I
Incure
Guest
I think a lot of people missed the great developments with hacking the Panasonic DVD players. Where a long time only chipped remotes and hardware modifications could be used for the later generations Panasonic DVD players there are finally now some new options to make the Panasonic players region free. As I saw no posts about these developments here yet, I'll try to give an as good as possible summary:
Firmware modification for the Panasonic DVD-S49 and DVD-S295
Some months ago someone with the name Virus has managed to finally decrypt and encrypt an firmware for a Panasonic DVD player. He modified the firmware to add options like DVD on MP3 support, MPEG playback etc. and most important managed to make the firmware RCE region free with region selection support. This is the best and most easy option to go for if you have an S49 or S295. You can download the modified firmware and view the instructions at here.
Firmware modification for other types
As firmware for Panasonic DVD players is very rare, there is currently no modified region free firmware for other types available. However if you do have Panasonic DVD player firmware for another type, you can try (with enough knowledge) to modify the firmware yourself by using the firmware dissambler/assembler tools and instructions released Virus, wich can be found here.
Remote hack
As you may know for some time chipped remotes are available for many Panasonic DVD players to make them region free. The codes these remotes send are a good kept secret. However now that the firmware is dissambled these codes where found.
The IR code to make the S49/S295, the S52/S42 and probally many other S-serie Panasonic players region free is:
0082 0015 0089 0004 00F2 0033 0017 0010 0091 0013
If I am not mistaken you can enter these codes with a PocketPC using TV Remote Controller and making a CCF file with these codes. Or use a Palm with Omniremote. Make sure no disc in the player when entering this code.
The region free codes
The code above is the RCE region free code. However more codes are possible, to for example set your own region code or reset the player to the factory default region. A large set of the code instruction can be entered with the standard remote, only one code called: 00F2 cannot be send with the standard remote. Again, you need to use a Palm, PocketPC or universal remote for this.
I hope that this information will help a lot of people making there Panasonic player region free for free. Please post a message if you have succeeded and wich type of player you have.
Credits
Virus for decompiling the Panasonic firmware and posting the region free codes
Tom for posting the region free IR codes
Good luck,
Martin
Panasonic S42 / S52 / S49 / S295 Info Site
UPDATE
Later in the thread the "unlocking via programmable remote" method is discussed. If you are unable to perform the remote hack yourself, but do have a laptop with infrared capability, drop a PM to chachi for a download link for a CD image which can do the unlock using the laptop.
NB: You must know how to download an ISO and burn it to CD properly to go this route.
Firmware modification for the Panasonic DVD-S49 and DVD-S295
Some months ago someone with the name Virus has managed to finally decrypt and encrypt an firmware for a Panasonic DVD player. He modified the firmware to add options like DVD on MP3 support, MPEG playback etc. and most important managed to make the firmware RCE region free with region selection support. This is the best and most easy option to go for if you have an S49 or S295. You can download the modified firmware and view the instructions at here.
Firmware modification for other types
As firmware for Panasonic DVD players is very rare, there is currently no modified region free firmware for other types available. However if you do have Panasonic DVD player firmware for another type, you can try (with enough knowledge) to modify the firmware yourself by using the firmware dissambler/assembler tools and instructions released Virus, wich can be found here.
Remote hack
As you may know for some time chipped remotes are available for many Panasonic DVD players to make them region free. The codes these remotes send are a good kept secret. However now that the firmware is dissambled these codes where found.
The IR code to make the S49/S295, the S52/S42 and probally many other S-serie Panasonic players region free is:
0082 0015 0089 0004 00F2 0033 0017 0010 0091 0013
If I am not mistaken you can enter these codes with a PocketPC using TV Remote Controller and making a CCF file with these codes. Or use a Palm with Omniremote. Make sure no disc in the player when entering this code.
The region free codes
The code above is the RCE region free code. However more codes are possible, to for example set your own region code or reset the player to the factory default region. A large set of the code instruction can be entered with the standard remote, only one code called: 00F2 cannot be send with the standard remote. Again, you need to use a Palm, PocketPC or universal remote for this.
To change the player region code
1. Be sure players drive is empty (nodISC)
2. Enter following key sequence using remote control:
Enter, 6, >=10, <<, 00F2, Audio, 8, * requested region code here (1-8) *, Subtitle, 1
3. Player will reset and requested region code will be set.
- For example to set region code to 3 press: "Enter, 6, >=10, <<, 00F2, Audio, 8, 3, Subtitle, 1"
To set the player to RCE proof region free
1. Be sure players drive is empty (nodISC)
2. Enter following key sequence using remote control:
Enter, 6, >=10, <<, 00F2, Audio, 8, 1, Subtitle, 4
3. Player will reset and set to "region-free" and "RCE-free" mode
To restore players factory region code
1. Be sure players drive is empty (nodISC)
2. Enter following key sequence using remote control:
Enter, 6, >=10, <<, 00F2, Audio, 8, 9, Subtitle, 1
3. Player will reset and set to factory region code
I hope that this information will help a lot of people making there Panasonic player region free for free. Please post a message if you have succeeded and wich type of player you have.
Credits
Virus for decompiling the Panasonic firmware and posting the region free codes
Tom for posting the region free IR codes
Good luck,
Martin
Panasonic S42 / S52 / S49 / S295 Info Site
UPDATE
Later in the thread the "unlocking via programmable remote" method is discussed. If you are unable to perform the remote hack yourself, but do have a laptop with infrared capability, drop a PM to chachi for a download link for a CD image which can do the unlock using the laptop.
NB: You must know how to download an ISO and burn it to CD properly to go this route.