What are DVD and Blu-ray “region codes”?
Each DVD player is given a code for the region in which it’s sold. The player will refuse to play discs that are not allowed in that region. This means that discs bought in one country may not play on players bought in another country. Regional coding is not an encryption system, it’s just one byte of information on the disc that the player checks. Region codes are a permanent part of the disc, they won’t “unlock” after a period of time. There are 8 DVD regions (also called “locales”). Players and discs are identified by the region number superimposed on a world globe. If a disc plays in more than one region it will have more than one number on the globe.
