Euro vs. American DVD players

[Neptunian_Slug]

I am sure that this was asked before, but since you can’t search on three-letter words…

I want to buy a portable DVD player for some friends in Russia as an X-Mas gift. Do you know if there are any issues with different standards between DVD players?

If so is there any way to convert DVDs?

[gazpacho]

@E-Diddy

I am sure that this was asked before, but since you can’t search on three-letter words…

I want to buy a portable DVD player for some friends in Russia as an X-Mas gift. Do you know if there are any issues with different standards between DVD players?

Yes, there are two main issues.

1. region coding. DVDs have a region code in them to keep people in Europe from playing American DVD’s. The dvd regions:

   • Region 1 - The U.S., U.S. territories and Canada
   • Region 2 - Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Egypt, South Africa, Greenland
   • Region 3 - Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong
   • Region 4 - Mexico, South America, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Caribbean
   • Region 5 - Russia (okay, former Russia), Eastern Europe, India, most of Africa, North Korea, Mongolia
   • Region 6 - China
     You can get players than will play all regions. They are not rare or expensive any more.

2. there is the format. PAL or NTSC.

NTSC is the tv format used in North America. Pal is used in Europe. You can get players that will convert the format for use on one TV standard or another. I don’t know much about them.

If so is there any way to convert DVDs?

Yes you can convert them. Various steps in the process may be illegal in various countries.

[Southessex]

@gazpacho

Yes you can convert them. Various steps in the process may be illegal in various countries.

Even if it were 100% legal, it’s a huge pain in the ass. It takes hours to do just one DVD and it’s needlessly complex if you want to keep the menus too.

In fact, it’s such a pain that I just bought region-free players instead of converting the two dozen or so British DVDs I have here at the house.

[gouda]

Voltage. A US-made player would be made for 120 V, which may be a problem if Russia has the same system as the rest of Europe (220). I bought a boombox in the States without taking this into consideration. I plugged it into the socket in the UK, and a few seconds later, the fuse burnt out.

[Neptunian_Slug]

Thanks for the help folks.

Since its a portable with an internal screen the TV issue shouldn’t be a problem, I just have to spend a couple of bucks on getting a region-free player and a voltage coverter to charge the batteries. Then they should be good to go.

Another problem solved by the Straight Dope. Now if only someone can teach me how to properly solder copper pipe…

[gazpacho]

Most electronics now a days is able to work with US and Euopean power all you need is a plug converter.

http://www.regionfreedvd.net/ should be helpfull.

[Imasquare]

@gazpacho

2. there is the format. PAL or NTSC.

NTSC is the tv format used in North America. Pal is used in Europe. You can get players that will convert the format for use on one TV standard or another. I don’t know much about them.
Yes you can convert them. Various steps in the process may be illegal in various countries.

There is a third format called SECAM which is what is used in Russia.

[Rayne_Man]

@Imasquare

There is a third format called SECAM which is what is used in Russia.

And France.

[Mangetout]

@Southessex

Even if it were 100% legal, it’s a huge pain in the ass. It takes hours to do just one DVD and it’s needlessly complex if you want to keep the menus too.

It doesn’t always work very well either, since the output frame rates are different; I’m not sure how it works the other side of the pond, but here, most mutli-region/multi-format DVD players output NTSC as PAL-60 (i.e. PAL signal format, but scanning at 60 fps instead of the usual 50) and the TV changes the scan rate to cope.

[Mangetout]

Oops, that wasn’t very clear; playing an NTSC DVD on UK domestic players is usually OK, converting them to native PAL DVDs is hugely problematic, usually resulting in dropped frames/jerky movement.

[Bytegeist]

@gazpacho

• Region 5 - Russia (okay, former Russia), …

There is no former Russia — not yet anyway. Russia still exists, quite persistently, and has for centuries.

Perhaps you meant states of the former Soviet Union.

[gazpacho]

@Bytegeist

There is no former Russia — not yet anyway. Russia still exists, quite persistently, and has for centuries.

Perhaps you meant states of the former Soviet Union.

Thats what I get for plagiarizing. Called on other peoples bad jokes.

http://www.laserrot.com/info/lrinfo/dvdmap.html

A better map with more regions. Has anyone seen a region 8 dvd?
http://hometheaterinfo.com/dvd3.htm
0 No Region Coding
1 United States of America, Canada
2 Europe, including France, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Arabia, Japan and South Africa
3 Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo and Indonesia
4 Australia and New Zealand, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America
5 India, Africa, Russia and former USSR countries
6 Peoples Republic of China
7 Unused
8 Airlines/Cruise Ships
9 Expansion (often used as region free)

The following site says that PAL and SECAM DVDs are interchangable.
http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#1.19

PAL and SECAM share the same scanning format, so discs are the same for both systems. The only difference is that SECAM players output the color signal in the format required by SECAM TVs. Note that modern TVs in most SECAM countries can also read PAL signals, so you can use a player that only has PAL output. The only case in which you need a player with SECAM output is for older SECAM-only TVs (and you’ll probably need a SECAM RF connection, see 3.1).

[Harmonious_Discord]

One way to eliminate the the power incompatability problem is to purchase a portable player that can play on it’s batteries or an 12 volt adapter. The person can then use an adapter from that country or use a battery.