It's the sole reason I favour HD DVD at this moment

I rarely watch blockbuster movies, I'm more of an "arthouse" fan and a considerable percentage of my DVD's are in R1/NTSC format though I live in PAL Country, simply because there's no R2 DVD available.

Finally hoped this region mumbo jumbo would be over with the PAL/NTSC resolution differences gone, I hoped this regional coding mumbo jumbo would be over but then the Blu-Ray consortium felt it was necessary again :rolleyes:

Bottom line: I don't care who wins, if both HD DVD & Blu-Ray have no regional coding, I have no preference ;)

Just looking out for my future movie collection :)

Hope your wishful "region free world" thinking becomes a reality in the gaming world in the near future as well.

region coding is one of the main reasons Disney went Blu! If they are giving up on that they may as well go neutral as that was the reason they walked from HD-DVD!

No Region Free is NOT going to happen if HD-DVD becomes mainstream. If you don't know why they put region-free on DVD, then you don't know nothing about it. The reason why HD-DVD is region-free now is because we're still early in the HD stage and they want to grab as many early adopter as possible. Once they have you under their pant, then they'll show you reality.

No Region Free is NOT going to happen if HD-DVD becomes mainstream. If you don't know why they put region-free on DVD, then you don't know nothing about it. The reason why HD-DVD is region-free now is because we're still early in the HD stage and they want to grab as many early adopter as possible. Once they have you under their pant, then they'll show you reality.

Hehe you might be right on that one. I get the feeling the consumers' interest is not the main focus of the producers of both camps. :rolleyes:

Still I hope region coding is left optional for (independent) distribution companies. Tartan UK for example releases most of it's DVD's in R0 format now, would be nice if they'd be able to do that for HD formats as well :)

Region coding is optional for Blu-ray. It is not even available, and not even being proposed anymore the last I heard, for HD DVD.

I agree that region coding is a lousy concept. With instant global and electronic media distribution available, there is no reason for studios to not release movies at the same time worldwide, and staggered release is the only reason the coding has ever existed.

Region coding is optional for Blu-ray. It is not even available, and not even being proposed anymore the last I heard, for HD DVD.

I agree that region coding is a lousy concept. With instant global and electronic media distribution available, there is no reason for studios to not release movies at the same time worldwide, and staggered release is the only reason the coding has ever existed.

My understanding is that it's more an issue of regional distribution rights (on top of being a logistical problem). Even now there are HDM discs being issued where the theatrical version has yet to be released in some places; surely these places want to release films as quickly as possible, so the real world situation we have is that it's not always possible to do worldwide release simultaneously on every title, even though that's obviously the goal.

Yep Region coding is a major factor for me too.

Went to rent "Kingdom of Heaven" Blu-ray disc tonight here in Australia. Walked out and read the region "B" that wouldnt play on my Region A player. Back to the store.

Half of my SD DVDs are Region 1 the other half are a mix of Region 2,3,4 which have lots of unique (and better image quality) releases and many without USA censorship.

If somewhere in the world puts out a better release with more extras why shouldnt we all be able to buy and play that?

Yep Region coding is a major factor for me too.

Went to rent "Kingdom of Heaven" Blu-ray disc tonight here in Australia. Walked out and read the region "B" that wouldnt play on my Region A player. Back to the store.

Half of my SD DVDs are Region 1 the other half are a mix of Region 2,3,4 which have lots of unique (and better image quality) releases and many without USA censorship.

If somewhere in the world puts out a better release with more extras why shouldnt we all be able to buy and play that?
Doesn't Australia have some weird law against region coding?

I think that concerns players

I think in AustraLIA IT IS LEGAL TO BYPASS REGION CODING IN THE PLAYER

I have about a dozen foreign HD-DVD's and am very happy they have no region codes. I enjoy obscure films. It is also Ironic that I have MR. and MS.Smith on HD-DVD before it was even released on BLU-RAY. MR BEAN on Holiday is shipping to my door on HD-DVD as we speak even though it was just released in theaters here in the states.

BLU-RAY missed the boat on this one, I would have loved to see the CROW in HD as it was just released over seas but it will not play in region A players because of the antiquated Region Codes on BLU-RAY.

Now that the who NTSC\PAL\SECAM issues are removed with both HD formats the only thing Region coding does is screw over the Consumer.

Doesn't Australia have some weird law against region coding?

Australia and New Zealand made it illegal for companies to enforce region coding on SD-Dvd players. It has something to do with consumers rights.
It is a bloody fantastic idea. Also all BD and HD-Dvd players sold in these countries also are not allowed to enforce region coding on there SD disks. They have not done this as of yet for HD disks, but it may come in the future.

No Region Free is NOT going to happen if HD-DVD becomes mainstream. If you don't know why they put region-free on DVD, then you don't know nothing about it. The reason why HD-DVD is region-free now is because we're still early in the HD stage and they want to grab as many early adopter as possible. Once they have you under their pant, then they'll show you reality.

This train has left the station a long time ago. You should pay more attention to the insider thread. Now there cannot be a region coding on HD DVD anymore. But nice try, Hydra head #08/15.

I would bow low to bluray if they change their specs to region code free! It would be the right move. And they could do it if they would release their movies worldwide at the same time in the theaters.

As much as not having region coding is great, ultimately it will have no impact on the format war. Standard DVD's (for the most part) have it, and that has not stopped it's amazing adoption rate. Most people, unlike us here on these forums, don't know, and don't care about such things.

Australia and New Zealand made it illegal for companies to enforce region coding on SD-Dvd players. It has something to do with consumers rights.
It is a bloody fantastic idea. Also all BD and HD-Dvd players sold in these countries also are not allowed to enforce region coding on there SD disks. They have not done this as of yet for HD disks, but it may come in the future.

Its not illegal, merely ruled "anti-competetive" and may be removed at the manufacturers/distributors discretion. Because of market demand most have removed it on SD players. EXCEPT all of the Hidef player on the market have been released region locked. Well not for HD DVD, but SD is region locked on those same HD DVD players. All Blu-ray players release thus far, even the Samsungs, are region locked in Australia.

As much as not having region coding is great, ultimately it will have no impact on the format war. Standard DVD's (for the most part) have it, and that has not stopped it's amazing adoption rate. Most people, unlike us here on these forums, don't know, and don't care about such things.

SD Regions are enforced in the USA, but its hard to find a Region locked SD player anywhere outside of the USA. Outside the US most people have a mix of local and imported DVDs and a huge chunk of online DVD sales in the US actually goes overseas, and this was a driving force in DVD adoption. What region locked players in the US has done is basically killed North Americans from importing unique SD titles from overseas, like people overseas regularly do from the USA.

What the region encoding is doing for Blu-ray is stopping people overseas from buying from the USA in the same way they do for SD, which was instrumental in the success of SD 'in' the USA.

Region coding isn't favored by consumers, for obvious reasons, but don't movie studios like it? And, if so, why wouldn't studios favor BD for region coding? For instance, isn't that one of the main reasons why Disney likes BD better?

Hollywood is a scwewy, scwewy place! he eh eh eh!

Be vewy, vewy qwiet! I'm huntin' HD-DVD! he eh eh eh eh eh!

Its not illegal, merely ruled "anti-competetive" and may be removed at the manufacturers/distributors discretion. Because of market demand most have removed it on SD players. EXCEPT all of the Hidef player on the market have been released region locked. Well not for HD DVD, but SD is region locked on those same HD DVD players. All Blu-ray players release thus far, even the Samsungs, are region locked in Australia.

The BD players in New Zealand are multi Regioned for SD-Dvd. If it is not illegal, then how come you are not able to purchase a region locked Dvd player in New Zealand. For all intensive purposes it is illegal. You are also wrong about it being up to the discretion of the manufacturer, they cannot enable it. They have been told not to.

I love it.
I can get Fantasic 4, Underworld, Ghost Rider and more on HD DVD.

With the recent move by Paramount I think Fox, Sony and BVHE should refrain from enforcing Region Coding.

It wont help - as there are already discs out there (mainly Fox & Sony) that have region codes - so how are people going to know - just avoid buying discs manufactured in 2006 & 2007 from Sony & Fox?!

What region locked players in the US has done is basically killed North Americans from importing unique SD titles from overseas, like people overseas regularly do from the USA.
We all know that Americans don't like to read their movies, just start up a thread on dubbing vs subtitling to see movie fanatics bristle at the thought of having to read their films, while saying it's a completely different issue from OAR. Anyone who is remotely interested in foreign films has a region free player, and the region free blu-ray players will come eventually.

On the bright side BD region coding is much less restrictive that DVD region coding is. Most of my import DVDs (99%) are from Japan, Korea, or HK, all of which are now in the same region as the U.S. on BD. So while I despise region coding, it's actually not much of an issue for me on BD.

We all know that Americans don't like to read their movies, just start up a thread on dubbing vs subtitling to see movie fanatics bristle at the thought of having to read their films

Maybe you're right about mainstream stuff, but generally people who like arthouse/independent cinema (especially active ones who visit film festivals) loathe the idea of watching a dubbed film. Yes even Americans (or maybe especially Americans ;) )

I'll let you do some homework. Find out the reason why we have region coding today in DVD..then it will enlighten you. HD-DVD incentive to grab people like you to adopt it first...and then if...JUST IF, they somehow blow away Blu-Ray, then they'll force region coding.

Maybe you're right about mainstream stuff, but generally people who like arthouse/independent cinema (especially active ones who visit film festivals) loathe the idea of watching a dubbed film. Yes even Americans (or maybe especially Americans)
Can't agree with you there. When I was in film school I was SHOCKED at the lack of interest in foreign films and how future filmmakers (really talented people) would insist that dubbing was the better option, director's intent be damned. These are the same people who frequent the film festivals and see all the independent films in the theaters. The people you're talking about (such as me) are a minority within a minority.

I don't actually see how region coding is actually effective - how it could actually stop piracy. Its only effect seems to be to frustrate people legally importing. At one time everyone seemed to say that region coding would disappear on SD DVDs because it wasn't effective yet its still here.

I last heard that region coding was still a future possibility on HD-DVD although I haven't heard anything recently about it so I'm unsure. Can someone point out where this was discussed?

I don't actually see how region coding is actually effective - how it could actually stop piracy. Its only effect seems to be to frustrate people legally importing. At one time everyone seemed to say that region coding would disappear on SD DVDs because it wasn't effective yet its still here.

I last heard that region coding was still a future possibility on HD-DVD although I haven't heard anything recently about it so I'm unsure. Can someone point out where this was discussed?

not only does it have no effect on piracy, as every pirated disc has region coding removed from the disc to play in any region-coded players, it actually promotes piracy because for some w/o a region free player downloading is the only way to enjoy their foreign films. region-coding is about as dumb an idea as putting out combo discs at $5 over standard hi-def discs.

Can't agree with you there. When I was in film school I was SHOCKED at the lack of interest in foreign films and how future filmmakers (really talented people) would insist that dubbing was the better option, director's intent be damned. These are the same people who frequent the film festivals and see all the independent films in the theaters. The people you're talking about (such as me) are a minority within a minority.

That's suprising to hear. I must admit the Americans I know, who are into independent cinema, are living in Europe or visiting so they might indeed be a minority within a minority. I'd expect film students in the US to be interested in films from all over the world, in their original language. But I guess that's not the case for most film students, judging by your experience.

Luckily for movie lovers in the US, there's still US distributors who appreciate cinema in it's original form, like the Criterion company or other specialized companies like Tartan :)