regional codes

Geographic zone designations

Regional codes are digital restrictions built into DVDs, Blu-rays, and game discs that prevent playback on devices sold in different geographic markets.

A disc purchased in Japan won't play on an American player.

The system lets distributors control release timing and pricing across regions: I had to buy a region-free player to watch imports.

Related
  • DVDOptical media format
  • Blu-rayHigh-definition optical media
  • zoneBounded area designation
  • lockedFastened with a mechanism
  • PALTelevision color standard

NTSC · territory · unlock · import · import tax · movie piracy · player · disc · disc format · restriction · format · country · encoding · bypass · Japan · Europe · playback · firmware

Opposites
geographic scope

regional codesglobal standards

Universally accepted specifications

international standards · region-free · universal format

access restriction

regional codesregion-free

Without territorial restrictions

open access · unlocked · multi-region · open standard · free access

Family

regional, region, regions, regionally, regionalism, regionalist, code, codes, coded

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G