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View Full Version : A few questions about DVDs and games on Xbox...



xboxgamer142
03-29-2002, 01:20 PM
Firstly, I have a question about the Xbox's DVD capabilities. I know that European Xbox's can play both Region 2 and codefree DVDs. How about US Xbox's? Can they play both Region 1 and also codefree DVDs? Hopefully they can. I hope some companies will release a chip soon so that the Xbox will be able to play all types of DVDs. It's just too bad they didn't make the Xbox, so that it could play all Region (1-6) DVDs or that it could play all system (NTSC and PAL) games, or even both...

The Xbox's DVD features are really cool and it is also good that the Xbox supports Dolby Digital and Dolby Surround 5.1. The Xbox's DVD capabilities are way more better than the PS2's.

shererboat
03-29-2002, 01:36 PM
they play both region one and codefree dvds..........

DBXNY
03-29-2002, 02:56 PM
Originally posted by xboxgamer142
I hope some companies will release a chip soon so that the Xbox will be able to play all types of DVDs. It's just too bad they didn't make the Xbox, so that it could play all Region (1-6) DVDs or that it could play all system (NTSC and PAL) games, or even both...


Xboxdude, any DVD player can play region-code free discs - there isn't a region code designation prohibiting them. It would be illiegal (as far as DVD licensing goes) for Microsoft to make the X-box region code free here in the states or Europe. However, if you're interested, keep looking around. Someone may have developed a software hack that will make the X-box region code-free by now.

The NTSC/PAL thing is another issue, though, as I don't think the X-box has a standards conversion chip built inside.

Ninja Scroll
03-29-2002, 03:01 PM
I know one thing I can tell all you addicts. Not all region 1 DVD's work on the Xbox. So nothing is promised no matter what Region is listed on the back of the DVD box.
Dont believe me? Try asking my copy of Snow White & Da 7 Jackasses!:o :(

Daaaaaaaaamn you Disney DVD, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaamn you all!:D

LynxFX
03-29-2002, 03:12 PM
Try asking my copy of Snow White & Da 7 Jackasses

That was Disney's fault, not the fault of the Xbox dvd player. Snow White doesn't work on a variety of dvd players due to Disney trying their own stuff in the authoring process which was no longer part of the DVD specs layed out years ago. This has happened on some other discs as well and it isn't just cheap equipment that it has created problems for. Some have created problems for $2000 equipment.

DBXNY
03-29-2002, 06:24 PM
Originally posted by Ninja Scroll
I know one thing I can tell all you addicts. Not all region 1 DVD's work on the Xbox. So nothing is promised no matter what Region is listed on the back of the DVD box.
Dont believe me? Try asking my copy of Snow White & Da 7 Jackasses!:o :(

Daaaaaaaaamn you Disney DVD, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaamn you all!:D

Apparently the "UDF" file in Snow White is way out of DVD spec. X-box supposedly had a fix right before it was released just so that it would play Snow White specifically. If your disc doesn't work, it may just have a really currupted UDF file that is intolerable. A different copy of the disc may likely work.

Disney is well aware of the problems caused by Snow White, and some other Disney DVDs as well. They don't follow the DVD spec. It's one reason why they have their own hotline for help with problems encountered with their DVDs. Notice that none of there discs even carry the official DVD logo.

LynxFX
03-29-2002, 06:31 PM
It is so stupid that they did that anyway with their high profile Platinum series. I mean they are only going to have 10 total in 10 years and they screwed the first one up. Hopefully they won't make the same mistakes with Beauty and the Beast. I doubt it though since they plan on doing alot of seamless branching, which I'm all for, but I don't think Disney will do it right.

Hugh_Jass
03-29-2002, 07:51 PM
Originally posted by DBXNY

The NTSC/PAL thing is another issue, though, as I don't think the X-box has a standards conversion chip built inside.

I think you're right. The XBOX will play either NTSC or PAL but you have to own a television capable of playing the signal. This leaves out most televisions sold in North America. Projectors, on the other hand, usually handle just about any type of signal you can throw at them.

xboxgamer142
03-30-2002, 10:09 AM
My correction: Yeah, I just tested some codefree DVDs and they do work on the Xbox. However, codefree (Region 0 or ALL) DVDs are really rare.

Boneris
04-02-2002, 12:19 AM
The Xbox DVD player does PAL to NTSC conversion, so you can play PAL dvd's on your North American Xbox and on a regular TV.

If the PAL dvd is also anamorphic, to get the correct aspect ratio, your tv would need to support something like a 16:9 mode...

FeelinDandy
04-02-2002, 02:56 AM
And what about the DVD region lock thing.. Does the DVD accessory lock you XBOX to that region or can you interchange them (say Region 4 and 1) as you please..?? and as many times as you please..??

LynxFX
04-02-2002, 11:11 AM
As soon as you plug in the dvd dongle the Xbox will get locked into whatever region the dongle is. This cannot be undone. There have been people wondering if you bought a region2 or region4 dongle and used it on a US Xbox if it would play Pal region2 or region4 discs. I never heard the results yet, but it does lock to the region in the hardware on the Xbox once that little dongle is attatched and you hit the power on button.