yugoslav Republics, Slovakia
Region 3
Burma, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Region 4
Australia, Caribbean (Except US Territories), Central America, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, South
America
Region 5
CIS, India, Pakistan, Rest of Africa, Russia, North Korea
Region 6
China