Why are BD's & DVD's Region-coded?

[Johnny Vinyl]

When I play vinyl LP's and CD's it plays regardless of which country they came from.

Why did they introduce region-coding for video? Does it have to do with NTSC or PAL?

I'm not a videophile at all, which is why I'm asking the question.

[naturephoto1]

John,

I can not believe that it is because of the NTSC or PAL issue. As you may recall for instance, many of us have just ordered/purchased the Amazon.uk version of Planet Earth and it is Region Free:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000SKNIWE

Rich

[Giyomu]

some taxes issue maybe??

"you live here so you'll pay the same tax to your country for your dvds"

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

John,

I can not believe that it is because of the NTSC or PAL issue. As you may recall for instance, many of us have just ordered/purchased the Amazon.uk version of Planet Earth and it is Region Free:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000SKNIWE

Rich

Hi Rich,

Yes I know there are region-free discs (I wish there were more) to be had, but I'm just wondering why they introduced the region-specific coding to begin with.

John

[Joe Cain]

Region coding allows studios more control over their property.

For example, when Ratatouille came out last year, its theatrical run stateside was pretty much over before it had opened at all in many territories overseas; were a region-free home media release easily available, it could have a negative impact on box office returns.

Also, different studios may own geographically discrete distribution rights to the same title, and each wants to sell their release within their defined territory.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Is it an attempt by the studios to make it more "inconvenient" to pirate discs? (Which for the record I think is a futile attempt). I personally have a tendency to think it is because of that however.

Like Rich mentioned, it's probably not an issue between NTSC and PAL, so what is it then? I can't see it being any other technological issue either. So what gives?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by Joe Cain

Region coding allows studios more control over their property.

For example, when Ratatouille came out last year, its theatrical run stateside was pretty much over before it had opened at all in many territories overseas; were a region-free home media release easily available, it could have a negative impact on box office returns.

Also, different studios may own geographically discrete distribution rights to the same title, and each wants to sell their release within their defined territory.

Makes sense. However, record companies have always had geographical discrete distribution rights as well, but region-coding was never introduced.

[quirkmanly]

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[quirkmanly]

....

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by quirkmanly

I think this is due to the fact that CDs/Vinyl existed prior to the internet opening up an ever growing global storefront to consumers. To introduce hardware based limitations on an existing media format would have been impossible.

To address the issue that I bolded, I understand that it can't be introduced on older formats, which wasn't my question to begin with anyway.

Explain to me however how the INTERNET was part of the logic? DVD's were introduced well before the Internet arrived and they were already region-coded.

[quirkmanly]

Just can't be bothered. Merry Christmas.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by quirkmanly

DVDs commercial birth was, if I'm not incorrect, in late 1996/early 1997 - are you really under the impression that the internet came about after that? Amazon, for instance, was founded in 1995, and when I started going online in January 1997 many, many media sites were already established.

I included CDs/Vinyl in my answer because you did in your question. If it is irrelevant, why bother making your opening statement?

Anyway, I'm leaving this thread, your tone is very strange.

I'm well aware that the "internet" started many years ago. In fact, I had subscriptions to both Compuserve and GEnie in the mid-to-late 80's, but you can't quite equate the beginnings of that to what is available today.

I included the Vinyl/CD reference only because they were NOT region coded media formats...it was a point of reference. If you can't understand that, then read the original post again.

If you're answer to me is one that says Region-coding is the result of the proliference of the Internet, perhaps we have a discussion. But you chose to leave, so I suspect I'll never find out the real answer!

[Joe Cain]

Originally Posted by John72953

I'm well aware that the "internet" started many years ago. In fact, I had subscriptions to both Compuserve and GEnie in the mid-to-late 80's, but you can't quite equate the beginnings of that to what is available today.

I included the Vinyl/CD reference only because they were NOT region coded media formats...it was a point of reference. If you can't understand that, then read the original post again.

If you're answer to me is one that says Region-coding is the result of the proliference of the Internet, perhaps we have a discussion. But you chose to leave, so I suspect I'll never find out the real answer!

The original question has been answered. If the question is now about why cd & vinyl were NOT region-coded formats---well, that's a different discussion, and one not so easy to answer definitively because it's more difficult to prove a negative proposition. But if you look at the reasons studios practice region coding for home media releases of films---

Originally Posted by Joe Cain

Region coding allows studios more control over their property.

For example, when Ratatouille came out last year, its theatrical run stateside was pretty much over before it had opened at all in many territories overseas; were a region-free home media release easily available, it could have a negative impact on box office returns.

Also, different studios may own geographically discrete distribution rights to the same title, and each wants to sell their release within their defined territory.

---they don't apply to albums.

Record labels tend to have exclusive rights, period. If a recording artist is signed to Warner, the album is not going to be released in one territory by WB and in another by Sony or Universal Music. Whether you buy a domestic release or import a copy from elsewhere, it's ultimately the same coporate entity that's collecting your coin.

And while an album release might get a staggered international release, there's no parallel in the music industry for having a film appearing in theatres in some territories at the same time it bows on home media in others.

[slaizer2000]

Originally Posted by John72953

When I play vinyl LP's and CD's it plays regardless of which country they came from.

Why did they introduce region-coding for video? Does it have to do with NTSC or PAL?

I'm not a videophile at all, which is why I'm asking the question.

Some of the region coded is done for censorship purposes. We have our rating standards, g, pg, pg13, r, unrated and such. those don;t always translate the same to what the standards are in other countries.

There also is sometimes some content in movies that just is not allowed in other countries in any format, so it gets removed from the movie. Also some countries won;t allow certain movies into their countries until they put it on the chopping blocks and remove offensive stuff from it.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by slaizer2000

Some of the region coded is done for censorship purposes. We have our rating standards, g, pg, pg13, r, unrated and such. those don;t always translate the same to what the standards are in other countries.

There also is sometimes some content in movies that just is not allowed in other countries in any format, so it gets removed from the movie. Also some countries won;t allow certain movies into their countries until they put it on the chopping blocks and remove offensive stuff from it.

Never thought of that, but that's a very valid point.

And now I'm beginning to see(along with Joe's last comments) why region-coding is there.

[Johnny Vinyl]

To quirkmanly and Joe Cain...I'm not trying to be ignorant or stubborn...I just want to understand! I thought it was a valid question.

[Roggster]

Region coding was introduced purely to piss me off

I cannot purchase Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Live at Radio City Blu-Ray because it is region locked to A.

Like I say, for no good reason other than to piss me off.
I'm pissed off about it.

Region coding pisses me off. Did I mention that?

I'd like to hear a good excuse/reason for region coding that makes sense (especially in this instance where no theatre release ever featured in the equation).
If it were for sound business reasons then the clever dicks who run all that nonsense wouldn't have plunged the world economy into recession.....

Oh, did I mention that I'm pissed off that I can't buy a blu-ray disk of one of my favourite artists because the dribbling idiots who make decisions about what gets released where and when don't think my money and devotion to their artist is good enough?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by Roggster

Region coding was introduced purely to piss me off

I cannot purchase Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Live at Radio City Blu-Ray because it is region locked to A.

Like I say, for no good reason other than to piss me off.
I'm pissed off about it.

Region coding pisses me off. Did I mention that?

I'd like to hear a good excuse/reason for region coding that makes sense (especially in this instance where no theatre release ever featured in the equation).
If it were for sound business reasons then the clever dicks who run all that nonsense wouldn't have plunged the world economy into recession.....

Oh, did I mention that I'm pissed off that I can't buy a blu-ray disk of one of my favourite artists because the dribbling idiots who make decisions about what gets released where and when don't think my money and devotion to their artist is good enough?

+1...I`m with ya! I feel your pain!

[ryoohki]

Record and CD might not be region coded by Online Music Store are. Example i can't buy music from Itunes US if i'am Canada, song aren,t the same etc...

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by Roggster

Region coding was introduced purely to piss me off

I cannot purchase Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Live at Radio City Blu-Ray because it is region locked to A.

Like I say, for no good reason other than to piss me off.
I'm pissed off about it.

Region coding pisses me off. Did I mention that?

I'd like to hear a good excuse/reason for region coding that makes sense (especially in this instance where no theatre release ever featured in the equation).
If it were for sound business reasons then the clever dicks who run all that nonsense wouldn't have plunged the world economy into recession.....

Oh, did I mention that I'm pissed off that I can't buy a blu-ray disk of one of my favourite artists because the dribbling idiots who make decisions about what gets released where and when don't think my money and devotion to their artist is good enough?

Get a computer drive and software players... problem solved!
The region coding is set in the player software.