DVD Zones

Just as various video standards are available around the world, DVDs are manufactured with a code that allows the disk to be played on DVD players sold in a particular geographic area of the world. Put simply, this is how the film studio companies prevent release dates of films, videos and DVDs from overlapping. For example, a movie may be released in the USA, just as it is being released in the cinemas in France. The availability of different standards therefore limits the possibility of piracy and protects film and video distributors.

Each DVD player is manufactured with a read code capable of playing DVD disks sold in a particular region of the globe. This means that DVDs bought in one country may not play on machines acquired in another country. Region codes are a permanent part of the DVD; they do not "unlock" after a period of time.

DVDs are printed and coded depending on the geographical zone where they will be marketed. There are 8 DVD zones. If a DVD disk plays in more than one zone, it will have more than one zone number clearly marked on it.

Unless otherwise mentioned, all DVDs available at Infrench.com are meant for Zone 1.

The zone divisions are:

1: Canada, U.S., U.S. Territories
2: Japan, Europe, South Africa, Middle East (including Egypt)
3: Southeast Asia, East Asia (including Hong Kong)
4: Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Central America, Mexico, South America, Caribbean
5: Former Soviet Union, Indian Subcontinent, Africa (also North Korea, Mongolia)
6: China
7: Reserved and not in use yet
8: Special international venues (airplanes, cruise ships, etc.)

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