Region Free Dvd Player--legal? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Mason]

You make a good point about different companies sometimes releasing a film in different regions, however that is generally not the norm (usually happens to older catalog titles). I could see a retailer who has the rights to sell an older film on DVD (the Shaw Brothers movies for example) being upset that an import is competing with their product. However, in these cases, the company issuing the disc could always make a "better" disc to compete with the import (see below).

Kung Fu Hustle is a good example of what I was talking about. Sony released the film AND the DVD, yet they were trying to get stores here not to sell the imports. Why? Sony gets the money either way (don't get me started on the issue of the domestic version being different from the version shown in the country of origin like KFH, Ong Bak, Hero...that fact alone is enough to get me to import)! Also, just because C&D letters are sent out, doesn't mean the companies issuing them have a legal leg to stand on. Half the time they are just hoping the store will back down (which the usually do). Just because they threaten doesn't mean they are right. I know just as many online retailers that get C&D letters, throw them away and nothing ever happens to them. I suspect if anyone had the stones (and money) to take these guys to court over imports, the studios would eventually lose. I mean, import compact discs aren't illegal, why should DVDs be any different? Japan has gotten their domestic folks to buy domestic CDs by offering bonus tracks an other items that can't be found on the imports. DVDs can and should be the same in my opinion. If the studios want people to buy the local region DVDs, make them better than the import! Heck, you'll probably get the die hards to double dip on these titles if a better version comes out in another region after they've already purchased a local one! This already happens by the way and I suspect the main reason most people buy an import of a movie when a domestic version is available is because the import is superior in some way (better packaging, better video/audio bitrate, more extras, etc.).

The other main reason to buy an import is because they sometimes change the movie in some way for the domestic release. This happens most often with Asian films, and it pisses me off to no end. I want to see the film as the director intended, not as some Hollywood jerk thinks will sell more tickets in North America. Movies like Ong Bak, Hero (subs) and Kung Fu Hustle couldn't be seen "uncut" or without the musical score re-done in this country unless you imported a DVD!! I've heard the Russian film "Night Watch" is getting trimmed by 20 minutes (!) and is being rescored for the R1 release. Give me a break!!!!

Region free helps keeps the studios "honest" by ultimately allowing the consumer the option to purchase the "best" version of a film for him/her. Freedom of choice is a good thing!!

 

[JeremyErwin]

Silly poster. "Honesty" is not required of monopolists.

One could argue that the entire purpose of copyright laws is to insulate the copyright holders from the pernicious effects of the free market. They shouldn't be forced to release good quality discs. If they have the rights, they should be able to force discs of marginal quality into the shopping carts of consumer drones.

 

[Jeff Mason]

That's why I put "honest" in quotes ! Getting around region coding is better for the consumer, period. Most of the "monopolies" are going about this the wrong way, honestly. Instead of spending so much money trying to stop imports, etc., they should, as I stated earlier, make better discs for the local region or release the same version in every country. But, since that will never happen...

If it was as simple as a pricing issue (worries about an import being significantly cheaper than a domestic version), then I could see the companies wanting region coding. The sad fact is, though, that there are a lot of movies/shows that will NEVER get released in the U.S./Canada (thus, there would never be a domestic version that the import would "compete" with) and because of region coding, the R1 consumer has no option to ever view these (which is just plain wrong). Some of my favorite import DVDs are of movies/TV series that do not and probably will not ever get released in the U.S. (where I live). Spaced, Hero (Director's Cut), Lock Stock...(Director's Cut)...I could go on and on...

 

[MandyHan]

So is there something wrong with buying a region free DVD? A few years back, a friend of mine let me borrow a copy of Hero that was region free. I didnt feel like I was breaking any sort of law. I considered it different from downloading something for free, which i highly object with.

 

[RoryR]

To the consumer Region Free is perfectly legal - simple as that. Stores can't, I bougt a terrible region free DVD player on the high street here in the UK - it didn't advertise that way ofcourse, but replaced it for one where the store itself gave you the code on their website!

Hopefully the region coding will be nipped in the bud, I can only see it leading to more piracy and ultimatley somebody cracking it (again).

 

[KlausB]

This subject is as mystifying to Europeans as that of why US citizens are banned from visiting a tourist centre popular with the rest of the planet - Cuba.

But I digress. ALL DVD players are multi-region, manufacturers do not make seperate models for each region. The reason why DVDs are region-limited is not one of copyright but differential pricing: they cost twice as much in Europe as in the US, and more in the UK than anywhere else.

Someone mentioned paying $10 for a 'hack'. Why? When I needed to de-regionalise (new word!) my DVD player, I googled the subject and came up with:

http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/info/multiregion/

where the codes you enter using the remote control are available for free for any and all DVD players on the market.

Why did I want to do this? Like one of our friends here, I wanted a DVD of a film that had never been released here (Three Days of the Condor), which was only available in the US. It is so far the only film I wanted on DVD that I couldn't buy here in the UK, but now the family can exchange DVDs of their adorable infants (my nephew lives in Montreal)!

 

[Jeff Mason]

MandyHan, I think you are talking about something different, which are DVD discs themselves that are manufactured without a region code (they will say Region 0 on the box typically). This practice is not illegal and in fact some smaller companies have realized that it is a good way to increase their potential overseas sales (the Australian version on Ong Bak I have is not region coded for example). You do have to be a bit careful, however, as many bootleg (or more accurately pirated) versions of movies on DVD are coded as "region 0". To date, none of the remastered Shaw Brothers movies from Celestial are legitimately available in region 1 (although this is about to change in the next month or so), but I've seen "region 0" copies being sold at some smaller shops. There was a legitimate Region 0 version of Hero released by Edko some time back, so you're likely safe with the copy you borrowed ! It's very hard to tell with Asian movies, though, as piracy is rampant in China and region 0 bootlegs of movies are quite prevalent.

 

[MandyHan]

thanks Jeff. I'll stay on the lookout. I like the opportunity to get rare DVDs, but don't want to touch them if I am screwing over the people that made the films if they are bootlegs.

 

[James Reader]

But don't forget a PSP is region-free, both games and films. But it doesn't mean that I, living in the UK, can go out and buy a US game of film disc direct from the shops. Because Sony UK is still threatening to sue the pants of any company who imports and resells PSP games. True, I can import them over the internet, but even then, most repuatable suppliers are likewise bullied (Notice how Amazon.Com won't ship PSP games overseas)

This region-free thing is to cutdown on manufacturing costs for Sony, and will not help the customer at all. There will still be staggered launches (just as the PSP launch was staggered), blatent profiteering by the distributors, and legal threats. But hey, its still creating a buzz isn't it? Even if it's pretty much useless. (Besides, most Xbox360 games aren't region locked and the ability to do so is optional, but nobdoy jumps on that fact).

I suspect the same will be true for HD-DVD when it launches over here. Warner or whoever won't want their local releases impacted by US imports, so out will come the threat of legal action to retailers. [shrugs]

 

[Mark_TS]

whatever you do, dont buy a US SONY-they are unhackable unless you get a technician to do it (most repair shops wont)
I just bought an R1 YAMAHA S657 (I think its an export model, because its not listed on their site-but is everywhere else in the world)
Look one up on eBay-or goggle legit stores-maybe even Amazon.
Great Picture, Great Sound, But no hookups for HDTV-which is OK with me for now.

This MAY have been region free out of the box, even thought the box and manual list it as "R1 only" Didnt think to check at the time.
As soon as I got it out of the box and plugged in-I was hacking.

At any rate, you turn it on, open the tray, use the remote and press 0-0-0-0-9
and a region display comes up on your TV screen. With the remote, just press 'zero', close the tray and youre ALL region-and PAL too; There are many companies that are this easy and a few that you cannot hack at all;
Here is a page that can give you more info:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks