DVD regions.

[SBSP]

What is the story with DVD regions ?

From the word i assume the lock DVD to regions in the world.

So if a DVD is meant to be played in America only the lock it to their region code?
So it wont work in SA ?

Reason I ask, I rented a DVD from the DVD rental shop in Centurion in the complex where the Dros is.
Cant remember their name now, but its a known franchise.

Ive been there about there about 3 times and out of the three time 4 DVD could not be played because of the region
On My PS3 and DVD player. I had to fiddle with Media players Region setting on my laptop to get it working.

So I asked the guy at the shop why is it so, He then mentioned they import their DVD's from America.
The DVD seem to be legit as far as the covers and actual disk goes.

But is it allowed to rent out DVD not in your local region code ?
Its kind of annoying that they knowingly sell a rental service to you that will not work.

[Rayne]

But is it allowed to rent out DVD not in your local region code ?

No.

[rustypup]

serious pain in the buttocks, and the distributors could care less.. ostensibly, the idea was to manage rollouts in set regions, (region 1 gets film x in may, region 2 in december, etc)...

the other delightful bit is that your OS only permits a set number of region changes before it is permanently locked on a region... this means, fiddle it more than 4 times, and you're stuck to whichever was the last region....

and, yes, they should not be renting out-of-region discs...

[SBSP]

Only Found this on google ,now

The Reasons For DVD Region Coding

Why does DVD region coding exist, you ask? According to what the public is being told, such coding is a tool to protect copyright and film distribution rights (in other words, movie studio profits).

Movies are released in theaters in different parts of the world at different times throughout the year. That Summer blockbuster in the U.S. may end up being the Christmas blockbuster overseas. If that occurs, the DVD version of the movie may be out in the U.S. while it is still showing in theaters overseas.

In order to preserve the financial integrity of the theatrical distribution of a particular film, it is not possible (under normal conditions) to have a friend in the U.S. send a DVD copy of the film to the country where it is in theatrical release and be able to play the DVD on a player there.

Not only that.
There are price differences on locked DVD for country affordability.
So they are probably buying it cheap or they rent out new releases thats at the Cinema's

Halla Kepalla!!!!
Meybe i should blackmail them 10 free movies a month and i will keep quitet or i will hand them over for a R100 Bucks.

[Tribble]

I know the shop you are talking about - never used them though. They are hiring out Region 1 DVDs and that means that they are not getting them from the supplier - they are probably buying them online. The distributors would never sell them the incorrect version. You should demand your units back.

[VinceThePrince]

As a step-around... you could phone your DVD manufacturers repair/support line and ask for the unlock code of your DVD player...

I had this problem with my Samsung home theater system... I phoned them, and they gave me the unlock code (it basically removes the region protection). It won't solve all the problems... as you will find the disc type, age of DVD player etc all will come into you not being able to play certain movies.

As everyone else has said... They shouldn't be renting out Non-Region 2 DVD's unless they have a contract with an international film house (like Ster-Kinekor/Nu Metro)... in which case it is legal, but Ster-Kinekor might just sue them...

[Tribble]

Oh they would - I have a friend who is a rep for them. They take this very seriously and the movies that the video shops buy is a different price and the disk is for rental only.

[Screeper]

As a step-around... you could phone your DVD manufacturers repair/support line and ask for the unlock code of your DVD player...

Yes, I did the same with my LG dvd player. In fact when i bought the player, the salesman wrote on the box how to 'unlock' the player to play all regions.
That's probably illegal as well...
But to be honest I don't really care, I get sent dvd's from my relatives in the US and they're all region 1. They play fine on the 'unlocked' player though.

And yes, heed Rusty's warning. My mother, bless her cotton socks, locked my laptop to region 1 within the space of 2 days as she hopped between region 1 and 2 dvd's.
5 strikes and you're stuck with your last choice. Unless you want to reinstall windows or find a hack-around compliments of Mr Google but either way it's a pain.

[VinceThePrince]

It's not illegal as such... but don't tell Ster-Kinekor...

I spoke the guys at Samsung again now... and they said being provided with the unlock code is not illegal at all.

[Stuart]

in all honesty, i would find this irritating enough to find out where to report the shop!

[Nuke]

Alot of the cheap/noname dvd players are not region locked at all. I'm talking about the R300 Pick-n-pay xmas specials. Even our Samsung is not, but its also a pretty cheap one.

[Prime]

Alot of the cheap/noname dvd players are not region locked at all. I'm talking about the R300 Pick-n-pay xmas specials. Even our Samsung is not, but its also a pretty cheap one.

They are also importing gray ones, old HD players now that HD is a dead standard and replaced with BR.

Our maids son bought his dvd player for R150 bucks, no region lock

Note to self, phone philips sometime and get the unlock code