DVD Region Encoding... Why???

[Mudbone]

What is the purpose of the different DVD regions? Seems like this is a PITA not only for consumers but for manufacturers and distributors as well.

 

[FlyLice]

Go to google and type: purpose DVD regions and click "I'm Feeling Lucky"
It will take you to this site http://www.tohokingdom.com/web_pages/dvd/region_faq.htm

What is the purpose of different regions?
Most films are theatrically released in the United States first, around six months later those same films are theatrically released in Japan and Europe. An additional six months after that the film will be released to the rest of Asia, followed by Australia and Mexico as they are released in order of region coding. It is around six through twelve months after the initial theatrical release that the film will come out on DVD in the United States. This DVD release in the states conflicts with the theatrical release of that same film in other countries of the world. So in order to stop people from importing the film, instead of seeing it in the theaters in their own country and then buying it once released on DVD, different DVD regions were created. Furthermore regions were created so companies can sell DVDs for inflated prices in the US, where people will pay them, and sell them for prices more aligned with manufacture cost in locations where demand is not as high without a decline in profit from importing.


S'all about the Benjamins.

 

[dug777]

its all in the economics- regions allow them 2 differentiate b/w markets...like mr.flylice is saying

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Mudbone
What is the purpose of the different DVD regions? Seems like this is a PITA not only for consumers but for manufacturers and distributors as well.

It is.

However, the MPAA is all about being a PITA.

 

[Cerb]

DVD regions exist for the same reason you must decrypt a DVD to rip it.
Because the major corporations making the technology want to control how you use it.

 

[bobalong]

the thing is; I've yet to to see a DVD drive which either isn't multiregion or require a simple firmware upgrade to make it so.

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: bobalong
the thing is; I've yet to to see a DVD drive which either isn't multiregion or require a simple firmware upgrade to make it so.

A computer drive or a standalone player for the TV?

 

[bobalong]

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers

Originally posted by: bobalong
the thing is; I've yet to to see a DVD drive which either isn't multiregion or require a simple firmware upgrade to make it so.

A computer drive or a standalone player for the TV?

Computer drive

 

[Bateluer]

Most software players will allow you to change the region several times before locking it. And even after its locked, you can uninstall/reformat, and go it again.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: FlyLice
Go to google and type: purpose DVD regions and click "I'm Feeling Lucky"
It will take you to this site http://www.tohokingdom.com/web_pages/dvd/region_faq.htm

What is the purpose of different regions?
Most films are theatrically released in the United States first, around six months later those same films are theatrically released in Japan and Europe. An additional six months after that the film will be released to the rest of Asia, followed by Australia and Mexico as they are released in order of region coding. It is around six through twelve months after the initial theatrical release that the film will come out on DVD in the United States. This DVD release in the states conflicts with the theatrical release of that same film in other countries of the world. So in order to stop people from importing the film, instead of seeing it in the theaters in their own country and then buying it once released on DVD, different DVD regions were created. Furthermore regions were created so companies can sell DVDs for inflated prices in the US, where people will pay them, and sell them for prices more aligned with manufacture cost in locations where demand is not as high without a decline in profit from importing.


S'all about the Benjamins.

makes perfect sense to me.

 

[batmanuel]

Of course, the region coding is a pretty stupid idea in the end because it doesn't take into account the rampant piracy, especially in Asia where you can sometimes get a zero-day DVD rip that has been copied to a recordable DVD or VCD on practically the day it is released in Region 1. Heck, sometimes a rip gets released on to the internet of a production sample or a review copy BEFORE the region 1 release date, so the market in that country can be swamped with pirated discs months before it is released in their region. So it really doesn't do squat to protect the sales of the movies.

I think there is also issues associated with distribution rights as well that led to the creation of the DVD region coding, since it often happens that different distributors could have the rights to the same movie in different regions. When studios team up on a film as well, it is possible that one studio may get money for the US market while another one may get the money for the overseas market.