Unlock the mystery of DVD region codes and learn how get around them.

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Getting a multi-region, stand alone DVD player for your television is a bit more complicated. Most US retailers (large or small) sell region 1-enabled DVD players. If you already have a DVD player, chances are that it's a region 1 player (if you live in the US or Canada).

You can usually find multi-region players at stores that specialize in audio/video electronics. Retailers are available on the Web, such as ZoneFreeDVD (we've never shopped at ZoneFreeDVD, so we can't really vouch for it). Also, try to find video stores that specialize in foreign DVDs. Often these stores sell multi-region DVD players so you can watch the foreign DVDs they sell.

Keep in mind that television standards differ in foreign countries. The US, Canada, Mexico, and Japan use an NTSC signal for television. Parts of Europe, Russia and Africa use SECAM. The rest of the world gravitates toward PAL. You might need a television that can handle NTSC, SECAM, and PAL, or a DVD player that can output any signal to an NTSC signal.

The Motion Picture Association of America recently created RCE, or regional code enhancing, for DVD movies. RCE is supposed to stop people with multi-region DVD players from watching DVD discs bought in North America. RCE is now included in DVD movies, and may not play on some multi-region DVD players. If you plan to buy a multi-region DVD player, check to see if the player can work around RCE. Some DVD players that let you do region switching through the remote control may be able to run RCE DVDs.

Owning a multi-region DVD player is not illegal, but the MPAA frowns upon them, because many of these players do not have the DVD copy protection called Macrovision.

Modify your player
If you already own a DVD player, you may be able to modify it so that it will read DVDs from any region. Do so at your own risk, though, because you'll void the player's warranty.

Check your local phone directory listings for a shop that can do the modification for you, and try video stores that specialize in foreign DVDs. You can also visit the rec.video.dvd newsgroups to get suggestions for shops near you.

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