New Guy asking about Region question

[shadow_cruiser]

Hello All,

My first post on this site, so take it easy on me . I've been doing some reading hoping I won't be a newb that knows nothing at all. I still don't know anything though. If its dumb, please answer it anyway as I need to know asap.

There's this DVD I want to buy. There are 2 of the same DVD's with two different regions, region 0 and region 2. Its in PAL format and is coming from the UK. Now, from what I read, the PAL format in the UK is "I". I was checking my DVD player menu (I own a philips mx1060d) and there are two options, one says "PAL M/N" other is "PAL B/G/I". I also did the region hack for it, I was successful but was unable to change it to region 0. Only, region's 1-6 are available.

Anyway, my friend who's selling the region 0 format said it didn't work on 4 of his dvd players. Not sure why, maybe they don't play PAL. But he said they do.

My question is, would I better off getting the region 2 DVD instead of the region 0 and will my player be able to play this PAL movie given the above info?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[RabidDog]

lesson 1 do not buy dodgy DVd's. region 0 means no region coding at all so some players will refuse to play it, thinking its dodgy. Uk is region 2. Your player might play the region 0 disc but almost certainly will play the legit riegion 2. pal g/b/n are just variation on PAL used around europe by france germany etc. But all region 2 pal dvds are the same format so dont worry. Why does your mate own more than four Dvd players? is he a burglar...or a shop owner

[hech54]

When I lived in the states....my JVC DVD player only played PAL Region 0 DVD's. 2's and 4's?.....NOPE...

[shadow_cruiser]

RabidDog - Thanks, your post has helped me greatly. I thought to myself before I should buy the region 2 DVD. Hopefully when it comes it will play, the DVD is $12GBP =$30cdn. Pounds is worth so much more!!. He has a DVD player for every TV and has 3 TV's in the house. One DVD player isn't used.Now, I don't understand why he does that. I can't afford more than one tv and dvd player, he likes throwing around money I guess

Hech54 - Looking at the above post now I'm not sure what to do. I guess I'll try the region 2 dvd, if it doesn't work, then i'm out of $30cdn

[bugster]

When I lived in the states....my JVC DVD player only played PAL Region 0 DVD's. 2's and 4's?.....NOPE...

That would be due to region coding, not PAL/NTSC format.

[hech54]

Let's try this again for "The Moderator",

"The only PAL DVD's that my NTSC DVD Player would play were REGION FREE PAL DVD's."
My NTSC DVD Player (while I lived and grew up in the United States) would NOT play PAL DVD's other than REGION FREE (0) DVD's. It of course played ALL NTSC DVD's since it was an NTSC DVD Player.

Better?

My understanding was that the original poster is an American trying to decide which PAL DVD to buy.....a Region Free or Region 2 DVD.

[bugster]

Let's try this again for "The Moderator",

"The only PAL DVD's that my NTSC DVD Player would play were REGION FREE PAL DVD's."
My NTSC DVD Player (while I lived and grew up in the United States) would NOT play PAL DVD's other than REGION FREE (0) DVD's. It of course played ALL NTSC DVD's since it was an NTSC DVD Player.

Better?

My understanding was that the original poster is an American trying to decide which PAL DVD to buy.....a Region Free or Region 2 DVD.

hech54

You can also see from shadow_cruiser's post that his player can be set to any of the regions 1 to 6, but not region 0. It also has settings for PAL output.

W.R.T Region coding, A region 0 disc can play on a player set to any region. Its PAL/NTSC format doesn't come into it here, we are talking region coding. You said the only PAL discs your player would play were region 0. Not region 2 and 4. That makes sense if your player is region locked which most (all?) are when you first purchase them, though many can be unlocked.

W.R.T PAL/NTSC, this is a different issue. Once past the possible region coding issue, most, though not all, set-top DVD players will play both PAL and NTSC material without any issues. The problem here is that, when playing PAL, they will output PAL signals and when playing NTSC they will output NTSC signals (some player will output PAL-60 if configured to do so). Therfore your display device (TV) has to be able to accept the appropriate signals. In Europe this is rarely a problem as most TV's sold here are multi-standard, even if the fact is not advertised or even included in the TV small print. However in the USA (not sure about Canada) most TV's are NTSC only. Give them a PAL signal and they display black and white and often show vertical scrolling too. Or nothing at all.



shadow_cruiser, it looks as if your DVD player can handle any type of disk (PAL/NTSC, any region) but can your TV handle PAL input? Better check before parting with your hard-earned cash.

[hech54]

All I know is my un-hacked JVC XV-501BK(which the reviews for on this site are WAY OFF) played damn near anything I stuck in it except DVD +-RW's. It played DVD's including PAL Region 0's, VCD's, SVCD's, PAL SVCD's and music CD-R's.
Number 2....both my (newer than average) TV's....one JVC and one Sony...VIEWED all of the items my 501BK swallowed up. Granted the PAL Region 0 DVD's were NOT as crisp and clear as a native NTSC DVD...but it SURE AS HELL was NOT Black and White.
I also just found out that that same JVC...now in the hands of my parents back home...plays PAL VCD's that I sent over to them perfectly.....on the Sony TV....they haven't tried my JVC TV yet.....maybe when the Sony dies.
All of this in a little place called Pittsburgh, Pa. U.S.A.
PAL material on NTSC equipment is NOT that big of a mystery. If TV's here in Europe are NTSC compatible even though it is not advertised as such in most cases....don't you think that same could be true for the reverse situation? Especially when most Americans don't even know what PAL is.....or even what NTSC for that matter.

[hech54]

Almost forgot....my avatar on the left? A PAL Region free DVD played on the 501BK....then captured to my IBM Aptiva computer via one of chose cheap Snappy devices.

Have a nice day....

[bugster]

@hech54, I don't know what you are getting so upset about. I was merley trying to explain, to anyone interested, and especially shadow_cruiser, that Region coding and PAL/NTSC compatibility are two diferent issues.

I am happy for you that your DVD player played what you wanted it to (BTW, there is no region coding on (S)VCD, so no issue there for ANY player)). And the info I provided about PAL compatibility with US TV's has been backed up many times from many sources, so it seems you (or your parents) got lucky with the TV set(s) you bought.

[shadow_cruiser]

Hey all,

Thanks so much for the advice. What a welcome to this site!!!. My friend sent me the region 0 dvd without telling me , so I'm just crossing my fingers to see what happens. I really wanna watch this movie so I hope it works. Thanks again to everyone, it was much appreciated

[bugster]

Hey shadow_cruiser, sorry things got a bit off-topic and even a little out of hand. Let us know how you get on playing that DVD when it arrives. If there is a region 0 version and a region 2 version of the same disk, my bet is that the region 0 version is on some form of DVD recordable media (i.e a copy/backup, pirate or whatever) so your DVD player will need to be able to recognise and read the relevant media type. Anyway, good luck and enjoy the movie (hopefully ).

Bugster

[tlegion]

Why does your mate own more than four Dvd players? is he a burglar...or a shop owner

I own four DVD players. If I buy a fifth to get Mpeg ISO, does that make me a burglar?

[hech54]

Region 0 is "the way to go" in America. Just remember...when all else fails you always have your computer DVD player to watch it in if your DVD Player and/or TV can't handle it.

Good Luck to ya'

Hech54

[shadow_cruiser]

Well,

Today I received the DVD in the mail. I pop it in and first thing I see is "invalid region disc". I shout 'cause my player only handles regions 1-6 and not 0. So I figured, since I bought the DVD from the UK I'll try region 2. It worked!!!!

Then I see a rolling black and white screen. I say no problem and change the tv aspect in the dvd menu. Well, it didn't work and I tried everything. I'm so disappointed as I wanted to watch this movie. The weird thing is, it supports vcd pal playback but no dvd pal playback. Stupid how they made it like that.

I don't have a dvd-rom either. I really want to watch this movie. I'm not sure what to do now. I'm thinking of buying another dvd player as I kinda needed one. Anyway, thanks for the help everyone. Greatly appreciated!!

[bugster]

Well,


Then I see a rolling black and white screen. I say no problem and change the tv aspect in the dvd menu. Well, it didn't work and I tried everything. I'm so disappointed as I wanted to watch this movie. The weird thing is, it supports vcd pal playback but no dvd pal playback. Stupid how they made it like that.

That sounds like PAL output to a NTSC only TV. (See my previous posts)

New DVD player that does PAL->NTSC conversion on the fly, they do exist but may be hard to find. Do you have a PC, if so a DVD-Rom drive is about 25-30 dollars, probably less online if you shop around.

[shadow_cruiser]

Thanks bugster for the help. I went out today and bought a new dvd player as I needed one anyway. This time I didn't cheap out, so I purchased the philips dvd-726. wow, world of difference between the old one. couldn't be happier and it does pal->ntsc conversion as a bonus. I got to see the movie that created images in my head when I watched it for the first time when I was 8. I'm sure you have watched "the day after", if not, I suggest you pick it up. Thanks and I'll be keeping this player for sure. I have someone who wants to buy my old one.