will someone please tell me a purpose for dvd region coding? isn't it absolutely flipping ridiculous?

Question

so what's the purpose?

Answer 1

You are absolutely right. There is no pratical purpose for regional coding. You can find all kinds of reasons based on false logic if you search but it is strictly a marketing tool.

Because there were different broadcast standards for televison we ended up with NTSC, PAL and SECAM standards which were used also with VHS.

Now that DVD has come along with an easily readable file format the region coding has no useful purpose other than to prevent global sales and control competition.

Region free disks are becoming more common and will eventually become the norm (the chinese market will ensure this) but watch for new technologies such as Blu-Ray, downloading, and time restrictive licences which can allow other ways to instill limits to show up.

Answer 2

Haven't you people been watching the news and the MILLIONS of bootleg dvds being sold throughout Asia, as well as the rest of the world? With Region Encoding then it curtails the bootleggers, 'somewhat'. Obviously not enough, cause there's still millions of bootlegs, so imagine how many there would be without Region Encoding? But if you buy your dvds legally, then why would it even matter? I live in America. I buy my dvds right down the street at the dvd store. I bring it home and play it on my dvd player that I also bought in America. It's not like I have to decide which Region to buy when I go to purchase a dvd because being a legitimate buyer buying from a legitimate source means I'm getting a legitimate Region 1 dvd!!!!!!!!! They don't sell Region 2 or 3 at MY LOCAL DVD STORE because they are not bootleggers and neither are they're customers. So relax. Don't worry about it! What is there to worry about? Oh, unless you're one of 'them'...lol

Answer 3

To protect markets from being flooded with black market DVD's from other regions.

Answer 4

to make more money by selling them at a higher rate in other countrys & to keep you from buying from a cheaper region

Answer 5

yes it is