Regional Coding on BLU RAY

[winstone]

Is there any information provided about Regional Coding on BLU RAYs?
Is it going to work similar to existing dvds?
Will there be available REGION FREE BLUE RAY players??

[Rob]

I think it's pretty much guarenteed that regional coding will be in place again. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't more difficult to crack this time. Remote hacks will probably be out of the question. Still, I don't think anything has been finalised.

[zombie]

I too expect region coding but it may not be universally used on BDs. Both Warner and Disney have said they no longer see the need for it.

[mk_kenshin]

I hate reagional zoning it's a real pain I use 2 seperate drives on my powerbook just to get around it my main one for zone 1 the external for zone 4.

[winstone]

So, it's expected not to be included a REGIONAL CODING?
Will BLUE RAY discs be REGION ALL then?

I ask this as I live in Argentina where we have REGION4 obligued, but many editions are deplorable, so my collection is almost REGION1, and the dvd players as you all must know, should be REGION FREE.

So, in behalf of BLUE RAY I will be very enthusiast if the format will have no regions at all and the players would play every BLUE RAY existing.

[Knight-Errant]

I will do what is necessary to watch american blu-ray discs.
If it means importing a player, then I will do that. But if it is possible to buy a player in the UK that will play american discs, then I would much rather do that.

[Patrick]

I read an article saying the PS3 wont have region coding. Here it is :

PlayStation 3 games are unlikely to be region coded, according to Sony’s Australian managing director, Michael Ephraim.

Unlike its predecessors, the PlayStation and the PlayStation 2, the PS3 is tipped to allow gaming and movie playback from discs bought in any part of the world, rather than being limited to playing discs only from a specific region.

The PS3’s support for HDTV standards was cited as one of the key reasons the company is considering abolishing its practice of region coding.

According to Ephraim,

“If you look at the fact that it [the PlayStation 3] will support high-definition TV, which will be a global standard, there’s a good likelihood that it will be global region, as for example we’ve done with the PSP [PlayStation Portable].”

Sony’s announcement follows an Australian High Court ruling that mod chips purchased to circumvent the Playstation’s region coding do not infringe copyright laws.

Should Sony make region coding obsolete with the Playstation 3’s release, consumers will be able to purchase PS3 games and movie discs from anywhere in the world, which may turn out to be significantly cheaper than purchasing them exclusively from their home territory.

http://www.ps3focus.com/archives/151#more-151

[thunderhawk]

Thanks for the information.. Thats good news

[phloyd]

That could be for Australia only.

Australia has been active in challenging the anticompetitive nature of region coding and IIRC DVD players there are not region restricted.

[Patrick]

I dont think it would be only for Australia. The PSP has no region coding and theres no need to give one market no region coding unless you plan to do it everywhere. I really think Sony just wont use it for the PS3 or Blu-ray. I mean now they already know people can legally get around it so why not just remove it. Hoping we will all find out for sure someday soon.

[Monotone]

Originally Posted by phloyd

IIRC DVD players there are not region restricted.

Here in Australia we're classified as region 4, and just about all DVDs comply with that.

However, many (not all) of the players on the market over here ARE multi-region, so quite a few people do import Region 1 discs.

[Martin]

I am fascinated to read all about Blu Ray as I have not heard of it before. I think it is good that the discs will be the same size as DVDs and that the players from what I understand will be backward compatible.

I wonder if anyone has any information regarding the region coding and whether it will be the same as DVDs? I wonder also what the time frame of PCs and Macs being equipped with a Blu Ray drive as I am beginning to think of replacing my laptop and will wait until a Blu Ray compatible one is released before I proceed. I guess Sony will be one of the first to release.

Any info will be appreciated.

Regards.

[thunderhawk]

Originally Posted by Martin

I am fascinated to read all about Blu Ray as I have not heard of it before.

Well... Release is at the door mate
Finally they start to get down to business

[Chappers]

well, now that BluRay regional coding has supposedly been announced:

http://gamersreports.com/news/705/

I can't say I'm impressed.

Unless someone comes forward and explains to me that Europe doesn't have the bum deal yet again, I shall remain unhappy. Why break only Japan out of it's former grouping with Western Europe and South Africa? What was the reasoning behind deciding which countries were included in what region, and what limitations will region coding mean for BluRay?

And poor old China doesn't warrant being included in "Asia" apparent promotion either.

I don't think it's an inaccurate assumption state that it seems Region 1 will get pretty much every major film and anime release ahead of the rest.

What ever happened to the hope that we had seen the last of region coding anyway? What is there to be gained from it? I thought the New Zealand courts were working on battling region coding as well.


If you ask me, if the limitations were purely down to the image technology, THEN I could perhaps understand it a little - ie, NTSC, PAL and SECAM. There would still be 3 regions, and US and Japan would still be in the same group, but I don't think this has had any baring on their decisions.

[zombie]

Interesting article.

Region 1: North America, South America, East Asia except for China (India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia etc.)
Region 2: Europe and Africa
Region 3: China, Russia and other countries

My take on this is that the NTSC DVD regions are all becoming Region 1. All PAL DVD regions will be Region 2, and Region 3 will likely be region 0 releases just as are most Chinese and Russian DVDs. I assume Australia will be R2. So if this info is accurate, BD region coding will be more consumer friendly than DVD RC was, though not ideal. My understanding is that the PAL areas will have a slightly different version of HDTV than NTSC areas do which is likely the reason for needing two RCs. Still, making BD players that can play any and all BDs from around the world would truly be a blessing. No doubt that'll happen in time regardless of what the studios try to do to prevent it. Happened with DVD, will happen again... perhaps not as quickly.

[Chappers]

If that really was the case n2blu, then France would not be included in Region 2.

The major NTSC regions in the world are NorthAmerica, Canada and Eastern Asia (Japan, South Korea and the Phillipines).
http://www.high-techproductions.com/ntsc.htm

PAL incorporates Western Europe (Except France), South America, South Africa, and Oceana.
http://www.high-techproductions.com/pal.htm

SECAM incorporates France, some Eastern European countries and parts of central Asia.
http://www.high-techproductions.com/secam.htm

So clearly, the image standards have not even come into it.

[Shadowself]

Originally Posted by n2blu

Interesting article.

My take on this is that the NTSC DVD regions are all becoming Region 1. All PAL DVD regions will be Region 2, and Region 3 will likely be region 0 releases just as are most Chinese and Russian DVDs. I assume Australia will be R2. So if this info is accurate, BD region coding will be more consumer friendly than DVD RC was, though not ideal. My understanding is that the PAL areas will have a slightly different version of HDTV than NTSC areas do which is likely the reason for needing two RCs. Still, making BD players that can play any and all BDs from around the world would truly be a blessing. No doubt that'll happen in time regardless of what the studios try to do to prevent it. Happened with DVD, will happen again... perhaps not as quickly.

And where would Australia and New Zealand fit into this?

[Knight-Errant]

Well looks like I'm importing then.

Anyone know of any places that will likely send a BD player across the atlantic, please PM me.

[Blue]

I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere sometime ago that we (Australia) would be included in the North America region (one benefit - and about the only benefit for Aus from the free trade agreement). However Australia is conspicuously absent from the listings. I wonder if that has anything to do with court ruling over the PS2 and region encoding?

[Gorkab]

I hate SECAM, 50 Hz... My god, that's dreadful... Why do we don't have NTSC ? At least, the video games are in PAL 60 Hz