--- Forwarded Message from Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Wed, 04 Sep 2002 16:07:54 -0600
>From: Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]>
>To: LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]>,        Sonja Fritzsche <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #6805 multi-standard DVD player (!)
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References:  <[log in to unmask]>

There are DVD players which ignore the region code (code free) and 
others that let you select the region code.  The latter option can be 
important, because some movies were released with a special encoding, 
so that they won't play on a code free player.  However, that special 
encoding seems to be rare, and getting rarer.

In addition to the region code question, there is still a division 
between NTSC (common in North America and Japan) and PAL (common in 
the rest of the world) DVDs.  Some multi-system DVD players have a 
built in converter, which will allow you to play a PAL DVD on an 
American NTSC TV.  Some require either a PAL TV or a separate 
PAL-to-NTSC converter.  You can find many options for the different 
combinations at the World Gift Center, which I think Ed Dente 
suggested on this list years ago.  We have puchased from them, and 
been satisfied.  There are other vendors, as well, findable with a 
web search.  World Gift Center's URL is:

http://www.world-import.com/

Good luck,

Derek

--On Wednesday, September 4, 2002 5:13 PM -0400 LLTI-Editor 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>> From: Sonja Fritzsche <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>
> Hi all,
>
> While in Germany this summer, I wanted to buy several DVDs for my
> courses that are not available in the U.S. But to my dismay, they
> were coded region "2" which makes them unplayable in the U.S.  Does
> a multi-standard DVD player exist?  Is there another way of playing
> these DVDs in the U.S.?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sonja

Derek Roff
Language Learning Center, Ortega Hall Rm 129, University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131  505/277-7368 fax 505/277-3885
Internet: [log in to unmask]