Vista Won't Play With Old DVD Drives

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Vista Won't Play With Old DVD Drives

Posted by Zonk on Saturday December 31, 2005 @10:40PM from the taking-their-ball-and-going-home dept.

tlhIngan writes "From a developer's blog, Windows Vista will no longer support DVD-ROM drives that do not handle region coding in hardware (RPC1 drives) - thus preventing playback of DVDs that are region/CSS encoded with those drives. Not a big problem, as RPC1 drives haven't been officially manufactured since 2000 (and Microsoft claims their drives are all broken), but for those with hacked drives (RPC2 with RPC1 firmware), or move the RPC1 drive to new computers, well, no more DVD movies for you!"

16 of 726 comments (clear)

This is a good thing. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-12-31 22:42 · Score: 5, Funny

Since we're all a bunch of criminals anyway, this can only help to save us from ourselves. Thanks Microsoft!
first goatse! by Anonymous Coward · 2005-12-31 22:43 · Score: 4, Funny

First Goatse of 2006!
Trolls, fire up your keyboards; only 12 months until /.'s 10th anniversary!
Re:What about places like new zealand? by dancingmad · 2005-12-31 22:51 · Score: 4, Funny

if yes, then microsoft loses new zealand to linux in ten seconds flat.

Somehow I doubt this keeps Bill Gates up at night.

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Re:IN SOVIET RUSSIA... by Draconix · 2005-12-31 23:03 · Score: 2, Funny

You make baby Stalin cry. :(

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A solution! by zardie · 2005-12-31 23:14 · Score: 4, Funny

1. Using DeCSS technology, copy your region encoded DVD to your PC's hard drive.
2. Watch movie
3. ...
4. Profit! (but remember, this violates fair use policies if you do profit from this).
Congratulations by yobbo · 2005-12-31 23:27 · Score: 4, Funny

I'd just like to congratulate anybody who has gotten over 5 years out of a DVD drive.
Re:Why by jacksonj04 · 2006-01-01 00:17 · Score: 3, Funny

I thought all true geeks had to have a floppy drive? How else do you flash the BIOS?

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Re:I don't care :-) by ZeroExistenZ · 2006-01-01 00:27 · Score: 2, Funny

yea, cause DVD drives are like.. older technology... ::rolls eyes::

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Re:Who has to use Vista? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-01 01:03 · Score: 2, Funny

What's the matter? LaTeX ain't good enough for you? : p
No problem... by Jugalator · 2006-01-01 01:26 · Score: 2, Funny

Most people should be unaffected by this, as only in Soviet Japan do old DVD-ROMs need people...

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Re:whooboy. by Ucklak · 2006-01-01 03:14 · Score: 3, Funny

I watch movies at 1x.

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Re:Why by ceeam · 2006-01-01 04:36 · Score: 3, Funny

Be thankful it does not require a _region-coded_ floppy drive!!!
Re:Why by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-01 05:14 · Score: 5, Funny

Let's face it, it's easier to get a virus than it is to install RAID drivers. They should just make viruses with payloads that install RAID drivers and be done with it.
Re:Why by Bloke+down+the+pub · 2006-01-01 05:30 · Score: 2, Funny

I've already got Linux and it's awesome. It's going to be EVEN MORE AWESOME when Vista finally ships...
Linux!?!? By the time Vista ships, GNU Hurd will be finished.

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Re:Why by Moderatbastard · 2006-01-01 06:35 · Score: 1, Funny

Mod parent -1: Whoooooosh

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Re:Why by ClamIAm · 2006-01-01 10:48 · Score: 2, Funny

I thought all true geeks had to have a floppy drive? How else do you flash the BIOS?
Uhh, bow-chicka-bow-wow?