Hardware question about wii DVD drive

[satanishere]

Hi guys, I have a Japanese wii and I might need to replace the DVD drive. My question is this, is the region locking done on the DVD drive main board itself or is it done elsewhere? I ask because they are MUCH cheaper to buy from america.

 

[PPSainity]

Hi guys, I have a Japanese wii and I might need to replace the DVD drive. My question is this, is the region locking done on the DVD drive main board itself or is it done elsewhere? I ask because they are MUCH cheaper to buy from america.

As far as regions go you have nothing to worry about. Any Wii DVD drive can be swapped into any other Wii. You only need worry when you are dealing with DVD PCBs as the new PCBs (D4) are smaller and more consolidated so the larger older drive PCBs do not fit into the physical/mechanical part of the new drives as well as other issues. Just as long as you stick with replacing the whole DVD drive, board and all, you got nothing to worry about.

-[]D

 

[satanishere]

Hi guys, I have a Japanese wii and I might need to replace the DVD drive. My question is this, is the region locking done on the DVD drive main board itself or is it done elsewhere? I ask because they are MUCH cheaper to buy from america.

As far as regions go you have nothing to worry about. Any Wii DVD drive can be swapped into any other Wii. You only need worry when you are dealing with DVD PCBs as the new PCBs (D4) are smaller and more consolidated so the larger older drive PCBs do not fit into the physical/mechanical part of the new drives as well as other issues. Just as long as you stick with replacing the whole DVD drive, board and all, you got nothing to worry about.

-[]D

so just to confirm, if i swap out the entire drive there would be no region issues? on computers typically the region locking is done within the firmware of the DVD drive logic board itself, rather than another part of the computer. I just contacted the seller of the drives and the seller has given me conflicting information to what you are saying, he said that you would need to reflash the firmware of the DVD drive. not saying you are wrong, I just don't want to buy a new wii DVD drive, replace the current drive only to find out that I can no longer play games (as I live in Japan). Can anyone explain what part of the wii locks down the region? from what I can tell the shopping channel has something to do with it, but I am sure it goes a bit deeper than that.

 

[JoostinOnline]

He (the seller) is wrong. The region settings are all in the NAND. The drive will work fine with your Wii.

 

[satanishere]

He (the seller) is wrong. The region settings are all in the NAND. The drive will work fine with your Wii.

brilliant. thanks.

 

[gautam]

You may be able to do it. Essentially, it is just taking out the ribbon cable after unscrewing the drive.

 

[Hells Guardian]

Well thats interesting... Never heard of region lock wii drive before.

 

[JoostinOnline]

Well thats interesting... Never heard of region lock wii drive before.

Probably because they don't exist.

 

[Sir VG]

Region locking exists on the Wii's NAND explains why Preloader/Priiloader can make Wii Discs play regardless of region.