BD region coding; can somebody please explain?

[tmax]

I am still 100% supportive of blu-ray but today has become one of the most embarrassing, frustrating and disapointing days of my life.

Disney I hope you are listening.

First off I live in Australia and I buy ALL my DVD and now Bluray movies from Amazon, (bigger selection and they have movies that NEVER get released here) anyway I pre-ordered Ratatouille on blu-ray because they had on their website that it was region free (now they have changed it to region code 1). So today I received it, an was getting ready to do a bit of blu-ray preaching by watching this with my friend and his son.

I Put in to my PS3 and guess what it's F@$#$ng region protected.

You should have seen the look on my friends son, he almost started to cry, here I am telling them the picture quality is going to be great, the audio is amazing and now this.

Please Explain, because I'm trying to understand how this this is going to help Blu-ray. I know movie studios like to release movies at different dates but I still can't understand this obsession with region coding, we all now live in a web - based - online WORLD ECONOMY where there are no borders but it seems not when it comes to blu-ray releases.

This is were Warner has shown it is truly serious about HD with there open borders and no region coding. They are to be congratulated with not treating fans of their movies like criminals.

And yes HD-DVD Friends are laughing at me right now.

Oh and I think I've already said we have bloody bugger all selection of Blu-ray movies in Australia.

[Elandyll]

It does suck, but...

1) Region coding is a Studio decision, it's not standard-based.
so in clear, it has nothing to do with Blu-Ray vs HD DVD

2) Region coding is a tool, considered by many a "necessary evil" (I don't like it any more than you, but hear me out), because it protects local distribution outlets. First it was the VHS with the Pal / NTSC / SECAM standards (granted, a side effect, it was never intended to play a protection role), then the DVD with region coding, and now the HDMs.

3) Your "HD DVD friends" can laugh al they want because:
- They will never see Ratatouille in HD unless they go Blu Ray
- If a Studio releasing on HD DVD decides to do region coding, they can. Right now they are probably unwilling to because it would cost the media sales and they need every sale they can get. But I bet you that would HD DVD come on top of this war, region coding will come back faster than you can throw a HD DVD disc in boiling water.

In fine, even though it won't be any consolation, just realize that this is a studio based decision to protect their international distribution circuits, and that hopefully you can return this disc / exchange it waiting for a correctly zoned Ratatouille (or a de-zoned player? If such a thing exists).

[Dogdvr]

I think the easiest way to explain this is,

Release date (to theatres) from IMDB.com
Austria 3 October 2007
Germany 3 October 2007
Denmark 5 October 2007
UK 12 October 2007
Italy 17 October 2007
Finland 19 October 2007
Poland 19 October 2007
Sweden 19 October 2007

It is still playing in theatres in these areas and if they released it now it would cut into the theatre market

[tron3]

I don't know how true this is, but using my powers of recall..... <rubbing temples> Ok, I believe it was on this forum. <rub rub>

Someone once stated that region coding was simply a pricing issue. In other words, 3rd world countries get the price break and we do not. Why? Because the US can afford it!

Now, I am not saying that is true, at least not 100%. But I do want to hear from people who have a more legitimate answer. That just boggles the mind.

Now that HDTV and blu-ray are pretty much one format standard, things like NTSC, PAL, and Secam shouldn't be an issue - should it?

[atomik kinder]

First of all you have to realize it is not Disney's fault that Amazon posted this as all region. Amazon is not perfect, far from it. As for the region coding, this is something that studios need to employ because movies aren't released into theaters worldwide at the same time. Ratatouille just recently started playing in some parts of the world. Disney does not want to eat up theater profit by releasing an all region BD. They do this, the individual theaters make less money. It will eventually be released by Disney in your region. Yeah, your HD DVD friends should be laughing, because they will never get Disney movies on HD DVD. Region coding is exactly the reason why New Line is releasing Hairspray and Shoot 'Em Up on BD first with no HD DVD release announced yet. They don't want to take away profits from their international releasing partners. Plus, if New Line doesn't have the rights to release the movie on video outside of the US, the HD DVD guys may have to wait until the HD DVD is announced for release outside of the US to get it here in the US. New Line may not want to release earlier than anyone else, eating up their partner's video profits. There are all kinds of reasons why studios want region coding and not very many reasons they wouldn't.

[CptGreedle]

Actually, HD-DVD is not set up for region coding at this time. Even if studios wanted to support it, they can't right now cause Toshiba did not enact a region encoding option. This is not to say that if HD-DVD becomes more popular that they couldn't add it later. But BD has it as an option for studios if they want to use it, which is one reason why FOX is adamant about sticking with Blu-ray.
As for the disc you got tmax, I am sorry to say that right now I know of now way around it except to buy an American coded PS3/BD player. Might be hard to get in, but if you can do it, you can enjoy all the region A releases with no problems. Otherwise, currently there are no hacks for it as of yet that I know of, but I am sure there will be in the future.
The disc, advertised as region free, should have been region free. If it was not, demand your money back! That is false advertising and they can get in trouble for it.
One reason they do this is to control when a film is in theaters in some countries so that it won't be on video there too if it is on video in another country... right now, if any paramount or universal film is released at a later date in Asia, UK, Australia, etc.... if the DVD/HD-DVD comes out in USA while it is still in theaters, anyone there can skip the theater and watch it at home, which will cause them to loose a lot of money in the long run. Reduced ticket sales, more pirating, etc. But with regions, Disney could have Ratatouille playing in theaters in say the UK while it is on video in USA without worrying about sales losses.
HD-DVD really is digging themselves a grave with not even having regions as an option. unfortunately it is a necessary evil and hurts some consumers like yourself. But just like with DVD players, I am sure you will find a BD player that can play any region discs in the future.

[oXweebleXo]

shoulda bought the ps3 from amazon

[onyxx]

This is something most of us importers know by now, Buena Vista/Sony/Lions Gate day and date titles are region coded. All Fox titles are region coded while Warner does not enforce region coding at all and neither does Sony/Buena Vista on their catalog titles. When it comes down to Lions Gate it's hit and miss with their region coding, you can rest assured that their day and date are region coded but they do it on some catalogue titles as well.

Always check out this site before a purchase: http://bluray.liesinc.net/ or just buy an US player like I did since I only import my BD's.

Rule of the thumb:

Disney day and date: Region locked (with some exceptions)
Disney catalog: Region free
Sony day and date: Region locked
Sony catalog: Region free
Warner day and date: Region free
Warner catalog: Region free
Fox day and date: Region locked
Fox catalog: Region locked
Lions Gate day and date: Region locked
Lions Gate: Region locked/Region free (from title to title)

[Rike255]

Region coding may seem like a pain in the ass but think about the alternative.
If a studio didn't implement region coding, everyone would have to wait until the last region is done playing the movie in theaters for the Blu-Ray release.

For example: Hairspray is getting released on Blu-Ray about 3 months earlier then on HD DVD in North America simply because of region coding. The movie just came out in theaters not too long ago somewhere else (not sure where) but because of region coding, America can enjoy the movie on Blu-Ray while the other region has it in theaters, then when the time comes, it'll be released on Blu there as well.
Because HD DVD cannot implement region coding, North America has to wait until the last release date to get their movie.

Too bad about your movie though, I'm sure amazon will take it back since they did falsely advertise it.

[jw]

Originally Posted by oXweebleXo

shoulda bought the ps3 from amazon

Thats what I would do if i lived overseas, buy the player that plays the movies from where I purchase from

[darinp2]

Originally Posted by Dogdvr

I think the easiest way to explain this is,

Release date (to theatres) from IMDB.com
Austria 3 October 2007
Germany 3 October 2007
Denmark 5 October 2007
UK 12 October 2007
Italy 17 October 2007
Finland 19 October 2007
Poland 19 October 2007
Sweden 19 October 2007

It is still playing in theatres in these areas and if they released it now it would cut into the theatre market

Yep, region encoding may look unfair to many consumers, but not region encoding can screw over some theater owners, besides meaning less box office take for studios in some spots. Although the studios usually get something from the discs, where the theater owners getting nothing from that market.

Universal has released multiple movies on HD DVD that people could legally get and play in HD, even before theater owners in some countries were legally allowed to show it. It is one thing when DVD quality is available, but if I was a theater owner in one of these countries I wouldn't be happy about the prospect of my customers being able to legally get the movies in HD at home before I can even show them. The market is small now so it isn't likely to be a big issue, but if HD on discs takes off, then I could see it having some impact on the number of people who go to the theater to see a movie that they could have seen earlier in HD at home, simply by importing it.

One thing I find interesting in all this is that Microsoft has been against giving studios the option of region encoding HD DVDs, while at the same time offering studios a form of region encoding for their XBOX360 service that they are selling to studios (and which competes with HD DVD to some degree). I wonder how Toshiba feels about that.

--Darin

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

It does suck, but...

1) Region coding is a Studio decision, it's not standard-based.
so in clear, it has nothing to do with Blu-Ray vs HD DVD

2) Region coding is a tool, considered by many a "necessary evil" (I don't like it any more than you, but hear me out), because it protects local distribution outlets. First it was the VHS with the Pal / NTSC / SECAM standards (granted, a side effect, it was never intended to play a protection role), then the DVD with region coding, and now the HDMs.

3) Your "HD DVD friends" can laugh al they want because:
- They will never see Ratatouille in HD unless they go Blu Ray
- If a Studio releasing on HD DVD decides to do region coding, they can. Right now they are probably unwilling to because it would cost the media sales and they need every sale they can get. But I bet you that would HD DVD come on top of this war, region coding will come back faster than you can throw a HD DVD disc in boiling water.

4) Ratatouille didn't open everywhere on opening day--
For various studio reasons (translation issues?), it didn't open in overseas markets until late fall...And I don't think the Paris or London branches of Disney wanted region-free import titles being available to play at home the same week the movie was playing in theaters.

Just on microcosmic example of the "Why region code?" answer you were looking for.

[quetzalcoatl]

I am sorry for you having this happen. But the choice is clear since I know both Disney and Fox want the region coding. So we keep both of them locked-up tight by keeping it or maybe fight for them by dropping it. I know what I want. Since I think so goes Disney so goes the war.

[cartman781]

I never trust Amazon on any specs.

[Luis_A51]

In all honesty your complaint should be directed squarely at Amazon, since they mislead you. Region coding is not something new.

Blame amazon for misrepresentation

PS: I do feel bad for you, its an amazing movie, just watched my BD this weekend

[darinp2]

Originally Posted by EricJ

4) Ratatouille didn't open everywhere on opening day--
For various studio reasons (translation issues?), it didn't open in overseas markets until late fall...

What I have read is that Disney made a strategic decision to have it come out later in some countries and avoid fights with some other big summer movies. And it seems to have paid off. In what is considered the international market Ratatouille has now brought in more than Transformers at the box office, despite Transformers bringing in way more in the US and more worldwide because of that.

BTW: For those who think Toshiba is just looking out for consumers, what I've heard is that Toshiba wanted region encoding support, but couldn't find anybody willing to be responsible for it. If they had, maybe Disney wouldn't be fighting so hard for Blu-ray.

--Darin

[Zyclone]

Originally Posted by oXweebleXo

shoulda bought the ps3 from amazon

Amazon won't ship PS3's outside of the US chief.

[Azumi]

The problem with region coding is that it has always existed in one form or another.

Back in the analog days, PAL, NTSC and SECAM were the region code. If you wanted top of the line equipment, you had to buy an overseas player (instead of the multi-standard machines) and a power-down transformer. And, of course, the other barrier was that you had to be fluent in English -- or at least you had to buy those clunky CC set top boxes.

DVD is recent history, and we all know about it. And even if all players have region free workarounds, the barrier is still there. It's no longer region coding per se, but it can be the forced subtitles on non-Studio discs, or tight import laws that discourage massive grey markets.

[Vonscoot]

Originally Posted by Dogdvr

It is still playing in theatres in these areas and if they released it now it would cut into the theatre market

This is the main reason for region coding, hands down.

[Anthony P]

Please Explain, because I'm trying to understand how this this is going to help Blu-ray.

well take it this way, NL is releasing movies on BD because of RC but are waiting for HD DVD because they can't release yet. How is no RC helping HD DVD?

And yes HD-DVD Friends are laughing at me right now.

fools usually laugh for no reason.