After hunting the Internet I finally managed to confirm how to change the MacPro to region free.
For this I have to give many thanks for www.rpc1.org and the administrator puma.
NB: The posting assumes that your DVR is a PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-112D and I offer no guarantees this will work or worse render your DVR unsafe.
For simplicity I have attached a zip file with all the tools you’ll need. First things first download the zip file onto your Mac.
The open a Terminal windows in the same folder and unpack the zip file.
mac-pro:Downloads mick$ unzip dvrflash_mac.zip
Archive: dvrflash_mac.zip
creating: dvrflash_mac/
inflating: dvrflash_mac/A0013000.115
inflating: dvrflash_mac/A0013001.124
inflating: dvrflash_mac/DVRFlash
inflating: dvrflash_mac/Readme.DVR112D.txt
inflating: dvrflash_mac/Readme.txtmac-pro:Downloads mick$ cd dvrflash_mac
mac-pro:dvr_flash_mac mick$
The Readme.txt is the original from the author I have added the Readme.DVR112D.txt with some basically this article.
Next check to see that your drive is RPC-2 (region locked) as follows :
mac-pro:dvrflash_mac mick$ ./DVRFlash -v
DVRFlash v2.6.0: Pioneer DVR firmware flasher
by Agent Smith, et al., July 2008
Commandline:
./DVRFlash -v
Device parameter was not given, detecting all DVR drives:
Device : A:
Vendor : PIONEER
Model : DVD-RW DVR-112D
Revision : BC14
Status : RPC-2 (region locked)
Region : 2
Changes : 4 region changes remaining
4 vendor resets remaining
state is ‘Region set’
Now run DVRFlash again, from the command prompt, using
one of the device(s) listed above as first parameter
Press the Return key to exit
mac-pro:dvrflash_mac mick$
Now assuming you are happy to proceed, continue with flashing the drive.
mac-pro:dvrflash_mac mick$ ./DVRFlash -ff PIONEER A0013000.115 A0013001.124
DVRFlash v2.6.0: Pioneer DVR firmware flasher
by Agent Smith, et al., July 2008
DISCLAIMER
THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ABILITY OF THIS PROGRAM TO FLASH A
PIONEER OR COMPATIBLE DVR DRIVE IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE
PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY
SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
THIS PROGRAM IS NOT ENDORSED BY PIONEER CORPORATION OR ANY
COMPANY RESELLING PIONEER EQUIPMENT AS THEIR OWN BRAND
IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROGRAM AND
DISCHARGE BOTH THE AUTHOR AND PIONEER CORPORATION FROM ANY
DAMAGE OCCURING AS THE RESULT OF ITS USE, PLEASE INDICATE SO
BY ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:
Do you understand and agree to the statement above (y/n)? y
Commandline:
./DVRFlash -ff PIONEER A0013000.115 A0013001.124
Drive Information:
Description : PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-112D
Firmware Rev : BC14
Firmware Date : 07/09/27
Manufacturer : PIONEER
Drive is in normal mode.
Firmwares and Drive type mismatch
Continue because force option was specified
WARNING: Hardware and Firmware really don’t match!
Continue because superforce option was specified
Are you sure you want to flash this drive (y/n)? y
Switching drive to Kernel mode:
Description : PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-112
Firmware Rev. : 0000
Firmware Date : 06/08/11
Manufacturer : PIONEER
Drive is now in Kernel mode
Now sending the Kernel part:
Now internal Kernel reflashing. Please wait… OK.
Now sending the Normal part:
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
|============|============|============|============|
Please hold your breath for about 30 seconds…
Now internal reflashing. Please wait… OK.
Updated Information:
Description : PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-112
Firmware Rev. : 1.24
Firmware Date : 07/08/08
Manufacturer : PIONEER
Flashing operation successful 😉
mac-pro:dvrflash_mac mick$
If everything has worked out you will now be able to play DVD’s from any region on your MacPro.