# DVD Player question regarding "regions". (Involves Canadians!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121 "2003-04-30T11:53:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/1 "2003-04-30T11:53:02Z")
Quick question. . . I’ve got a roommate with a US DVD player, and I’ve got a dozen or so DVDs (US). From what I understand, all DVDs and players are set up for “regions”. What is a region, and why is it set up this way (I’d assume to prevent piracy). In any case, when I move out in a month or two, I’ll need to buy my own DVD player. If I drive up to Winnipeg or Regina to buy one, will it be ‘compatible’ with my US DVDs (i.e. are they of the same “region”)? And for the record, you can now buy “Strange Brew” on DVD from Amazon. I just did [sub]kinda pricey though. . .[/sub] Tripler Of course, I haven’t asked about ‘compatability’ since Windows 3.1. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/2 "2003-04-30T12:00:56Z")
Regions are mostly to stop people from buying from different countries where rleease dates vary. (Say ‘Star Wars’ comes out in May in the US, and not until Sept in England; so the English order it from [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) and get it early) The US and Canada are both ‘Region 1’…no problem there. ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/3 "2003-04-30T12:02:43Z")
Oh, yeah, Regions are also supposed to stop wholesalers from selling to foreign countries and scooping sales from the local distributors. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/4 "2003-04-30T12:04:11Z")
Canadan and the US are all Region 1, so you’ll have no compatability difficulties. [Heres a map](http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews/index.php) of the various regions. It’s set up that way to control distribution so that, say, Brits can’t order a movie on DVD from North America that has yet to hit British theatres thereby cutting into theatrical release profits. Of course DVD regions are just a minor pain in the butt and region-free players are very common outside of North America. BTW, if you’re looking for cheap Canadian online DVD stores, I highly recommend [CNL](http://www.cnl.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Daftbugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Daftbugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daftbugger)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/5 "2003-04-30T13:04:28Z")
I have been told that if you search the Internet, you can reset DVD players to the factory settings, ie region 0, so it’ll play all DVD’s. It’s different for each model, so have a google. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/6 "2003-04-30T14:45:57Z")
Standard links for this discussuon: The DVD FAQ: [http://www.dvddemystified.com/](http://www.dvddemystified.com/) Home site of an excellent book about DVDs. The site includes the legendary [DVD FAQ](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html). DVDRHelp: [http://www.dvdrhelp.com/](http://www.dvdrhelp.com/) The source of info about recordable DVDs, also VCDs and SVCDs. Includes a [list](http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers) of DVD players, searchable by feature. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/7 "2003-04-30T14:51:50Z")
Just visit Circuit City or Best Buy & ask them for a region free player. I a saw one at CC once. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/8 "2003-04-30T15:08:34Z")
But beware, **handy** of [Regional Code Enhancement](http://www.dvdtalk.com/rce.html) – a programming on the disc that prevents it from playing in a region-free player, unless you somehow trick-out the player. (As usual, this safeguard will hinder a true bootlegger about five minutes, but make someone who is a fan of movies that will never be released in their own region have to buy two decks) Region 1 is the US (including overseas territories) plus Canada ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/9 "2003-04-30T21:35:45Z")
I just wanted to elaborate that while RCE can, indeed, defeat region-free players, region _selectable_ players are still able to play all discs. Typically, these players allow a viewer to manually set the player to the desired region via firmware. As far as I know, the movie industry hasn’t figured out a way to defeat this. ---
**Author:** ![Yuki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@Yuki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yuki)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-question-regarding-regions-involves-canadians/172121/10 "2003-04-30T23:13:41Z")
Kinda related, if you get a Gameshark for your PS2, it’s got a feature that will allow you to play DVDs from any regions. I use it alot for my Japanese dvds. Very handy, and cheaper than buying a region free player.