Dunno if this is hardware or software related. How can I do it? (apologies in advance to the mods if this isn't legal)

Sometimes you can find a hack for your drive. Which iMac have you got?

The easiest and best way is just to use: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Just make sure you turn off the auto boot dvd player on disc insert, otherwise it auto ejects the disc as unplayable.

You can change the region code on your drive, approx four or five times. I forget which. It isn't a bad idea to have two drives anyway. If so, set the regions differently on them so that say if one is four and the other two, you will be able to play all your Aussie bought stuff or if you happen to have European discs .. then play in the other drive.

Hacks do exist but they are problematic and best avoided for several reasons.

There are many applications out there, both free and pricey which can do as mentioned above by hawker

Thanks, I'll look at it.

It's a new c2d 20"

*edit* thanks ausmac.

The auto boot as hawker says refers to the System Preference/Hardware/CD's&DVD's.
and not to the DVD player preferences..

Thanks I looked at videolan, I'll download tomorrow and try it out.
Cheers.

*edit* deleted dumb question.

Just FYI
VLC works fine with my 24" iMac... can watch any DVD with it.
but on my 2 year old powerbook I cant beat region coding with anything...
cant even flash the HD.

Fuck I hate region coding... (more so than any other DRM).

There are some optical drives that come with PB's that simply cannot be hacked to play all region coded DVDs, but your iMac should be OK with VLC.

JB