Dvd Question

[Leeds Utd Fan]

This may seem like a stupid question but I have had different answers from everyone I have asked.

Can you buy dvd's in the US and play them over here. I am just about to get a DVD player, do you need a particular one or do all play back DVD's from the US if at all?

Sorry for being so dense!!!


Chris

 

[Tony Bush]

Chris,

US DVD's are region code 1. The UK is region code 2. These codes are set onto DVD players and disks. You will need to make sure that you either buy a region free DVD player (plays all region codes - there are 7 in total I think.) or you will find that most DVD players can be re-programmed fairly easily. Some can be done by pressing a particular sequence on the remote control. Search the web for DVD player hacks. I have a fairly cheap DVD player but with the hack can now play DVD's from all regions.
Hope this makes some sort of sense....

Tony

 

[mike230652]

Chris,

You'll need to make sure you get a dvd player capable of multi-region playing, since the US have a different region code.

The best machine I've come across is the Mico Classica. It's £99.99 from Sainsburys. It plays all dvds' and it's also macro disabled. ( this means you can record the dvd onto tape without getting the wobbly lines and break-up of picture you'd get on most machines. )

If you don't have a Sainsburys ....try Richer Sounds. They sell machines by Acoustic Solutions and Cyberhome which are also multi-region.

Send me a pm if I can be of any further help,

Mike

 

[squitty]

Hi,

Just to say that we have just bought the acoustic solutions one from Richer sounds and it has played everything brilliantly. It was £119.00.

 

[Goofyish]

A couple of other places to look at:

Scan:
http://www.scan.co.uk/

Techtronics:
http://www.techtronics.com/uk/shop/index.html

Good Hacking info site:
http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/info/multiregion/

Also, a few studios have started using Region Code Enhancement (RCE) on their DVDs. This is meant to stop people buying DVDs from one region and playing them on multiregion machines. So make sure you check the DVD player is capable of playing RCE DVDs.

If you want a good site to buy region 1 DVD check out the Play site:

http://www.play.com/

One of the main advantages of being able to play region 1 DVDs is you tend to get the films on DVD in the US before they are released here. I've just got the Disney Snow Dogs DVD - it's only just been released in the cinemas over here!

 

[DisneyDes]

One other little thing to add to the mix is that the US Discs have a NTSC signal and British tellies are PAL. The TV's available over the last few years are capable of receiving either signal, but with older tellies the picture will be in Black and White. Its probably best to check with your TV manual.

I came across this with our portable DVD player in a French hotel room as well as our older TV at home.

By the way, another vote for MICO here I bought one about 2 years ago and its played everything I've thrown at it, although it did struggle a bit with Harry Potter. It even copes well with the notoriously difficult Toy Story Box set.

Des

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

While it is easy to buy DVD players that can play (most) discs from any region, I question whether it's necessary any more. When DVD players/discs were first released there was so few films available in Region 2 (Europe) that the only way to access the lastest releases and the best of the back catalogue was to buy from Region 1 (USA). This is what I did, and initially just about all my DVD purchases were Region 1, so I needed an all-region player. Now, however, many films are released simultaneously across all regions, and at the most there is a month or two delay between Region 1 and Region 2 releases. So although 20% of my DVD collection is Region 1, I haven't bought a Region 1 disc for well over a year - there has just been no need to go to the extra hassle of importing discs. There is also the added complication of RCE-encoded discs which can defeat many 'chipped' DVD players. I can no longer see the need to buy Region 1 discs for people who live in Region 2.

On a related point, whenever I have visited CD/DVD stores in Orlando the prices are far higher than you can get from mail order companies in the USA and in the UK. It would be worth checking out some typical prices from mail order retailers so you know whether you are getting bargains, or not, in the tourist shops in Orlando.

Regards

Rob

 

[Leeds Utd Fan]

Thanks for all your help, I will get one of the machines suggested.

I cannot beleive the brand new sony tv I just brought is not NTSC compatable, what a ******, the cheaper one was.gRRRRRRRRRrrr.

Just have to fix the DVD to our other tv that is!!!

 

[Sian]

My DVD player from Techtronics arrived today along with a Simpsons DVD from Play.com (~Region 1) It played fine after I tapped in a code number on the remote. The website was very helpful and delivery took about 5 days. Prices seemed pretty keen too.

 

[Kevin Gale]

Check out your local Asda or Tesco,

There are some very cheap players that play every type of disc (CD-R, DVD-R etc) and some have remote control enabled region-free hacks (no internal mod's required).

You'll have to investigate first obviously. i.e. find out what's availiable and then check on the net for region free info.