Clarification Needed.

[Bullseye]

I am almost certain i read somewhere here that BD titles have got to be released as region free titles after one year of release. Is this the case. The reason i ask is there are a number of titles released in the US which have better audio.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

I am almost certain i read somewhere here that BD titles have got to be released as region free titles after one year of release. Is this the case. The reason i ask is there are a number of titles released in the US which have better audio.

That is correct.

[Bullseye]

So for example Ratatouille will sometime in the new year be re-released as a region free title?

[onyxx]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

I am almost certain i read somewhere here that BD titles have got to be released as region free titles after one year of release. Is this the case. The reason i ask is there are a number of titles released in the US which have better audio.

I think that releasing a title as region free is up to the studio, the one year window you are talking about is strictly Sony's policy if I recall this correctly...

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

So for example Ratatouille will sometime in the new year be re-released as a region free title?

Only when the do another run for it. It isn't like they are going to pull all existing copies that haven't sold and re-release it region free. They will most likely wait until their first run of copies is nearly gone. Then, in the mean time, you might get unlucky and buy a region coded copy. This is where you are going to have to be careful. There could be two versions out at the same time.

[sonicbox]

Changing/removing the region will require (basic) re-mastering beyond just 'doing another run', so I wouldn't bet on titles automatically losing region restrictions at a later time. It's more likely you'll see newly region free versions when it's time for double (triple? quadruple?) dipper 'even more special' versions first. Region coding is stupid.

[Frode]

Originally Posted by onyxx

I think that releasing a title as region free is up to the studio, the one year window you are talking about is strictly Sony's policy if I recall this correctly...

No it's a format licensing requirement. The problem is that this is only for repressings, so in the current environment most titles have plenty of copies out in the retail/distributor chain and there's been no need to repress yet. In addition if they change the contents of the disc, like add extras or whatever that requires a new SKU they can then add region coding to that new disc and stop making the old one. There is an extra associated cost with doing that however.

These requirements have thankfully led to most studios releasing region free discs to begin with however.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by sonicbox

Changing/removing the region will require (basic) re-mastering beyond just 'doing another run', so I wouldn't bet on titles automatically losing region restrictions at a later time.

You'd lose that bet; it's a licensing requirement.

[quetzalcoatl]

Originally Posted by sonicbox

Changing/removing the region will require (basic) re-mastering beyond just 'doing another run', so I wouldn't bet on titles automatically losing region restrictions at a later time. It's more likely you'll see newly region free versions when it's time for double (triple? quadruple?) dipper 'even more special' versions first. Region coding is stupid.

Say it is stupid all you want but region coding is the reason Disney is such a good partner in the Blu camp. So I will put up with it.

[Bullseye]

Region coding is essential for cinemas to exist so i have no real problem with it. But i think that releasing the second prints as region free is a must.