DVD and Blu-ray region codes explained
Film studios split the world into regions so they could release films at different times and prices in different places. Each disc carries a region code, and each player is set to one region. If they don't match, the player shows a "wrong region" message and refuses to play.
The region setting is usually just a hidden menu option. The hacks on this site are the remote-control button presses that open that menu, or switch the check off altogether.
DVD regions
| Code | Where |
|---|---|
| 0 | No region. The disc or player works everywhere ("region free" or "all regions"). |
| 1 | USA, Canada and US territories |
| 2 | UK, Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Egypt, South Africa and Greenland |
| 3 | Southeast Asia, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong |
| 4 | Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean |
| 5 | Russia, Eastern Europe outside the EU, the Indian subcontinent, most of Africa, North Korea and Mongolia |
| 6 | Mainland China |
| 7 | Reserved, not used for retail discs |
| 8 | Planes, cruise ships and other international venues |
Blu-ray regions
Blu-ray uses three letters instead of numbers. Unlocking the Blu-ray region on a player is much rarer than unlocking DVD, and most of the hacks here only unlock DVD playback, even on Blu-ray players.
| Code | Where |
|---|---|
| A | The Americas, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia |
| B | UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand |
| C | China, Russia, India and the rest of Central and South Asia |
Things that catch people out
Region 0 doesn't always work
Some Region 1 discs from around 2000 and 2001 use "Region Code Enhancement" (RCE). They refuse to play on a player set to region 0. If a disc won't play after a hack, set the player to the disc's own region instead, for example 1 for a US disc.
Limited region changes
Some players, including several Philips and Marantz models, only let you change region a set number of times (often 25) before locking to the last one. Pick a setting and stick with it.
NTSC and PAL
US and Japanese discs are NTSC; UK and European discs are PAL. Almost any TV made in the last 20 years handles both. If you get a black-and-white or rolling picture on an older TV, look for a PAL/NTSC option in the player's setup menu.
Universal remotes
Most hacks need buttons only the original remote has. A few, such as the Philips and some Sony ones, need a One For All universal remote set up with a specific code. The hack will say if so.