This page describes the evil parts of the DVDVideo
specification. Region coding is a way for distributors of DVD-
Video discs to restrict which parts of the world those discs can
be used. The world is divided into 6 regions, and all DVD
players sold into those regions are supposed to have the
corresponding region number built-in. When a DVD disc is
inserted into a player, the player is supposed to refuse to play
the disc unless its code matches that of the player, or the disc
has region code 0 (compatible with all regions). The rationale
behind region coding is to allow the movie distributors to
stagger the release of a movie throughout the regions of the
world. Naturally, a movie from Hollywood is released first in
the USA. Then, once the cinemas have milked the new release for
all they're worth, the studios will offer the movie on DVD. But
these region-1 DVDs will not play on players in other regions of
the world, therefore there is no danger of exports of these
discs cannibalizing profits from cinematic rel