A region free DVD player is capable of playing all region code DVD discs regardless of the standard used by the DVD disc. It means, that with such a region free DVD player you can watch a PAL standard DVD on an NTSC TV. However, if you use a DVD/VCR combo unit, then a multi system TV or a video format converter may be required to play a DVD not originally compatible with the device standard.

Different disc regions

This brings us up to the issue of different DVD disc regions. The region code was used in USA to control the release of movies in regions 2-6 as they were released in region 1. DVD region locking system determines which DVD can be played on which regional DVD player. The Regions are as follows:

United States and Canada combine to form region 1.

Europe, Japan, Egypt, Greenland, South Africa and Middle East form region 2.

Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, and Indonesia form region 3.

Australia, New Zealand, Central and South America, Mexico, Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean form region 4.

Eastern Europe, India, North Korea, Major part of Africa, Mongolia, and Russia form zone 5.

China alone forms zone 6. Effect of Internet and on line purchase of DVD

Division in zones refers to the fact that DVD players, belonging to a particular zone is incompatible in playing DVDs from another region. But with the advent of Internet and on line purchase of DVD, you have the access of DVDs of your choice, being released through out the world. Therefore, a region free DVD player is the solution to your problem of standards compatibility.

The difference of standards – features

What are these standards that we are referring to so often? Countries, world over, use one of the three main TV broadcast standards. These are PAL, NTSC, or SECAM broadcasting standards. Colour broadcasting system, first introduced in the United States of America during the year 1953, is based on National Television System Committee (NTSC) standard. It has 525 lines/frames and used mostly in North America and Japan. On the other hand, the Phase Alternating Line (PAL) system that came up in 1960s is used in most Asian and European countries and this standard uses 625 lines/frames. The quality of picture is a trifle better with PAL system than the NTSC. The last one is Sequential Color with Memory (SECAM) system, mostly used in France, has the same lines/frame density as that of PAL system, but transmits colour information sequentially.