Region 2 DVD question....

M

mgcrans

Project QL Intern
Aug 24, 2005
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Can someone tell me why all the region 2 DVD sets have 6 discs as opposed the the US stupid double sided discs. I thought Universal was just being stupid when I saw that Quantum Leap Season Two and Sliders: Season 3 had 6 discs instead of 3 double sided ones.

While looking around, however, I see that the region 2 releases of Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider (another Universal title) and the recent WWE releases of Wrestlemania all have more discs than their rgion one counterparts. Region 2 has no double sided discs that I have been able to find.

I may need to switch to buying Region 2 exclusively.
 
mgcrans said:
Can someone tell me why all the region 2 DVD sets have 6 discs as opposed the the US stupid double sided discs. I thought Universal was just being stupid when I saw that Quantum Leap Season Two and Sliders: Season 3 had 6 discs instead of 3 double sided ones.

While looking around, however, I see that the region 2 releases of Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider (another Universal title) and the recent WWE releases of Wrestlemania all have more discs than their rgion one counterparts. Region 2 has no double sided discs that I have been able to find.

I may need to switch to buying Region 2 exclusively.
Click to expand...

You have answered your own question here. The region 2 set is 6 discs because they are single sided.
 
leaper1 said:
You have answered your own question here. The region 2 set is 6 discs because they are single sided.
Click to expand...

Right...I understand that...but why? Does the UK have a law against double sided discs?

There has to be some reason why companies like Universal, Warner Bros, and WWE, etc would release all there stuff double sided in the US and single sided in the UK
 
mgcrans said:
Right...I understand that...but why? Does the UK have a law against double sided discs?
Click to expand...

I always wonder about the opposite question (do you have to turn the disc on it's head to watch the other episodes on it?).
 
It's just because for whatever reason, they prefer to use them over double sided discs. No other reason, perhaps because the way the market works with more discs per set they can charge more money to sell them.

Worth noting though that R2 series such as Knight Rider and A-Team have those pre title teasers cut from the episodes. So they just start with the theme music for each ep. They are intact on the R1 releases.
 
Region 2?

Can some one explain to the clueless one exactly what Region 1, Region 2 is all about without a bunch of technical terms???

And is there a big difference?

Thanks!

~Annette

mgcrans said:
Can someone tell me why all the region 2 DVD sets have 6 discs as opposed the the US stupid double sided discs. I thought Universal was just being stupid when I saw that Quantum Leap Season Two and Sliders: Season 3 had 6 discs instead of 3 double sided ones.

While looking around, however, I see that the region 2 releases of Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider (another Universal title) and the recent WWE releases of Wrestlemania all have more discs than their rgion one counterparts. Region 2 has no double sided discs that I have been able to find.

I may need to switch to buying Region 2 exclusively.
Click to expand...
 
annette said:
Can some one explain to the clueless one exactly what Region 1, Region 2 is all about without a bunch of technical terms???

And is there a big difference?

Thanks!

~Annette
Click to expand...
I googled "DVD regions" and found this link; this should explain it pretty well:

http://hometheaterinfo.com/dvd3.htm

Hope that helps! :)

Damon
 
I've also heard that compression is an issue because they squeeze four episodes per disc (per side as well for Region 1 versions). I think it has to do with the fact that the episodes need to be compressed to an extent in order to fit all of them on each disc, which potentially affects the quality. Any truth to this?

As for the differences with the amount of discs for regions 1 & 2, I'd agree that different countries simply have their own methods when it comes to packaging. I guess the powers that be in R1 see it as less discs, less art, less work...

Regarding the teaser cuts on the Knight Rider and The A-Team DVD sets, I believe the official excuse for this was to conserve space on the discs. Which I think is a load of crap, because I can't see how a 30-second or minute-long teaser (multiplied by four for each episode on disc) can take up so much extra space. What is it? Four extra minutes total?

Another unique case with these DVD sets is Season 1 of 24. In the U.S., the original airings of the first season were in fact edited to allow extra time for commercials. (Apparently the U.S. has more commercials than any other region.) So, the R1 sets of the first season are edited because that's the way they were aired in the U.S. So in terms of the DVDs being cut for R1, it's not truly the case here because technically that's how the original episodes were.

However, what is cut are the original "Previously" segments, which are recaps of the previous episode to keep any new viewer up to speed with what's going on. For some unexplained reason, these were removed from the R1 sets. Region 2's set, however, has the "extended" episodes because they were originally aired that way in the U.K. The "Previously" segments are also intact in those sets as well.

So, it's not like one region always gets the cream of the crop when every other gets the "short end of the stick."
 
How can I obtain Region 2 versions in the US? I am pretty sure my DVD player can handle R2 DVDs...I am willing to gamble on getting one season for now to test it out after the holidays are over....
 
QL Nut said:
Another unique case with these DVD sets is Season 1 of 24. In the U.S., the original airings of the first season were in fact edited to allow extra time for commercials. (Apparently the U.S. has more commercials than any other region.) So, the R1 sets of the first season are edited because that's the way they were aired in the U.S. So in terms of the DVDs being cut for R1, it's not truly the case here because technically that's how the original episodes were.

However, what is cut are the original "Previously" segments, which are recaps of the previous episode to keep any new viewer up to speed with what's going on. For some unexplained reason, these were removed from the R1 sets. Region 2's set, however, has the "extended" episodes because they were originally aired that way in the U.K. The "Previously" segments are also intact in those sets as well.
Click to expand...

With season one of 24, it wasn't just the previously on bits. The last 6 episodes on the R2 had almost two minutes of extra footage per ep, including one scene that potentially changes the dynamic of the final episode.
 
Region 2 to Region 1

DeadZoneLeaper said:
How can I obtain Region 2 versions in the US? I am pretty sure my DVD player can handle R2 DVDs...I am willing to gamble on getting one season for now to test it out after the holidays are over....
Click to expand...

I have said before, and I'll say again.
I am willing to obtain copies of the region 2 version, for no more than the actual cost of purchase and posting, which I will then send marked as 'gift' to save my American friends having to pay huge import taxes (which I have been the victim of when buying USA exclusive Beanie babies for my daughter, so I know they can mount up.)

If you would like me to do this, just email me and we can talk specifics.
 
Al's Cigar said:
With season one of 24, it wasn't just the previously on bits. The last 6 episodes on the R2 had almost two minutes of extra footage per ep, including one scene that potentially changes the dynamic of the final episode.
Click to expand...

Yes, and the Region 2 version was also released the day after the first season finale. As a result, the very first limited editions of the set had the last few episodes edited the same way Region 1's episodes were. Because of the rushed set, this also meant that no new extras were able to be made for it. I believe Fox later made an official statement regarding the situation and offered fans the chance to mail their discs back, in exchange for the newly extended final epsiodes.
 
Al's Cigar said:
Which is what I did. ;) The set was also withdrawn for about 3 months and re-issued with the correct longer BBC versions.
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Yep. Because of the regional differences on the Quantum Leap DVD sets prompting me to get a region-free player, I'm now also going to look into getting the Region 2 version of Season 1 of 24. :)

I wonder, though, maybe those first limited edition sets will be worth money one day? Man, I'm sure not picking the right favorite shows being here in Region 1! :roflmao:
 
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