Amazon.com DVDs NOT, repeat NOT Region 0

Bitterman · Post by **Bitterman** » Oct 10th 2002, 1:13 pm

After the debacle of Another Universe's attempts to rip people off, I decided that the time had come, I'd given them enough of the benefit of the doubt, and I would get the set from Amazon.com. However, living in the UK, I thought it best to confirm that the reports on this site that the set on Amazon is region 0 even though it is listed as region 1 were true, so I emailed Amazon to check.

Here is the most important line in the reply I got:

"After researching your request, I have found our information shows
that "My So Called Life" is indeed a Region 1 DVD."

So there it is, pure and simple. Until and unless they release a Region 0 DVD through Amazon, I'm stuck with Another Universe. Anyone else outside the USA and Canada might want to take note of that.

What this means for me and AU... I'm spending more than $30 more than I would if I was in the USA, and any talk of sending gift vouchers out to say sorry is utterly pointless given the exorbitant shipping costs AU apparently like to charge. I'm being ripped off despite trusting them enough to pay first the deposit, then the full amount way ahead of even their ludicrous estimates of an arrival date, and I don't have any choice in the matter if I want the DVDs. Which I do. Which means I lose, AU successfully manage to rip me off and I am left with a very, very bad taste in my mouth.

One thing alone can placate me, and that is AU refunding the difference between their charge and Amazon's. Ross has said he will not do this but has not said why not, and I want to know why not. I do not like being ripped off. Especially in a way that shows no sign of ending.

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Oct 10th 2002, 1:22 pm

Hey Amazon, YOU ARE WRONG. Amazon is selling the same IDENTICAL discs as AU and they are all REGION ZERO. If you don't believe me, ask BMG.

They are only creating ONE version of this set, and it is Region Zero.

Jason Rosenfeld

Bitterman · Post by **Bitterman** » Oct 10th 2002, 2:11 pm

Jason: I hope you are right, but I don't want to spend another $60 only to find you're mistaken. I'll wait a while longer, and if anyone else finds out anything about the Amazon discs, I'd appreciate hearing it.

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Oct 10th 2002, 2:12 pm

This is the answer from BMG!

fnordboy · Post by **fnordboy** » Oct 10th 2002, 2:24 pm

Slightly related to this topic ive always wondered this about the set. What is the deal with the PAL/NTSC issue? Will people still need to have a NTSC to PAL converter to watch the discs if they are in the UK? I know that to watch anything R2 from UK (not R2 from Japan) i need a PAL to NTSC converter. Or does it not matter going from NTSC to PAL?

Anyone know the answer?

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Oct 10th 2002, 2:44 pm

What I read was that *most* PAL DVD players can handle NTSC, but if you have an older model, it might not.

fnordboy · Post by **fnordboy** » Oct 10th 2002, 4:00 pm

Jason Rosenfeld wrote:What I read was that *most* PAL DVD players can handle NTSC, but if you have an older model, it might not.

Well isnt it an issue with the TV more than the DVD player? I really dont know much about this part of it all so i could be completely talking out of my ass.

I know ive seen modded dvd players that have converters built in so i i figured there would still be an issue.

DrLemonBurn · Post by **DrLemonBurn** » Oct 10th 2002, 4:26 pm

Well isnt it an issue with the TV more than the DVD player?

It's kind of an issue with everything, as far as I know. I have the Sneaker Pimps DVD, and it's (region 0!) PAL, and I can play it on my computer (which can play anything with the right region encoding), but my standalone DVD player just says there's nothing on the disc. In addition, PAL actually has a different resolution and some other stuff, so it would need to be translated to work on an NTSC TV even if the DVD player is able read the disc, but I think that many (European at least) DVD players will actually do this conversion for you. I think they sell hardware converters, too, but I'm not sure.

Good luck, so-called shoppers.

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Oct 10th 2002, 4:31 pm

From the way I understand things, NTSC plays in most PAL machines, but not all NTSC machines play PAL.

Rickie Love · Post by **Rickie Love** » Oct 10th 2002, 5:06 pm

Hey there Jason - so Amazon is actually selling region 0 dvds NOT rgion 1 as it states on their site?? Excuse my extreme ignoramousness, but will region 0 play in this country?? Man, I wish the info surrounding this thing would just sit f***ing STILL for a minute, ya know? One second to the next it's a whole different story. As for the gift certificate we'll supposedly be receiving...what the hell would we POSSIBLY use it for?? Man, just refund us the money. I cannot imagine buying anything else from this company. Sorry, but no way. I don't have that kind of time.

Anywho, if there is a latest rumor/actual fact regarding the region status of Amazon's dvds, I'd be grateful.

Thanks,

Amy

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Oct 10th 2002, 5:10 pm

They are still region zero. Region zero just means that there is no region coding used.

GordLacey · Post by **GordLacey** » Oct 10th 2002, 5:12 pm

Ricky Love wrote:Excuse my extreme ignoramousness, but will region 0 play in this country??

Region 0 can be played in any DVD player around the world.

Ricky Love wrote:Anywho, if there is a latest rumor/actual fact regarding the region status of Amazon's dvds, I'd be grateful.

The DVDs are Region 0. BMG is only produced one set that is Region 0 coded. That's a fact, end of story. Amazon.com just got the information wrong (probably from Ventura, who has a bunch of wrong information on their site already).

Gord

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Oct 10th 2002, 5:13 pm

I wrote to Ventura to fix this error. I think people get mad at me when I point out their mistakes. If they don't want the sales. . .

fnordboy · Post by **fnordboy** » Oct 10th 2002, 6:02 pm

DrLemonBurn wrote:In addition, PAL actually has a different resolution and some other stuff, so it would need to be translated to work on an NTSC TV even if the DVD player is able read the disc, but I think that many (European at least) DVD players will actually do this conversion for you. I think they sell hardware converters, too, but I'm not sure.

Yes you do need a converter to play PAL on an NTSC (us) TV. And there are a few players (mainly modded ones for region free) that have a built in converter. But like you said you can buy a converter box to put between the dvd player and the tv and that will work.

I was just unsure of for the UK folks out there that ordered because i know i have seen NTSC to PAL converters for sale (as well as region free players that offer that) so i figured that it had to be a fairly popular issue.

Figured i would give a heads up.

Good luck so-called brits

Bitterman · Post by **Bitterman** » Oct 10th 2002, 6:03 pm

If you have a PAL TV (mainly Europe), you may have difficulties playing NTSC DVDs. If, however, you have a newer TV (like mine) or wish to play your DVDs through your PC (like I could), that's not a problem.

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Amazon.com DVDs NOT, repeat NOT Region 0

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