posted on September 9, 2006 06:38:08 PM new
I was just listing some DVDs and, under item specifics, had "region code". This is the first time I've listed DVDs. Can anyone tell me what the region code refers to? Thanks.
posted on September 9, 2006 06:47:37 PM new
DVS's are assigned a region code -- THUS, a REGION 1 (USA) DVD will NOT play in an EUROPEAN DVD player (i think EUROPE is ??2?? -- I think there be ??5?? regions)...
You should ALWAYS state the REGION CODE in yer listing...that way, some DUTCH DORKUS won't buy from you and BEACH!!!
Kinda like the BS with videotapes, where the US has the NTSC standard, but Europe has PAL and some others I forget...
Course, the EASY SOLUTION is to own an ALL-REGION DVD PLAYER which are REAL cheap nowadays...nice ones for under $100 (I looked into one 5 yrs ago & they were $500!!!...
WIKIPODEIA says:
Each DVD-Video disc contains one or more region codes, denoting the area[s] of the world in which distribution and playback are intended. The commercial DVD player specification dictates that a player must only play discs that contain its region code. In theory, this allows the motion picture studios to control the various aspects of a release (including content, date and price) on a region-by-region basis. In practice, many DVD players allow playback of any disc, or can be modified to do so. Entirely independent of encryption, region coding pertains to regional lockout, which originated in the video game industry.
0 Informal term meaning "playable in all regions"
1 Bermuda, Canada, United States and U.S. territories
2 The Middle East, Western Europe, Central Europe, Baltic States, Egypt, French overseas territories, Greenland, Japan, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland
3 Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan
4 Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Oceania, South America
5 The rest of Africa, Former Soviet Union, the Indian subcontinent, Mongolia, North Korea
6 Mainland China
7 Reserved for future use
8 International venues such as aircraft, cruise ships, etc.
posted on September 9, 2006 07:05:18 PM new
Thanks so much, Tom...I didn't know that and, sure enough, on my DVDs, there's the little number "1". Appreciate the help!
posted on September 10, 2006 07:23:20 PM new
Another thing you need to play non Region 1 DVDs is a multi-system TV (unless your multi-region DVD Player converts from PAL to NTSC).
