Suppose you want to understand a bit better what multizone DVD players are. The short answer is copyright control. To prevent the most recent films from being released on DVD before they are released in theaters, studios developed and imposed a digital coding system that identifies a DVD, its point of origin, and its date of origin.

There are six regions across the globe used to identify a DVD's origin. Region one is the United States. Region two is Europe and Japan. Region three is the Asian Pacific. Region four is Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America. Region five is Africa, Russia, and Eastern Europe. Region six is China and Hong Kong. Multizone DVD players are modified to enable them to play any DVD regardless of region and origin. Making such modifications is not illegal. Clearly, however, if you have any qualms about cutting into a movie studio's profits, you might not be interested in owning a multizone player.

You're wondering where you might be able to buy a modified multizone player. Almost without exception, typical chain stores in the United States--such as Circuit City, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Radio Shack, for example--do not sell them. Attempting to modify your own VCR isn't advisable unless you're an engineer or lay expert. Certainly you'll void any manufacturer warranty.

Multizone DVD Players on the Market

Before buying any multizone DVD players, check to see if the seller offers a warranty. You should expect at least a 60-day no questions asked return guarantee. The terminology to describe modified DVD players will include multizone, multiregion, code-free, and region-free.