NEWBIES Read this first: DVD FAQ

[radzeykimosabi]

Post Edited

A link to a DVD FAQ page that could be helpful for newbies.

DVD FAQ



And here's a less technical FAQ page from Amazon with anwers to the following questions:

What makes DVDs so much better than VHS videocassettes?
What's the difference between Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1, and DTS?
What is a dual-layered DVD?
What's the difference between widescreen and anamorphic?
What about the pan-and-scan and full-frame (or full-screen) formats?
What's the difference between "close-captioned" and "subtitled"?
Why do some DVDs require flipping from one side to the other?
What's the difference between PAL and NTSC?
What is region encoding?
What is Regional Code Enhancement (RCE)?
Can I play imported DVDs on my player?
What is progressive-scan technology?
How can a DVD offer parental control or parental locking of potentially offensive material?
Can I play DVD-ROM materials on my DVD player?
What's a "fully loaded DVD"?
What does "THX certified" mean?
What is "Infinifilm"?
What is "Superbit"?
What are test discs?
What are "Easter eggs"?

DVD: Frequently Asked Questions

[sandman]

I have a question for you all   .  What is the difference between an Region 3 DVD from a Region 1?  It seems that in our country, DVD collectors prefer R1 than R3.  Is this because of the quality/special features of the DVDs or is it just because we are so enchanted by anything from the US   ?

My apologies if it seemed that Im a bit judgemental   . I am also part of that group who prefers Region 1 DVDs.  But really, what is the difference between R1 and R3?

[ßartmaniac]

I have a question for you all   .  What is the difference between an Region 3 DVD from a Region 1?  It seems that in our country, DVD collectors prefer R1 than R3.  Is this because of the quality/special features of the DVDs or is it just because we are so enchanted by anything from the US   ?

My apologies if it seemed that Im a bit judgemental   . I am also part of that group who prefers Region 1 DVDs.  But really, what is the difference between R1 and R3?

Hey sandman!  Welcome to PinoyDVD!

For starters, you may check out the following:

• Are there differences between R1 and R3 discs?
  
  
• Are R3 DVDs Starting to be at Par with R1s

For R1 & R3 comparison/differences of specific DVD titles, check out the various threads in the R3 Releases & Reviews forum.

Hope this helps.

[sandman]

 

Bartmaniac,

     Thanks a lot for the links.  I really appreciate it.  And thanks also for the welcome!!

[Agent Guile]

Saan pwedeng mag pa decode ng code restricted Sony DVD player?

[sgc_wdi]

Here's another good and comprehensive DVD FAQ for you guys:

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/officialfaq.html

[pilandok]

thanks for the info!
its greatly appreciated

[mackieboy]

im new in DVD..  

anong region ng DVD natin dito sa pinas?

[JhunDV]

im new in DVD..  

anong region ng DVD natin dito sa pinas?

Region 3  

[tripleDot]

newbie question,

in connection with mackieboy's query,
kung Region 3 tayo how come most people are buying R1's?  does this mean that the DVD player can play any version?  or do i have to specifically buy a DVD player for a certain region?

thanks.

[sgc_wdi]

Most people prefer R1 dvds because these are the ones released in the US, and these dvds usually has the best feature sets among all other regions of the same title.

But, in order to play R1 dvds, your player should be capable of doing so. So if you're buying a dvd player, make sure it's multiregion, meaning, it can play all regions.

[oldManDexter]

played star wars  "the" new hope and it played the thx video in the beginning but it said "thx laser disc".  

why is that so?

is there an faq for determining whether a dvd is not original?  in case somebody sells a boxed dvd and the works but included a pdvd

[CrUzSACK]

is there an faq for determining whether a dvd is not original?  

I don't think there's an F.A.Q.  You can actually verify because there is an R1 DVD Release Calendar and the R3 Release Calendar.  So you basically get a guide as to what DVDs are already out.  There are plenty of Release Announcements online, some even have list as far as mid-2003 (when the DVD itself is still under production).  Once you've found the title on the list, then you'll know that it has been officially out. And if it's not there and you have a supposedly DVD copy  , chances are it ain't the real thing.

As to whether or not the first Star Wars movie has ever been released on DVD, you may check other online sites. George Lucas has time and again said that he has yet to release this on DVD and it could take awhile.  There's a thread here that discusses that but I'm sorry I can't provide the link here (search function is not working).  

[CrUzSACK]

Oh and the copy you were asking about --- thx laser disc? If I'm not wrong, that's a Star Wars movie copied from the laser disc. There is no, (never was) Star Wars (Princess Leia era) DVD yet --- Episode 4-6, according to official sites like www.theforce.net and www.starwars.com

[oldManDexter]

thanks for the input.

as for an original dvd case wherein the content is swapped with a pdvd (of course not the star wars, others), there's no telling then huh?

[diesel]

what is the difference between DTS, Dolby Digital, THX, etc... and what do they stand for?  Ano naman yung 5.1, 6.1, 2.0 something?  

And please if you explain it, yung maiintindihan naman ng lolo ko.  

Thanks.

[Kahon]

what is the difference between DTS, Dolby Digital, THX, etc... and what do they stand for?  Ano naman yung 5.1, 6.1, 2.0 something?  

And please if you explain it, yung maiintindihan naman ng lolo ko.  

Thanks.

DVD FAQ #3.6.3

[diesel]

what is the difference between DTS, Dolby Digital, THX, etc... and what do they stand for?  Ano naman yung 5.1, 6.1, 2.0 something?  

And please if you explain it, yung maiintindihan naman ng lolo ko.  

Thanks.

DVD FAQ #3.6.3

sir kahon,

salamat sa tulong. pero talagang di maintindihan ng lolo ko.  

 

[kwela5253]

May Region 0 (zero) ba? if yes, pareho ba features nito sa R1,2,or 3?

[booghaw]

follow-up lang about the region 0(zero), is there such a thing? saw it on one of the buy & sell sites kasi & it says na exact copy sya ng R1...

thanks
 

[Kahon]

May Region 0 (zero) ba? if yes, pareho ba features nito sa R1,2,or 3?

follow-up lang about the region 0(zero), is there such a thing? saw it on one of the buy & sell sites kasi & it says na exact copy sya ng R1...

thanks
 

PLEASE REFER TO THE FIRST POST OF THIS THREAD.

DVD FAQ 1.10  4TH Paragraph

There's also an existing thread on your question.  If you had used the search function above and looked for "Region 0", that would have yielded this thread.  

Region 0 = All Regions? Is it Legal?

[anna]

sobrang haba ng FAQ at medyo nalilito ako sa dami ng technical terms pero yung fact na DVDs will last longer than i do warms my heart.   (ok, that sounds so wrong)

[coxicc]

what i know about these region codes is that the only serve to set boundaries where a particular dvd can only be played to a particular geopolitical region. R1 dvd are intended to be played only in US areas and are supposed to not be able to be played in dvd players released in R2 countries or R3, etc. R2 countries are the european countries, middle east and japan. R3 are the southeast asian countries like the philippines. China i think is of R6. R0 are those dvd that are region-free. But then there are already technologies now that can decode dvd-players to play dvd that are of different region codes

Perhaps, the differences in quality between the dvd can be ultimately explained by these set geopolitical boundaries.

[Ki]

Hi.  I'm new here.  I have a question...  Can i just connect my xbox to an a/v receiver via the standard RCA cables and have a 5.1 sound?  Or coax/optical cables are necessary to have a 5.1 sound? Thank you.

[viper]

I may be wrong but your material must have 5.1 information to be extracted by the a/v receiver.

[Ki]

so what if my material has 5.1 information, di pa rin pwede RCA cables? dapat talaga digital cables para 5.1 yung sound?

[Steel]

Hi Ki,

Welcome to PinoyDVD!  

I have an Xbox too.  In order for you to experience 5.1 sound, you do need to get the Advanced AV pack and hook your Xbox up to an AV reciever using an optical cable.

The RCA cables won't give you 5.1 sound.

Don't worry about the material of the Xbox.  Most, if not all of the games have 5.1 surround sound in-game.

[Ki]

Oh ok   Thanks!

[wavehunter]

hi guys! i'm new here.
is it illegal or not to have my R1 dvd player converted into a multi-region player?
meron ba gumagawa nun dito?

[virginboy]

    Dear Everyall,

New member here, obviously...  nakakalokah ang message board nah itoh, napaka-informative!  I have been glued to the PC since I discovered this site!  Lotsa catching up to do.  Big shout sah mgah founders and moderators... at CONGRATULATIONS!

Anyway, I've been working at the Virgin Megastore here in Dubai since a month before it opened more two years ago.  Ditoh nah akoh namulat sah mgah "luho" products such as SACDs, DVDs, PS2, X-Box, Gamecube and Gameboy XP!  I was basically a CD collector but now I can't get enough of
these damned DVDs!

Hopefully, given my limited online time, I could help give you some insights on DVDs based on my first-hand experience here at Virgin and as a "bona-fide DVD collector", kahit paunti-unti lang.  By the way, what makes up a "DVD aficionado"?  

Being a newbie here, I know how time-consuming it is to go over everything that's been discussed.  But if you were to buy or should I say "invest" on a DVD player (prior to a home theatre system), piliin nyoh nah ang "multi-system" DVD player kahit medyoh mahal.
 
More later...