Is the PS3 Region Free? - Blu-ray Forum

Automission · 01-08-2009, 08:25 PM

Will the PS3 play DVD's/Blu-ray's from any region, or will it work only for the region you live in?
I ask as I'm looking to import Dexter/Lost Season 3 on Blu Ray as they never got released and probably never will get released here.

The TRUST · 01-08-2009, 08:31 PM

I may be wrong but I don't think it is. But if the BDs you're importing are region free then it should play. I believe majority of the US release BDs are region free.

I knew someone before in the UK that was sick of waiting for releases and paying much higher prices than here in the US. I recomended that he buy a second BD Player or PS3 from the US. That way the region coding wont be a problem if it ever comes up.

kpkelley · 01-08-2009, 08:33 PM

No.

Dexter and Lost are both region-locked.

icecream · 01-08-2009, 08:35 PM

DVDs and Blu-rays are region coded differently.

Blu-rays are coded as follows:
A: East Asia (except Mainland China and Mongolia), Southeast Asia, the Americas and their dependencies.

B: Africa, Southwest Asia, Europe (except Russia), Oceania and their dependencies.

C: Central Asia, East Asia (Mainland China and Mongolia only), South Asia, central Eurasia and their dependencies.

The majority of Blu-ray discs are region free, but for reference you can use: bluray.liesinc.net/ for region code info. Dexter is region locked, but I don't know about Lost.

superdynamite · 01-08-2009, 08:44 PM

It's a shame that the only advantage PS3 DOESN'T hold over 360 is regional-freedom.

Although only a firmware patch away, PS3 is still not Region Free. 360 is a region free standard DVD player.

kpkelley · 01-08-2009, 08:46 PM

PS3 can play PS3 games from any country though.

CptGreedle · 01-08-2009, 08:49 PM

PS3 is region coded. Games themselves are not, but movies are.
But who cares, you can buy a region free DVD player for LESS than $20! I am not kidding.
Or do what I do, rip your region coded DVD to your computer and watch it anywhere you want.
I currently have the Studio Ghibli anime, Tales of Earthsea, on my PS3. Bought it in England.

Automission · 01-08-2009, 08:52 PM

Or I'm talking about Blu Ray's, and watching it on my pc/anywhere I go is hardly a good Experience.

CptGreedle · 01-08-2009, 08:56 PM

Well Blu-rays have only 3 regions, and they are optional. So while the PS3 is region coded for DVDs and BDs, BD discs are not always encoded, and many countries share the same region.
US has the same region as Japan, and many other countries.
So while you will not be able to watch all BD movies from around the world on your PS3, you can still watch a vast majority of them.

As for watching movies anywhere, the point isn't so much watching it on the go or in your car or at work or whatever... but that if you put a DVD in your computer, and rip it properly, you can get DVD quality sound and video from it in the form of a file, that will play on your PS3. Yes in surround sound.
I use handbrake.

supersix4 · 01-08-2009, 09:01 PM

wasn’t that supposed to be a big selling point? If I can remember when ps3 launched all kinds of sites were saying buy the ps3 it can play any movie or game from anywhere, which is why we almost got a Japanese one.

CptGreedle · 01-08-2009, 09:03 PM

Not movies, no. Games yes.
BDs are region coded and the PS3 is too, so one from US is Region A, one from Japan is Region A also, but one from England is region B.
DVDs have 9 regions, and the PS3 is region coded for that too so one from US is region 1, while one from Japan is 2...
Here is a DVD region map:

01-08-2009, 08:25 PM	#1
Automission Active Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:England	Is the PS3 Region Free? Will the PS3 play DVD's/Blu-ray's from any region, or will it work only for the region you live in? I ask as I'm looking to import Dexter/Lost Season 3 on Blu Ray as they never got released and probably never will get released here.

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01-08-2009, 08:31 PM	#2
The TRUST Senior Member Member since:Feb 2008 Location:Seattle, WA 4K collection:30 Blu-ray collection:953 Blu-ray reviews:9 Trading Score:13	I may be wrong but I don't think it is. But if the BDs you're importing are region free then it should play. I believe majority of the US release BDs are region free. I knew someone before in the UK that was sick of waiting for releases and paying much higher prices than here in the US. I recomended that he buy a second BD Player or PS3 from the US. That way the region coding wont be a problem if it ever comes up.

01-08-2009, 08:33 PM	#3
kpkelley Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Framingham, MA 4K collection:385 Blu-ray collection:2478 Digital collection:113 Blu-ray reviews: 152	No. Dexter and Lost are both region-locked.

01-08-2009, 08:35 PM	#4
icecream Member Member since:Dec 2008	DVDs and Blu-rays are region coded differently. Blu-rays are coded as follows: A: East Asia (except Mainland China and Mongolia), Southeast Asia, the Americas and their dependencies. B: Africa, Southwest Asia, Europe (except Russia), Oceania and their dependencies. C: Central Asia, East Asia (Mainland China and Mongolia only), South Asia, central Eurasia and their dependencies. The majority of Blu-ray discs are region free, but for reference you can use: bluray.liesinc.net/ for region code info. Dexter is region locked, but I don't know about Lost.

01-08-2009, 08:44 PM	#5
superdynamite Banned Member since:Aug 2007 Location:NYC	It's a shame that the only advantage PS3 DOESN'T hold over 360 is regional-freedom. Although only a firmware patch away, PS3 is still not Region Free. 360 is a region free standard DVD player.

01-08-2009, 08:46 PM	#6
kpkelley Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Framingham, MA 4K collection:385 Blu-ray collection:2478 Digital collection:113 Blu-ray reviews: 152	PS3 can play PS3 games from any country though.

01-08-2009, 08:49 PM	#7
CptGreedle Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Sworn super-hero now services Atlanta (and suburbs). Blu-ray collection:128 Blu-ray reviews:5	PS3 is region coded. Games themselves are not, but movies are. But who cares, you can buy a region free DVD player for LESS than $20! I am not kidding. Or do what I do, rip your region coded DVD to your computer and watch it anywhere you want. I currently have the Studio Ghibli anime, Tales of Earthsea, on my PS3. Bought it in England.

01-08-2009, 08:52 PM	#8
Automission Active Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:England	Or I'm talking about Blu Ray's, and watching it on my pc/anywhere I go is hardly a good Experience.

01-08-2009, 08:56 PM	#9
CptGreedle Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Sworn super-hero now services Atlanta (and suburbs). Blu-ray collection:128 Blu-ray reviews:5	Well Blu-rays have only 3 regions, and they are optional. So while the PS3 is region coded for DVDs and BDs, BD discs are not always encoded, and many countries share the same region. US has the same region as Japan, and many other countries. So while you will not be able to watch all BD movies from around the world on your PS3, you can still watch a vast majority of them. As for watching movies anywhere, the point isn't so much watching it on the go or in your car or at work or whatever... but that if you put a DVD in your computer, and rip it properly, you can get DVD quality sound and video from it in the form of a file, that will play on your PS3. Yes in surround sound. I use handbrake.

01-08-2009, 09:01 PM	#10
supersix4 Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Mar 2007 Blu-ray collection:572 Blu-ray reviews: 53 Trading Score:3	wasn’t that supposed to be a big selling point? If I can remember when ps3 launched all kinds of sites were saying buy the ps3 it can play any movie or game from anywhere, which is why we almost got a Japanese one.

01-08-2009, 09:03 PM	#11
CptGreedle Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Sworn super-hero now services Atlanta (and suburbs). Blu-ray collection:128 Blu-ray reviews:5	Not movies, no. Games yes. BDs are region coded and the PS3 is too, so one from US is Region A, one from Japan is Region A also, but one from England is region B. DVDs have 9 regions, and the PS3 is region coded for that too so one from US is region 1, while one from Japan is 2... Here is a DVD region map:

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