# Buying DVDs from Canada instead of the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dvds-from-canada-instead-of-the-us/149385 "2003-01-18T02:54:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dvds-from-canada-instead-of-the-us/149385/1 "2003-01-18T02:54:44Z")
I (attempting to be a savvy online shopper) am looking for good deals on various DVDs. Someone brought to my attention the fact that the prices on Amazon.ca are better than [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) if you live in the US, due to the exchange rate and all and that there are coupons to basically get free shipping. So, are there differences, technical or otherwise, between DVDs sold in the US and in Canada? ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dvds-from-canada-instead-of-the-us/149385/2 "2003-01-18T03:06:29Z")
Technical differences? No, not that I know of. I purchased a DVD player in Canada, and have purchased DVD’s in both Canada and the United States and they all run just fine. The only Canadian DVD that I know of that is different in any way from its US counterpart is “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dvds-from-canada-instead-of-the-us/149385/3 "2003-01-18T03:23:33Z")
How about content differences, then? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dvds-from-canada-instead-of-the-us/149385/4 "2003-01-18T03:26:28Z")
I’ve gotten all my _X-Files_ box sets from a dealer in Canada and they are exactly the same as the US versions. I did, however, save about $25 per set (including shipping)! The only DVD I bought that was different was _Pulp Fiction_. The Canadian version had the deleted scenes and a reversible cover insert (one side English, the other, French). At the time, the US version contained just the movie, although that has been replaced by a deluxe edition. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dvds-from-canada-instead-of-the-us/149385/5 "2003-01-18T03:41:29Z")
There are no technical difference–any Canadian DVD will play on any US DVD player and vice versa. Content differences: Sometimes the extras are different (sometimes the US version has more, sometimes the Canadian.) Sometimes the Canadian version has a French track when the US version does not. Sometimes the Canadian version has bilingual packaging. Sometimes a DVD is available in one country before the other (CSI Season One was available in Canada before the US.) Because the versions are often different, some Canadian e-tailers sell _both_ versions. Check the fine print when shopping. It really depends. If you have questions about specific DVD, head over to somewhere like [dvdtalk.com](http://dvdtalk.com) and ask. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dvds-from-canada-instead-of-the-us/149385/6 "2003-01-18T06:32:07Z")
The Canadian disks are more likely to have a French track than a Spanish one. Beyond that, there are no technical differences.