Finally an Australian 16:9 Harry Potter, but..... (1 Viewer)

[Mark_vdH]

....I doubt it'll be a top seller:
http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/221503/id=Y4vZb:qBKb8
You'll have to buy it in a 3-disc set containing the cd soundtrack, making it more expensive.
Besides, the R2 versions are R2/R4 dual encoded, so serious Australian movie buffs already have the wide screen version in their collection.
But undoubtedly the Australian division of Warner Bros. will draw the conclusion from this release that 4:3 versions are immensely more popular than 16:9/OAR ones......

 

[YANG]

The AUSTRALIAN market may not only bee flooded with R2 release,don't forget that retailers do bring in some stocks from either U.S or CANADA.

Anyway...R4 WS came in too late!

 

[Sam Owens]

Not in Australia they don't - it's illegal to import films for resale in Australia.

 

[YANG]

"Not in Australia they don't - it's illegal to import films for resale in Australia."

I thought that the AUSTRALIAN authorities have comments on the region coding?They encourage foreign imports isn't it?

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

Region coding and region prohibitions are indeed under investigation I think, and rightly so.
But then again it is also illegal to import non R2 discs in Norway and yet many stores do it all the time... I would imagine the situation is the same all over the world... with the exception of North America

 

[ChristianW]

I very, very rarely see imported DVDs for sale in Aus.

 

[Adrian_P]

Besides, the R2 versions are R2/R4 dual encoded, so serious Australian movie buffs already have the wide screen version in their collection.

This is true. I have had the R2 for quite a while now, and been enjoying the film in WIDESCREEN.

On the topic of stores selling DVDs from other regions. I used to know of a few in my immediate area that sold Region 1 dvds. However they were ridiculously expensive and it was cheaper to import them yourself.

Funilly enough the main store that I used to go to, to check out R1's, has stopped stocking them.

 

[Sam Owens]

Region coding and the Copyright Act are two very separate things. Even if they got rid of region coding, it would still be illegal to import films for resale.

The reason why region coding grates is that it interferes with Australian citizens' right to import copies of films for personal use.

 

[DeanWalsh]

I very, very rarely see imported DVDs for sale in Aus.

I can't speak for the rest of Australia, but it is VERY easy to get imported dvds in Sydney, particularly region 1 & 3. There are at least 3 stores I can think of that specialise in imports. Yes it is supposed to be illegal here, but like porn it is kept on the down low.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Meanwhile, finding other region DVDs here are retail is nigh-impossible