What's the diference between zone 1 and zone 2 DVD disks?

[grungerdude]

Hello there.

Could someone please tell me what is the main diference between DVD disks encoded in zone 1 and zone 2? I heard the first is the US format and the second the European. Not sure though. Then again, What DVD players can play either zone? Can I play both DVD formats with my ONKYO DV-S535?

[kayfam]

grungerdude,
What you’re referring to is actually called a region code. Follow this link and it can explain it better than I ever could: http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#1.10
As to the second part of you question follow this link and look your player up for compatibility: http://www.vcdhelp.com/dvdplayers.php

[PigOnWing]

Actually keyfam gave an excellent resource, and stil I decided to try and 'sum up' the differences as I see them - allowing myself to give reference to that excellent resource (thanks keyfam again ).

I would devide the differences to three categories:

1. On a region-difference level, the Region code is supposed to simply tell the DVD player of whether it should or should not play the DVD - based on your location (and presumably, the location the player was purchased).
2. On an edition-level difference, there may be differences between different region editions - mainly due to different companies producing the DVD. The differences can be different packaging, different extras, different encoding, different mastering, etc. As completley different editions, for example, take the US (Region 1) edition of Monty Python Live which contains their first 'Lost German Episode' and Life of Python contains the second (both as bonuses) while an Australian edition (Region 4) of Monty Python Fliegender Zirkus simply has both episodes on one disc, and nothing else.
3. On a technical level difference, The MPEG encoding itself might be formatted a little differently - farmerate-wise and resolution-wise. If you're playing a DVD formatted for Region 1 (US, NTSC) on a system that expects PAL (or vice-versa), then besides the region question, it will depend on whether your setting can play multi-system, or if it can and how well does it do on-the-fly conversion.

-- Piggie