Difference in formats(?)

Lucy Lockley (llockley@mail.win.org)
Tue, 5 Dec 2000 15:01:05 -0800 (PST)

I have had a staff member ask me about the difference between DVD's sold in
America and those sold in Great Britain. In particular they asked if a
British DVD could be played without any problems on an American DVD player
or computer with DVD capability? The person who asked the question
mentioned 'Region 2 encoding' which is apparently for Europe, the Middle
East, & Japan only. U.S. DVD's are listed as in a different region. I
believe they got this information from Amazon.co.uk &/or Amazon.com.

I am aware (somewhat) of the difference regarding British/European videos
which are in the PAL format (?) and that they cannot be played on American
video players without some kind of 'translation' (I know that is not the
correct term but my meaning is basically the same.) We have just started
to get into ordering DVD's here and I do not know the answer to this
question and thought that someone out on videolib could help me.

Can someone please explain the problem, if there is any, regarding playing
a British DVD on an American PC or DVD player? Responses can be sent
directly to me at my e-mail address below if this message, & any responses,
will clutter up the listserv.

Is this similar to the difficulty with videos in the PAL format? I'm not
sure if I understand that one as well as I should either so any information
on either should be useful.

Many thanks in advance.

Lucy M. Lockley Phone: 636/441.2300, Ext. 1563
Collection Development Manager FAX: 636/441.3132
St. Charles City-County Library District
425 Spencer Road
P.O. Box 529 e-mail: llockley@mail.win.org
St. Peters, MO 63376-0529 Library website: www.win.org/library

"Demons after money!?! Whatever happened to the still beating heart
of a virgin?! No one has any standards anymore!"
___ Giles ('Buffy, the Vampire Slayer')
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