Multi Region DVD Players For Everyday Use

By Daniel Ramirez

Multi region DVD players are incredibly useful if you like to watch moves from other parts of the world. If you do not have a computer that can read DVDs from other regions, or a regular DVD player that can not do it eiher, then these are a must. Films are released all over the world with separate region codes (locks) corresponding to their location. Movie studios place these locks on DVDs in order to keep control over film releases in order to regulate price and release.

While adhering to the limits placed on movies by movie studios is fine and dandy, you may want to be able to watch a Thai horror film or a French romance film in your home without having going through the difficulty of multiple DVD players or watching them on your computer. This is when multi region DVD players are useful.

There are 9 standard region codes that are used worldwide. The region code for the United States and Canada is 1, while region 2 covers Japan, Egypt, Iran, Israel, and a large chunk of Europe. Some of the regions almost seem to be laid out at random, such as region 5, which covers Ukraine, Russia, most of Africa, Central and South Asia, and North Korea. If you want to watch movies from more than one region, you are going to need a player that will let you do so.

Multi region DVD players allow you to watch any movie you want by supporting many, if not all, of the international region codes. Being held to the region coding of just your region code is one of the more troublesome things about DVD usage, but these DVD players completely eliminate that problem.

You may find that some electronics stores now sell a few models that can play DVDs from other regions, though department stores usually do not have them to sell. You will have the best luck by looking online, especially if you want one that is top of the line. There are models in production these days that are multi-disc players or even recorders, so don't limit your search to only a standalone DVD player.

You will also find that most multi region DVD players are also capable of playing video CDs (VCDs). Though this format is not popular or used at all in the United States or Europe, it is fairly common in Southeast Asia. Primarily in China, where many forms of media are released on both DVD and VCD. If you like to watch moves from Asia, consider a model with VCD capabilities. Though the picture is lower quality, VCDs are very cheap. Remember that while you are looking for DVD players. - 29968

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