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What Is the DVD Region System?

DVDs themselves are encoded for a specific region or indicated as 'all region.' On the back cover of many DVD packages, you will a find a region number (0 thru 6) placed inside an image of the Earth. This refers to which region the DVD is encoded for.

The geographical regions are as follows:

• REGION 0: ALL AREAS OF THE WORLD
• REGION 1: USA AND CANADA
• REGION 2: JAPAN, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA, AND MIDDLE EAST
• REGION 3: SOUTH KOREAN, TAIWAN, HONG KONG, AND SOUTH EAST ASIA
• REGION 4: AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, CENTRAL AMERICA, MEXICO, AND SOUTH AMERICA
• REGION 5: EASTERN EUROPE, RUSSIA, INDIA, AND AFRICA
• REGION 6: CHINA

The way this works is that DVDs encoded for regions other than Region 1 cannot be played on a region 1 DVD player. In addition, DVD players marketed for other regions cannot play region 1 DVDs. All region (region 0) DVDs may be played anywhere in the world.

The region system was designed to protect copyright and film distribution rights in the sense that movie studios can dictate who can watch what and when.

Please note that there are code free or Universal DVD players on the market that will play any disc from anywhere. Most Home DVD players are subject to region code restrictions, but most computer DVD players will play any DVD.