DVD Formats

[KBMaster]

If I wanted to get, say, a region 3 format DVD, would it work on my playstation 2 or region 1 DVD player? I really want to get the Death Note movies, but there's no point if I can't even watch them. Also, would it work on a laptop?

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Sadly, no.

You'll need a region-free DVD player or a certain type of software for your computer. http://www.videolan.org should work.

[jaems-kun]

Word of warning for playing alter-region dvds in computers. Most computers have a lock on the dvd drive so you can only change the region coding a certain number of times before it sticks forever... or at least until you reinstall the operating system.

[KBMaster]

Sadly, no.

You'll need a region-free DVD player or a certain type of software for your computer. http://www.videolan.org should work.

....I don't suppose I could get that at Walmart?

[AsianBlossom]

Word of warning for playing alter-region dvds in computers. Most computers have a lock on the dvd drive so you can only change the region coding a certain number of times before it sticks forever... or at least until you reinstall the operating system.

Quoting and bolding for significance...my dad told me about this the other night, and this only confirms it. BE CAREFUL.

If you just want to do things the safe way, your best bet is to just get an all-region player, like MSP said.

[Warrior4Christ]

At least here, a non-region-free DVD player (to buy) would actually be quite hard to find...

And as for the computer DVD drive, I'm pretty sure that reinstalling the operating system wouldn't reset it. However, flashing the drive firmware does reset the region (and you can probably get region-free firmware for most drives too). Not for the faint hearted at all though.

[Mega.EXE]

In Hong Kong it's really easy to get region free DVD players. In fact they are actually cheaper than regular ones o.0 . Yeah I don't really remember ever seeing region free ones in the States.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Word of warning for playing alter-region dvds in computers. Most computers have a lock on the dvd drive so you can only change the region coding a certain number of times before it sticks forever... or at least until you reinstall the operating system.

The easiest way to work around this is to just play the DVD with VLC Media Player instead of your default Computer DVD player.

Just open VLC, File, Open Disc, and then select the inserted DVD and you're done.

[Mithrandir]

Out of curiosity, does your computer have two drives? I know some computers do (most of mine, at any rate). If so, some operating systems will allow you to set 1 player to a specific region, and the other to a different one. Since an extra DVD player is likely to be in the $40-$50 range, it might not be that bad an option - IF you are comfortable installing an extra drive.

[pyro_moogle]

Well with programs like DVDshrink (which have a bad connotation but can be used for completely legal reasons) you can can switch the region coding of the DVD.