# DVD player region code unlock

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-region-code-unlock/200253>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 8, 2003, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-region-code-unlock/200253 "2003-09-08T08:05:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-region-code-unlock/200253/21 "2003-09-08T19:07:33Z")

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In the USA you can get region free, ntsc/pal, macrovision etc players for something like $50. They do it all out of the box so that should be the way to go. I just got one on ebay but I paid extra for the shipping.

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-region-code-unlock/200253/22 "2003-09-08T21:09:24Z")

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You’re lucky sailor, I haven’t found them there that cheap before.

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**Author:** ![Masuro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Masuro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Masuro)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-region-code-unlock/200253/23 "2003-09-09T00:37:15Z")

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Thanks for all the information. I found the region unlock code on a Korean electronics site and, if I remember correctly, the region lock is reversable and you can choose the region when you enter the code. I should check again, though.  
I’ll be getting a new widescreen TV in a few months but I’m not really worried about the NTSC/PAL features. I was mostly just curious. I would assume that someone produces British films for NTSC since most of them are probably exported to North America. Still, it’d be nice to order some European films on DVD so I can get English subtitles. I’ll have to check out the TV before I buy it.

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**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-region-code-unlock/200253/24 "2003-09-09T05:50:46Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin \*  
> **As for region code unlocking, it’s a two-edged sword. It won’t harm the player, but making the player region-free means that it won’t look for regional coding information. Some DVDs have RCE (Regional Coding Enhancement) which will not work in your region free DVD player.**

It’ll depend on the way the player unlocks. My Mustek player has an “All” zone option accessible via an arcane combination of buttons, and I’ve played RCE disks just fine. YMMV.

In addition to the links people have already offered, lots more DVD info can be found on the [DVD Demystified FAQ](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html).

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**Author:** ![Thylacinewas\_taken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Thylacinewas\_taken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacinewas_taken)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-region-code-unlock/200253/25 "2003-12-06T20:07:08Z")

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This site is awesome:  
[http://www.regionfreedvd.net/players.html](http://www.regionfreedvd.net/players.html)

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