# Watching region 1 DVDs in region 2
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 27, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815 "2003-05-27T17:38:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/1 "2003-05-27T17:38:50Z")
OK an, um, _friend_ of mine wants to buy a region 1 DVD over the internet and watch it in the UK. If he gets his DVD player wired up to ignore what region the DVD comes from will it still look OK played on a UK tv or PC? Will the different TV format in the US matter? I remember someone getting their Playstation chipped to play US games but they only played in black and white because of the NTSC TV format in the US. Any thoughts?
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/2 "2003-05-27T18:04:30Z")
I don’t think they’ll let this thread stay open for long. But I will tell you that buying a Region 1 DVD player will do you no good in the UK, since the output would be in NTSC format. There’s no reason to make a Region 1 player in PAL format, since there are no PAL countries in Region 1.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/3 "2003-05-27T18:14:21Z")
There is _nothing_ illegal in _any_ way as long as you have bought and paid for the legit DVD and player so there is _no_ reason to close this thread.
This is a problem I have often as I spend time on both sides of the Atlantic. You should have fewer problems watching it on a computer than with a player and TV.
I have just discovered something quite by accident. My Laptop DVD playe is set to Region 1 (USA) and I tried to play a Region 2 disc and it said no. BUT, if I open Power DVD, then the playlist and make a playlist with the video files on the DVD it will play them. In other words, if you tell it “play this DVD” it will not, but if I tell it “play these files” it will play them. On a cmputer it should be fairly simple and there are ways to convert drives to region 0.
On a stand alone player and TV set you might run into more complications and it mostly depends on the player so you cn just find out what that specific player will do.
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### Author:  [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/4 "2003-05-27T18:29:30Z")
As **Q.E.D.** has pointed out, the main difference between Region 1 and Region 2 is the output format. Region 1 is NTSC, Region 2 is PAL. If you play a Region 1 DVD you need to have an NTSC televison or video monitor. It doesn’t matter what country you’re in, as long as your equipment is compatible.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/5 "2003-05-27T19:19:15Z")
Wait a minute. NTSC and PAL are color encoding schemes for Mosulated TV signals and DVD or other computer files do not use thiese schems at all so it is really a misnomer for (mainly) the frame frequency. In a computer you will have no problem at all as it can dispaly any frame frequency.
With a standalone player it depends. Some can convert the frequency but you are going to have trouble getting around the region protection. You just need to understand the different issues involved. You can buy players set to region 0 though.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/6 "2003-05-27T19:24:54Z")
For information about these formats check out [http://www.disctronics.co.uk/technology/dvdvideo/dvdvid\_videnc.htm](http://www.disctronics.co.uk/technology/dvdvideo/dvdvid_videnc.htm)
As I say, the short answer is that it is much easier on a computer than on a Standalone player and TV set.
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### Author:  [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/7 "2003-05-27T19:38:27Z")
In my experience, most modern TVs sold in Britain and Europe will play NTSC signals through a Scart or composite video cable. Check the small print at the back of your TV manual to be sure.
Disclaimer: don’t come crying to me if they won’t offer a refund if it doesn’t work.
Are you buying from a company in the UK or abroad? It’s probably better to buy from a UK reseller of region 1 DVD players, since they’ll be more understanding, and you won’t get stung with huge import duties. Also take notice of different power supply requirements (DVD players bought from the US may be 110 Volts only).
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/8 "2003-05-27T19:44:27Z")
[http://www.regionfreedvd.net/](http://www.regionfreedvd.net/)
and search google for “region free”
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/9 "2003-05-27T21:42:43Z")
" I remember someone getting their Playstation chipped to play US games"
I just bought a new Action Replay in the USA. It makes your PS2 multiregion & completely legal too & no mod chip required. Cost $39.00 & comes with a 8 meg memory card.
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### Author:  [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/10 "2003-05-27T21:47:25Z")
From [rec.video.dvd FAQ](http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/info/recfaq.asp)
> [@](#):
>
> The MPEG video on DVD is stored in digital format, but it’s formatted for one of two mutually incompatible television systems: 525/60 (NTSC) or 625/50 (PAL/SECAM). Therefore, there are two kinds of DVDs: “NTSC DVDs” and “PAL DVDs.” Some players only play NTSC discs, others play PAL and NTSC discs. Discs are also coded for different regions of the world (see 1.10).
>
> Almost all DVD players sold in PAL countries play both kinds of discs. These multi-standard players partially convert NTSC to a 60-Hz PAL (4.43 NTSC) signal.
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### Author:  [@Pencil\_Pusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pencil_Pusher)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/11 "2003-05-27T23:34:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sailor \*
> **There is _nothing_ illegal in _any_ way as long as you have bought and paid for the legit DVD and player so there is _no_ reason to close this thread.**
I just recently thought about this issue, and I’m not sure I agree.
17 USC § 1201 states
> [@](#):
>
> (1)(A) No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title.
and
> [@](#):
>
> (3) As used in this subsection-
>
> (A) to “circumvent a technological measure” means to descramble a scrambled work, to decrypt an encrypted work, or otherwise to avoid, bypass, remove, deactivate, or impair a technological measure, without the authority of the copyright owner; and
>
> (B) a technological measure “effectively controls access to a work” if the measure, in the ordinary course of its operation, requires the application of information, or a process or a treatment, with the authority of the copyright owner, to gain access to the work.
Which, makes me wonder if Disney can claim that region restrictions “effectively controls access” and are used to enable them to control distribution to different parts of the world. I think an argument that Disney has only authorized US customers to view NTSC transmissions would pass the laugh test in court.
And then, if Disney is successful, the DMCA goes on to say that damages are $200 or more than $2,500 _per act of circumvention_, which is very different from regular copyright violations that make someone liable for $750 to $30,000 _per copyrighted work_
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### Author:  [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/12 "2003-05-27T23:55:58Z")
**Pencil Pusher** , DMCA laws only apply in the US. Since Pushkin and his friend are in the UK, said DMCA laws are irrelevant.
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### Author:  [@Pencil\_Pusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pencil_Pusher)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/13 "2003-05-28T00:00:15Z")
Yes, but **sailor** lives in the US, and I was replying to his post.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/14 "2003-05-28T09:50:27Z")
I am not a lawyer so I am not going to even try to defend any position but I remember this issue has been discussed on this board before and IIRC changing a player to region 0 was deemed to be legal by actual court rulings. Note that region free players are sold legally too and that the main concern is that copyright holders get their fees and they do. As long as you have purchased a legit copy of the DVD the courts have ruled that what you do with it is your business. If you can see it in your microwave they have nothing to say. That’s what I understood but I am not prepared to defend a case in court until I take the bar.
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### Author:  [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/15 "2003-05-28T10:25:08Z")
UK multi-region DVD players will, indeed, convert NTSC signals and feed them quite happily through your SCART socket. I speak from personal experience, with a legally purchased DVD player and an equally legally purchased Region 1 disc. Someday, I hope someone will explain to me exactly how my buying a DVD for home use, and the equipment that allows me to play it, is loosing a tide of copyright infringement, intellectual property theft, and (for all I know) fornication with livestock upon the world.
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### Author:  [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/16 "2003-05-28T10:26:29Z")
The mods dealt with this issue before and IIRC it was \*\*Coldfire \*\* who came back and said it was allowed to talk about opening up all regions.
However this is not what this thread is about. It’s about whether a TV in Northern Ireland will function correctly connected to a US DVD player(region 1)
Point 1 = Power. The US has 110volts and we have 240v. You’ll need a drop down transformer if the player doesn’t have a selector.
Point 2 = My video and TV can do NTSC but I don’t know about yours. As was pointed out earlier on, check the manual/manufacture.
BTW you can pick up a PAL DVD player and get all the regions up for ~ £100 quid. May be a lot less hassle going down the line.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/17 "2003-05-28T10:39:45Z")
[QUOTE]
\*Originally posted by yojimbo \*
However this is not what this thread is about. It’s about whether a TV in Northern Ireland will function correctly connected to a US DVD player(region 1)QUOTE] I believe you have not understood the OP correctly and that the question is whther a region 1 DVD disk can be played in a region 2 DVD player and TV.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/18 "2003-05-28T10:40:58Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by yojimbo
> However this is not what this thread is about. It’s about whether a TV in Northern Ireland will function correctly connected to a US DVD player(region 1)
I believe you have not understood the OP correctly and that the question is whther a region 1 DVD disk can be played in a region 2 DVD player and TV.
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### Author:  [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/19 "2003-05-28T10:52:53Z")
Doh! Cheers **sailor**.
Well them the answer is **yes it will play just fine**. I’ve got several DVD’s that I bought from the States and they play on my opened up PS2 just fine. There is a very very slight degrade in resolution but nothing to put you off looking at the movie and that may be a PS2 thing.
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### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-region-1-dvds-in-region-2/177815/20 "2003-05-28T19:18:44Z")
Thanks **Sailor** and others. I’ll let my “friend” know its ok for him to buy the DVDs 😉 I was after a Star Trek TOS DVD that are apparantly only available in the US so far. The chipped PS was what made me concerned.
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