# I can't play PAL/Rc-Tbc DVD's in the 'States can I? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943 "2004-06-24T03:50:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/1 "2004-06-24T03:50:19Z")
I live in Kansas and I’m a huge fan of the now defunct British blues band, The Hoax. I just found out that part of that original band (The Davey Brothers) has released a huge double album/DVD combo set in the UK and I can buy it from [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). However, the DVD is in PAL/Rc-Tbc, and if I remember correctly, it’s completely incompatible with the US standard (NTSC, right?), so even if I bought the set, I wouldn’t be able to watch DVD, right? Any way around it? ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/2 "2004-06-24T03:55:44Z")
I believe some DVD players can convert PAL to NTSC. You should also be able to play it on your PC if you have a DVD-ROM drive. But if the disc is region coded, it’ll be easier to trick a set-top DVD player into playing it (if you get the right kind) than a DVD-ROM drive. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/3 "2004-06-24T05:27:12Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > I believe some DVD players can convert PAL to NTSC. Yes. Some (very) modern US TVs can convert PAL\>NTSC, but in the US it’s mostly the DVD players that do the conversion. If you “don’t know” if you have a region-free player, you probably don’t. Also, note that some of the cheaper DVD players (a.k.a. Apex) are (or can easily be made) “region-free” but do _not_ have a built-in PAL\>NTSC converter. I don’t know how much you know about the international DVD scene, but “regioning” and “video format” are not the same thing - people sometimes confuse the two. For a good deal on a region-free player, try a Malata or JVC player. Google them, including the words “region-free”. > [@Mr2001](#): > > You should also be able to play it on your PC if you have a DVD-ROM drive. But if the disc is region coded, it’ll be easier to trick a set-top DVD player into playing it (if you get the right kind) than a DVD-ROM drive. Ummm… no. Not really. There are three major ways to play a different region’s DVDs on your PC: 1. Simply changing the region of the DVD-ROM via Device Manager. Most drives allow for four region changes. So he could simply change the region with a couple of clicks and use Nero to convert the DVD to NTSC, then convert it back again. 2. Use region-free firmware (actually changing the “operating system” on the DVD-ROM to allow for region-free playback or; 3. Use “drive-overlay” type software. If your DVD-ROM is made by a major OEM, you should find dozens of sites for either of the last two options. On the other hand, finding a DVD player that’s both region-free _and_ can convert from PAL\>NTSC is somewhat difficult. Not impossible, sure. But if he wanted to buy a DVD player locally it could take some serious searching. Online is easier, but some folks don’t like buying online. Hacking a DVD-ROM drive is child’s play in comparison. I’d provide links, but you know how the mods here are. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise: altering the region of _any_ DVD device in the United States is in _no way, shape, or form_ illegal. ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/4 "2004-06-24T22:30:43Z")
Ok, so my suspicions on PAL/NTSC were correct then. Thanks for the info. What the heck is _Rc-Tbc_ then? ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/5 "2004-06-24T22:38:37Z")
> [@BrianS](#): > > Ok, so my suspicions on PAL/NTSC were correct then. Thanks for the info. > > What the heck is _Rc-Tbc_ then? After 5 minutes of Googling, all I can find is something called “Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council,” which I still don’t get even after reading their website. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/6 "2004-06-24T23:03:03Z")
Aren’t most dvd-rom drives region free? I know mine is. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/7 "2004-06-24T23:08:56Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > Aren’t most dvd-rom drives region free? I know mine is. Usually, the drive is set for the region the computer is sold in. Of the four drives I’ve had, all have been set to R1. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/8 "2004-06-24T23:10:09Z")
> [@reeder](#): > > Aren’t most dvd-rom drives region free? I know mine is. Apparently not, given the dozens of sites out there from which you can download RF firmware, or the fact that Windows itself recognizes the region on your drive (even if you don’t have any DVD software installed on your system), or the many drive-overlay programs out there. I’ve personally owned or installed six of the drives from Plextor, LiteOn, Sony, Panasonic and NEC and they all were regioned. I’ve installed 50 or more DVD-ROM drives professionally and they were all region 1. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/9 "2004-06-24T23:18:20Z")
Also, **BrianS** just wanted to tell ya that Amazon UK has it (see [here](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000ADP67/qid=1088118705/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/202-4900259-8826260)) and only lists it as being a “DVD”. You might want to consider ordering it from them as it’s only £11.99 from the UK. That’s only $21.87 and that’s **before** the UK’s 17% sales tax (VAT) is removed - which would knock it down to about $18.60. Even with the £3 shipping fee, it’s only like $24 shipped from [Amazon.uk](http://Amazon.uk). ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/10 "2004-06-24T23:19:44Z")
> [@Rex Fenestrarum](#): > > On the other hand, finding a DVD player that’s both region-free _and_ can convert from PAL\>NTSC is somewhat difficult. Not impossible, sure. But if he wanted to buy a DVD player locally it could take some serious searching. Online is easier, but some folks don’t like buying online. Hacking a DVD-ROM drive is child’s play in comparison. I’m the proud owner of a Philips player – model DVD 724 – that I acquired a couple years ago at Wal\*Mart. It is easily converted to region free and back again to any region as often as you like (with the remote) and handles PAL -\> NTSC conversions well. It’s a progressive scan too. Set me back about $90. And I found [this one](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=61247&item=5706196160&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW) on eBay as a Buy it Now for $39.99. It’ll do what you want and do it well. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-play-pal-rc-tbc-dvds-in-the-states-can-i/251943/11 "2004-06-24T23:20:49Z")
I forgot to add that it also plays MP3s, MP2s, and CDs full of JPGS – or any combination thereof. I’m really quite happy with it.