DVD region code blocks British Prime Minister from enjoying Obama's gift

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/dvd-region-code-blocks-british-prime-minister-from-enjoying-obam/

by tsally • 17 years ago

40 15 17 years ago

chanux2• 17 years ago

It's good that these people get to know how life sucks with restrictions...

bdfh422• 17 years ago

Yes - this might be a problem when trying to view US regional DVDs on a PC in the UK but a UK purchased DVD player will have no such problems - there all DVD players must be capable of playing DVDs with any regional setting. One of the few consumer oriented regulations that has had a real impact upon such outdated and outmoded restrictions.

stevejalim• 17 years ago

Actually, not so... Most DVD players you buy here in the UK are locked to Region 2. You can buy multi-region players or remove the region lock with a code on certain players, but the mainstream are R2 only. Which is a pain.

Indeed, simple region flipping on a PC could have seen Brown sitting down with Citizen Kane (or whatever other 'American classics') quite happily...

bdfh422• 17 years ago

Looks like you are right - I am having trouble tracking when this changed (old news I suppose) but I am pretty sure that when I last purchased a DVD player all those on offer in the UK were multi-region by design or had been adapted before being offered for sale.

mdemare• 17 years ago

Not on a mac though, as far as I know. When I had a Powerbook, I couldn't find any way to make it region free. Has that changed?

Angostura• 17 years ago

Completely wrong. Most DVD players in the UK are locked.

Luckily most can be unlocked with a quick Google for the relevant 'secret code' but nonetheless.

herdrick• 17 years ago

That it was a crappy gift is at least as irritating.

ftse• 17 years ago

The press in the UK have concluded it was a considered insult to Brown.

developingchris• 17 years ago

Can't learn what its like having to deal with DRM if you never have to. Maybe this will set the wheels in motion.

kragen• 17 years ago

Obama's gift demonstrates that Britain is not an ally of the United States, but a vassal or tributary state.

DVD region code blocks British Prime Minister from enjoying Obama's gift

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