MovieChat Forums > Blu-ray Disc Releases > Different Blu-Ray regions same quality?

Different Blu-Ray regions same quality?


Are blu rays in Australia usually the same quality as their US counterparts? I can find disc reviews of US releases but next to nothing for Australian ones.

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While I can't find any official links to that information, I would imagine, yes, if Australia uses the same TV system as the U.S (NTSC, or the HD equivalent). I would imagine region coding is invisible, has no effect on the video signal.

The U.K. used to use PAL, which is different than the U.S. NTSC system; 25 frames per second instead of 30 frames per second. Naturally 25 fps makes movement look a little different than 30 fps. They're both transferred from 24 fps film.

When you used to buy DVDs, did Aussie DVDs say "PAL" or "NTSC"?

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Australia uses PAL. That said there is real equivalent to PAL and NTSC in HD. It's just HD. Although different frame rates are broadcast for compatibility reasons, for the most part a Blu-Ray from the US and one from the UK will be the same.

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Excellent! Thanks, DK.

Well, there you go, FutureVessel! Different regions = same quality. Region coding has no effect on visual quality.

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Thanks guys!

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Not always, in other countries same movie can be authorized by distributors with languages of specific country, (it was mostly true for dvd authoring, now it's rare but it happens) special features and specific rating system. Blu-rays have only 3 regions and it does mean that there can be at least 3 version of 1 movie instead of special/collectors editions in same region.
For example:
at that moment I can tell about Silent Hill - UK/USA editions (and some others) have only one-layer-25gb BD with LPCM-audio instead of France edition that contain 2 Blu-ray disks (two-layers-50gb), DTS-HD master audio, region free(and changable inner covers (4pcs) in addition) use blu-ray.com for proper info about disk editions in other regions.
And there is no such thing on blu-ray like NTSC or PAL it's only 1080p/i but in rare occasion video can be coded in 50/25 60/30fps - check specification of your TV - but all modern tv/players must play it. But not all TV and players can support blu-ray feature - 24p playback, like it plays at cinemas (generally for movies only). I have BD of Planet Earth (UK edition 2007) with 1080i/50fps and it play fine in my USA BD-player (pioneer bdp-51fd) on europe-standart analog tv (philips 32pw9551)

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To the OP,

It depends on the studio and if the studio has the rights in Australia. In some cases, if the studio in the US is the same distributor in Au, then it'll probably be the same disc. If it's a local studio doing the distribution, then it could be a different encode.

To f-fdc, the French Silent Hill is a monster of a release. Beautiful transfer all around. Puts the US release to shame.

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I've seen Avengers Blu-Ray from the UK and America. Both copies look and sound exactly the same.



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It depends, some titles are owned by the same studio worldwide and therefore they use the same master everywhere. Other times a title will be released in different countries with differing video and audio specs, different cuts of the film, different extras (or sometimes none at all) and all sorts of language and subtitle variation. Usually that happens with smaller independant films but even some bigger studio releases have variations.

Usually there won't be a huge difference in newer titles. Some older ones can be quite random, especially discs from the mid/late 2000's when HD audio wasn't included on every title. Warner Bros especially released a lot of Blu with low-grade 640kbps Dolby Digital audio and overcompressed video transfers.

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