What Region DVDs do you normally buy?

What Regions DVDs Do You Usually Buy?

  • R1 - to ensure the least (BBFC) cuts

    Votes: 23 36.5%
  • R2 - for inceased picture quality

    Votes: 11 17.5%
  • Any - for price or availability

    Votes: 29 46.0%

  • Total voters
    63

Messiah

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Just wondewring if people go for the better quality (equipment dependent) of R2 PAL discs or stick with the (generally) uncut R1 versions. Asking as I have most of the upcoming titles on order as R2 (mainly because play.com seems to have them in their database earlier for some reason) but wondering whetehr I shouldn't be changing them for R1.

Thanks.
 
There's more to great picture quality than just whether the disc's PAL or NTSC.
I think the best looking disc I've got is the R1 disc of The Green Mile. The R2 American History X isn't far behind though.

Personally I don't have a set ruling as to which region I'll go for. With the big releases though, depending on who the UK distributor is, I'll generally go R1.
I have a pretty varied taste in films that so far the R2 release schedules struggle to satisfy. I've got nothing against any region in general though.

So I guess that puts me in the number "3" camp
 
I think this poll should be in DVD Talk shouldn't it? ;)

Anyway, I feel unable to vote based on just those 3 choices but I have voted for "any" as the best of the worst ;)

The reason is that I check out each disk before I buy and do a thorough region comparison on a feature by feature basis and then compare the prices.

Generally, I'll buy which ever region I can get cheapest, but ........

I one region is censored then I won't buy it (R2 of The Matrix for example), even if it's cheaper.

Also, I consider the sound formats, as they differ between regions too - and I don't mean whether it includes DTS, but rather, if one version is in stereo and another is 5.1 (e.g. Wild Things R2 is in stereo, Wild Things R1 is in 5.1).

Also, I look at whether a disk is anamorphic on each region (e.g. Bound R1 is not anamorphic, but Bound R2 is - both are uncut).

Lastly I look at the extras as these differ from region to region. I don't really care much for extras (with some exceptions), but if two different regions are the same price, but one has a few more extras, then obviously I may as well go for the one that has more.

I tend to buy a lot of R4 disks because of their price (and they are generally uncensored, unlike UK R2 disks). Sometimes they can have better specs too.

When you look at the grand scheme of things though, many R2 disks are uncut! It's just the odd one here and there so you really do need to compare them on an individual basis. In fact, it is more common for R2 to lose some of the extra features of R1 (but not always).

Whatever disks you have on order, just compare the specs with R1 and R4 and if those regions have something extra that you want, then get them instead. You can check whether a film has been censored by the BBFC, by checking their website: www.bbfc.co.uk, and you should use region comparison sites like www.dvdcompare.org.uk to check for this (and other differences) as well.
 
Thanks Squirrel God. Really useful info. I hadn't intended this to be an in depth poll so apologies if I did not include enough options.

Sounds like a really good site would be one where you could choose your disk preferences (sound option, like/don't like extra features, anamorphic etc) and it would then compile a list of whoch region would be most suited based on your criteria.

Anyone know of such a site or looking at creating one?

Cheers.
 
I'm not aware of any such site, but seeing as there are only 3 regions in the running it's easy enough to see them all laid out on one page and make your own mind up, so I doubt we'll see such a site soon.

What would be nice is if we could compile our own disks based on the features and specs we wanted :D Then I could get rid of some of the commentaries and the DTS sound track on LOTR extended edition and have it all on one disk rather than two :D

At the moment I'm struggling to vote in your poll anyway as it keeps telling me I have an invalid session :mad: Will try again later :)
 
In general I rent far more films than I buy now, which can often be a major result, as I get to see a large number of disks for the price of one purchase. If there is a film I really want to see and the R1 is released before or not long after the UK cinema debut then I will buy the R1 disk. The same would apply to R1 disks that are released well in advance of the UK dvd release date.

If it's a film that is only available in one region and I really want it I will go with that release if it meets certain standards. If a disk is available in R1, R2 and R4 I will go for the best available version from any region, with the bias towards PAL versions if possible as I don’t have a TV with component video inputs for NTSC progressive scan which my player is capable of.
When I bought Pulp Fiction a few years ago the best version was the R4 so I went with that
 
With Squirrel, I generally go on features rather than region - I try to visit http://www.dvdcompare.org.uk before impulse purchases - not always successfully :)

I've just upgraded my player and TV to a combination that sports NTSC progressive scan however, so I now have a distinct Region 1 preference for the greatly improved picture quality - something of a contrast to the poll questions so I've plumped for '3' as well.

I also own Pulp Fiction from R4 - could turn out to be the first disc I've bought 3 versions of with the recentish special edition releases :eek:
 
Uesd to be just R1 disc's up until recently, but I'm now buying on price. So I voted number 3.

Call me Scrooge, damn it!

JD:D
 
Where can I vote Region 3? ;)

Normally I buy R3 (due to my current location) or R1 via internet order.
The TV I am using now does not support PAL so R2 (Japan excluded) would be of no use, besides if it's R2 it would most likely be a German release instead of a UK one.
 
Well, if one limits the scope of this poll to movies (which I don't), then I buy R1, but not just because it usually means fewer cuts. I can't bear the 4% audio speed up - it's more unacceptable to me than 2-3 pulldown.

If we widen the scope to include 'television discs', then I buy a series in the format of origin (Star Trek R1, The Professionals R2 etc). Exceptions are in the case of Monty Python, where it is effectively unavailable in here, and the Avengers which was unavailable when I bought them.

It should be noted that many British TV shows filmed on film :))) had a frame rate of 25fps rather than the usual 24fps for celluloid.
 
I wish people would stop creating badly thought out polls. I buy region 1 but because I don't like the 4% speedup of PAL. Where does that fit into your poll options?
When viewing region 1 or 2 progressive scan through a CRT projector there is no significant difference in picture quality so again your poll is invalid.
 
R2 mostly.
Picture quality, less hassle changing region code on player, plus some useful features like 'Last Mem' never work and WS autoswitching rarely works with R1.

The fact that i'm contributing to the European R2 DVD industry can only be a good thing in the long term.

I must admit, I've never noticed the 4% increase in speed, visually or aurally, unlike 3/2 pulldown which can be annoying.

Just curious if anyone used to notice this speed increase in the pre-DVD era. I never heard it mentioned or complained about for films broadcast on PAL TV or even VHS for that matter.
 
Originally posted by Kevo
R2 mostly.
Picture quality, less hassle changing region code on player, plus some useful features like 'Last Mem' never work and WS autoswitching rarely works with R1.

I find that a lot of the early PAL DVD's have poor picture quality. You seem to see the blocking a lot more on these disc's. Also, poor transfers are more common on PAL DVD's, but I think thats down to the dodgy companies (EiV being one of them). PAL DVD's do have that 4% speed up too, but I'm getting used to it now.

I must admit, I've always heard the speed up on PAL movies. When I used to buy a movie soundtrack, it always sounded slower than the VHS copy of the same film.

Also, all my R1 disc's auto switch to widescreen without any fuss through the RGB scart, but funnily enough, not through s-video.

Have a good day all, :)
JD
 
Just saw this on the HCC website ....

"The end of regional coding could be in sight...
A member of trade organisation the UK DVD Committee has stated that he believes the regional coding system that's separated the DVD world into six different areas since the technology's launch could soon be abandoned. Graham Sharpless made his comments in a story run on the BBC's website today. "
 
Originally posted by John-D
Originally posted by Kevo
Also, all my R1 disc's auto switch to widescreen without any fuss through the RGB scart, but funnily enough, not through s-video.

SCART uses pin 8 and S-Video Din uses a voltage increase to do the switch (I think ?), so I guess the 'problem' may lie within some disks as I use RGB SCART.
 
Originally posted by John-D
poor transfers are more common on PAL DVD's
That's not true. Poor transfers occur on all regions, be they PAL or NTSC.

If anything, the poorest transfers are on R3 (NTSC) - very few are anamorphic.

Originally posted by Kevo
SCART uses pin 8 and S-Video Din uses a voltage increase to do the switch (I think ?), so I guess the 'problem' may lie within some disks as I use RGB SCART.
My TV always switches to widescreen automatically for anamorphic disks, whatever region they are and I use RGB scart as well.
 
Originally posted by Spectre
I wish people would stop creating badly thought out polls. I buy region 1 but because I don't like the 4% speedup of PAL. Where does that fit into your poll options?
When viewing region 1 or 2 progressive scan through a CRT projector there is no significant difference in picture quality so again your poll is invalid.

Spectre

Sorry for upsetting you. Didn't realise I had to take this soooooooooo seriously :D
 
I think the choices are pretty poor in how to answer this poll.

I went for option 3.

My choice is influenced by

1. Inclusion of significant value extras (a filmography and stuff is superflous).
2. The picture/audio quality.
3. the price. (Only if there is a SIGNIFICANT saving between R1 & R2. A pound or so will not make any different but a fiver would)
 
Look guys. I apologise if the options aren't detailed enough but my intention was to get some quick responses to see if I should change my pre-orders. Next time I will make sure I give it a lot more thought but was just looking for people to say whether they generally bought R1, R2 or other and was not expecting the level of detail that people are supplying.

All the same, I appreciate all the responses as it has opened my eyes to some of the other reasons why one would choose one region over another.

Thanks again and sorry to have wasted anyone's time.
 
Originally posted by Messiah
All the same, I appreciate all the responses as it has opened my eyes to some of the other reasons why one would choose one region over another.

Thanks again and sorry to have wasted anyone's time.
I don't think you have wasted anybody's time Messiah (there's a sentence I never thought I'd see myself using - sounds like something more fitting for the Life of Brian :D), as you say, you have learned a lot and that is what this forum is all about. :)

When I first starting buying DVDs, I used to just buy whatever was cheapest. I didn't think that the differences between regions could be so stark. But I got disappointed a few times with what I bought and I never released that R4s were so easily available and so cheap, so now I meticulously check the specs and prices between regions on every title before I hit the CHECKOUT button.

As you can see, others are just as meticulous and/or have complex reasons for favouring particular regions :)
 
Also, all my R1 disc's auto switch to widescreen without any fuss through the RGB scart, but funnily enough, not through s-video.

S-Video leads do not carry any control signals.
 
I personally buy on how much I want a film, for example I paid over 40 for the DTS version of Armageddon.

Recently I have been buying a lot of DVD's from Hong Kong (www.dddhouse.com) as some the prices are really cheap for example Britney's film Crossroads with a DTS soundtrack was only a fiver.

On the front R2 I think about 50% of my films are R2 the majority of these would be been brought in BOGOF offers or those half price sales.

I tend to by R1 if it's a film that's out in the cinema and I can't be bothered to go or for censorship reasons (Matrix and AOTC)
 
If anything, the poorest transfers are on R3 (NTSC) - very few are anamorphic.

Not entirely correct as a lot of R3 DVDs are re-coded R1 with some Asian language tracks and subtitles added - sometimes at the cost of e.g. DTS though!
It may actually depend on what R3 you are looking at (locally produced or released by the big studios) and from what country they come ...
 
Originally posted by Reiner
Also, all my R1 disc's auto switch to widescreen without any fuss through the RGB scart, but funnily enough, not through s-video.

S-Video leads do not carry any control signals.

I find R2 disc's switch to widescreen through s-video, just not R1 disc's.

JD
 
Originally posted by John-D
I find R2 disc's switch to widescreen through s-video, just not R1 disc's.
You are using a Scart lead then.

S-Video can be carried via scart or s-video leads (Reiner only referred to the latter).
 

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