Can Blu-Ray Players Play Region 2 DVDs?

PHMustang2000 · 01-03-09, 08:15 PM

I am purchasing a PS3 in a couple days and from what I know about Blu-ray is that it is region free??

So does this mean it can also play region 2 DVD's or any other regions?

GizmoDVD · 01-03-09, 08:26 PM

Blu-ray is NOT Region Free
DVD is NOT Region Free.

As of today, 1/3/2009, there is only ONE Stand Alone Blu-ray player that is Region free fr both Blu-ray and DVD, and that is the LG 200 Blu-ray/HD DVD Combo player. The PS3 only plays Region A Blu-rays and Region 1 (and I would assume 0) DVDs.

Blu-ray region coding isn't a bad as DVD, but there are still many titles only available in Region B and C (A is USA/Canada)

Nick Martin · 01-03-09, 09:58 PM

Not only that, but there's the issue of PAL.

PS3 will not play a PAL video file either, be it an MPEG video file taken from a DVD source, or an AVI or Divx file.

HOWEVER, with Blu-ray there is no PAL or NTSC issue with the HD presentations of the film, except (possibly) with additional bonus material in standard definition on those BDs, but I'm not 100% on that last part.

So watching a european Blu-ray Disc means not suffering with PAL speedup on the film itself, at least.

movielib · 01-03-09, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

Blu-ray is NOT Region Free
DVD is NOT Region Free.

As of today, 1/3/2009, there is only ONE Stand Alone Blu-ray player that is Region free fr both Blu-ray and DVD, and that is the LG 200 Blu-ray/HD DVD Combo player. The PS3 only plays Region A Blu-rays and Region 1 (and I would assume 0) DVDs.

Blu-ray region coding isn't a bad as DVD, but there are still many titles only available in Region B and C (A is USA/Canada)

There are other countries in Region A, most notably Japan.

Quick country/territory reference guide to Blu-Ray Regions:
Region A: North America, Central America, South America, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
Region B: Europe, Greenland, French territories, Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Region C: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mainland China, Pakistan, Russia, Central and South Asia.

01-03-09, 08:15 PM	#1
PHMustang2000 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 750	Can Blu-Ray Players Play Region 2 DVDs? I am purchasing a PS3 in a couple days and from what I know about Blu-ray is that it is region free?? So does this mean it can also play region 2 DVD's or any other regions? __________________ [My DVD Collection]

01-03-09, 08:26 PM	#2
GizmoDVD DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Southern CA Posts: 19,063	Blu-ray is NOT Region Free DVD is NOT Region Free. As of today, 1/3/2009, there is only ONE Stand Alone Blu-ray player that is Region free fr both Blu-ray and DVD, and that is the LG 200 Blu-ray/HD DVD Combo player. The PS3 only plays Region A Blu-rays and Region 1 (and I would assume 0) DVDs. Blu-ray region coding isn't a bad as DVD, but there are still many titles only available in Region B and C (A is USA/Canada) __________________ HD DVD = XA1, A30 / 329 Discs Blu-ray = Sony S550 / 204 Discs XBL: SharpWoodenStke (Left 4 Dead player!)

01-03-09, 09:58 PM	#3
Nick Martin DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,826	Not only that, but there's the issue of PAL. PS3 will not play a PAL video file either, be it an MPEG video file taken from a DVD source, or an AVI or Divx file. HOWEVER, with Blu-ray there is no PAL or NTSC issue with the HD presentations of the film, except (possibly) with additional bonus material in standard definition on those BDs, but I'm not 100% on that last part. So watching a european Blu-ray Disc means not suffering with PAL speedup on the film itself, at least. Last edited by Nick Martin; 01-03-09 at 10:01 PM.