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DVD region code blocks British Prime Minister from enjoying Obama's gift

40 points| tsally | 17 years ago |engadget.com | reply

15 comments

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[+] chanux|17 years ago|reply
It's good that these people get to know how life sucks with restrictions...
[+] herdrick|17 years ago|reply
That it was a crappy gift is at least as irritating.
[+] ftse|17 years ago|reply
The press in the UK have concluded it was a considered insult to Brown.
[+] kragen|17 years ago|reply
Obama's gift demonstrates that Britain is not an ally of the United States, but a vassal or tributary state.
[+] developingchris|17 years ago|reply
Can't learn what its like having to deal with DRM if you never have to. Maybe this will set the wheels in motion.
[+] bdfh42|17 years ago|reply
Yes - this might be a problem when trying to view US regional DVDs on a PC in the UK but a UK purchased DVD player will have no such problems - there all DVD players must be capable of playing DVDs with any regional setting. One of the few consumer oriented regulations that has had a real impact upon such outdated and outmoded restrictions.
[+] stevejalim|17 years ago|reply
Actually, not so... Most DVD players you buy here in the UK are locked to Region 2. You can buy multi-region players or remove the region lock with a code on certain players, but the mainstream are R2 only. Which is a pain.

Indeed, simple region flipping on a PC could have seen Brown sitting down with Citizen Kane (or whatever other 'American classics') quite happily...

[+] Angostura|17 years ago|reply
Completely wrong. Most DVD players in the UK are locked.

Luckily most can be unlocked with a quick Google for the relevant 'secret code' but nonetheless.