[Scarlett.]

I have never got the point in them, why do we need reigons?

[Tom]

To stop you from buying a game for cheaper abroad I think and to stop something banned in a country from entering

[Scarlett.]

Hmm, Im not sure, as the PS3 is reigon free, which means it would be pretty illegal

[Tom]

Hmm, not sure then thats just what I always assumed. But I know America use a different encoding system for their TV and Film (NTSC, we use PAL) which is why their shows (especially live ones like American Idol) always look dull and filmic when they're broadcast over here, but over there they just look like what The X Factor looks like to us.

Maybe that has something to do with it.

[Scarlett.]

Aye, yeah, I remember hearing about that now that I think about it, but it confuses me cause surely a PS3 game from America would be different looking

[Greg.!]

this is a good example

desperate housewives season 4 came out in america about 3 or 4 months ago and season 4 just finished in the uk so if i bought it in the usa then i would have watched it before anyone else in the uk (unless of course everyone else did the same thing)
but thats why they have regions, luckily i have a region 1 dvd player so it doesnt bother me lol

[Tom4784]

It's because PAL machines are slightly slower then NTSC machines, only a frame or two slower though. It's something to do with the differences of outlets in the world and such. I think with the case of new generations of technology they've managed to rectify it I think, but I doubt you'll see it much outside of game consoles since I THINK it's quite expensive and plus like someone mentioned The Film and Television industries would suffer more then the Game Industry.

I think that's generally it. We did about the regions in Media a few weeks back but it's kinda fuzzy in my head so I might be wrong.

[Jake!]

Just buy a multi-regional DVD if your annoyed with it...

[Nurse57]

It is first and foremost about money.

If you can get a Sony film DVD from the states before it is on the cinema here, then you are unlikely to go to the cinema and then buy the Sony Europe DVD.

As the law stands it is not illegal for you to buy or play an imported film. It is however illegal for a retailer to sell a film that has not been passed by the BBFC. That is why you won't see an R1 film in HMV.