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The DVD zones from around the world are seen here. Many players will not play "out of zone" DVDs as President Barack Obama and Britsh PM Gordon Brown discovered in a humorous botched gifting. Britain is in Zone 2, while the U.S. is in Zone 1.  (Source: Flickr)
Here's some classic American movies... psych!

President Barack Obama hasn't just been working hard to right the American automotive ship, he's also been looking to foster better international relations, meeting with PMs and Presidents of many nations.  However, on one of those recent meetings he made a humorous technical snafu, that's something most of us can relate to.

Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister, paid President Obama a visit, and as a gracious gesture, President Obama gave him a gift set of 25 classic American movies, including the timeless thriller "Psycho."

Arriving back home, PM Brown settled in to watch "Psycho" only to receive a far greater horror than the movie itself could bring -- none of his DVDs would play, due to zone restrictions.  While saddened and shocked, the PM maintains that American and Britain still have a "special partnership".

PM Brown presented President Obama with a working gift, a penholder carved from the timbers of an anti-slavery ship.  The ship was the sister ship of the one that was broken up and the timber used to form the current desk at the Oval Office.

While the DVD mistake is no big deal, obviously, it serves a humorous reminder at the frustrations caused by industry that insists on using region coding as a means of fighting piracy.  Many argue that such restrictions do little to stop actual pirates, and instead merely hinder cultural exchange, by making it harder to play foreign movies and TV programs.

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What an insult.
By therealnickdanger on 3/24/2009 12:26:04 PM , Rating: 5
What a bizarre present... Not that it matters due to the region-lock. Perhaps all Obama knows about American history is what he's seen in movies, so perhaps in his eyes, it was a very meaningful gift? I was floored when I discovered what the PM gave to Obama (pen holder carved from wood off the HMS Gannet, framed commission of said boat, and a biography on Churchill.) If it's the thought that counts, then the PM is truly a class act.

I suppose it could have been worse, Obama could have bought the PM a 3-pack of Timecop for $18.




RE: What an insult.
By borowki2 on 3/24/2009 5:42:12 PM , Rating: 2
And one of these films, Lawrence of Arabia, wasn't even American. A thoughtful gift it's not.


RE: What an insult.
By borowki2 on 3/24/2009 6:02:46 PM , Rating: 2
Two of the films, Vertigo and Pyscho, were directed by Hitchcock, a Brit. 2001 A Space Odyssey, like most Kubrick films, was shot in the UK.


RE: What an insult.
By pxavierperez on 3/25/2009 5:08:40 AM , Rating: 3
nope, Kubrick's 2001 was shot entirely in New York City.


RE: What an insult.
By omnicronx on 3/25/2009 1:34:49 PM , Rating: 2
My guess is that they think the Studio dictates where the movie is from, not the director or writer. Psycho for one, was shot at Universal Studios. And I think Vertigo was a Paramount production.


RE: What an insult.
By phxfreddy on 3/25/09, Rating: -1
RE: What an insult.
By omnicronx on 3/26/2009 12:01:47 PM , Rating: 2
Ya what was he thinking, I thought knowing everything about DVD's was a requisite to becoming President?

This is not something everyone knows about. How many people know about PAL vs NTSC vs SECAM? Do you think any president has ever known the difference? I really doubt it and yet these have all been standards for 50+ years.


RE: What an insult.
By phxfreddy on 3/27/2009 4:29:38 PM , Rating: 1
This IS something someone should know who contends ( more like pretends ) to be an international figure. Maybe you in po-dunk Iowa do not know but ANYONE who has traveled and stayed outside of the USA more than 2 weeks knows. I sure do.


RE: What an insult.
By wordsworm on 3/29/2009 2:21:14 PM , Rating: 3
You'd think Brown would have the few extra dollars to throw into a region-free DVD player. It's not like he's too poor to get a $70 DVD player: http://www.110220volts.com/SD-690.html

Anyone who travels regularly, like I do, makes sure to get a region free DVD player. You'd have to be an idiot not to.


RE: What an insult.
By overzealot on 3/30/2009 3:38:45 AM , Rating: 3
Which is why region-locking is pointless.


RE: What an insult.
By omnicronx on 3/25/2009 1:31:06 PM , Rating: 2
Was it not a film by Columbia Pictures?


RE: What an insult.
By MrBungle123 on 3/25/2009 2:49:21 PM , Rating: 5
The utter disrestpect shown to the leader of our closest ally by the Obama administration disgusts me. They litterally give him a gift which is a priceless historical artifact and he gives them DVD's in return!?

Also related to this story but not mentioned here.

The wife of the British PM gave clothes made for the Obama children by the best designer in england and was in turn given models of the Marine One helicopter. Worse yet a bust of Winston Churchill given to America by England right after 9/11 symbolizing the unity of the two countries was given back to the PM... when the PM tried to tell Obama it was a gift and that he should put it in a museum, he was told that we don't want and they should take it back...

It disgusts me that Obama would return these gestures of friendship by our closest Ally which has sent their own country men to die for our causes in such a manner.


RE: What an insult.
By omnicronx on 3/25/2009 5:29:46 PM , Rating: 5
And yet, nobody has thrown a shoe at him ;)


RE: What an insult.
By Jedi2155 on 3/26/2009 3:57:57 PM , Rating: 1
Funny you bring that up, one of my co-workers at my job was tasked with introducing Obama to the podium when he was giving a speech in California and while walking him up there he quipped asking if Obama thinks anyone was going to through a shoe at him haha. I think his response was "well you can duck if they do!"

So I think the joke has been said enough.


RE: What an insult.
By lexluthermiester on 3/31/2009 8:10:20 PM , Rating: 2
Jedi, and you wonder why Mitchell dumped you...


RE: What an insult.
By laok on 3/26/2009 10:06:50 AM , Rating: 5
We see budget cuts everywhere.


RE: What an insult.
By TedE on 3/26/09, Rating: -1
RE: What an insult.
By B3an on 3/26/2009 3:50:21 PM , Rating: 4
It's not the money you retarded yank. It's the thought. What kind of president gives a DVD box set as a symbol? how can you even stick up for something so stupid??
And the British government is not royalty, and certainly nowhere near as pampered as U.S leaders.


RE: What an insult.
By Mojo the Monkey on 3/26/2009 7:56:38 PM , Rating: 2
Well, the PM obvious was going to put them to use... otherwise he wouldnt have discovered the regional code problem if they had just ended up in the trash once they got back to home. =/


RE: What an insult.
By wordsworm on 3/29/09, Rating: -1
RE: What an insult.
By Secret Agent Man on 3/26/2009 10:28:05 PM , Rating: 5
You are mistaken. Some of the items are exactly personal gifts. For example, the clothes given to his children are just that. Secondly, the pen he was given was given in plural, meaning two identical pens...one for HIM and one for the People of the U.S.A. to keep.

What Obama did was disgusting. I am so embarrassed as an American. To give back a bust and tell him "We don't want it anymore" is equal to saying we don't want your friendship anymore. To give England a freaking DVD pack (Region 1, no less!) and plastic helicopters from the White House Gift shop is only a further slap in the face to the people of the U. K. For that I am truly sorry for anyone from the U. K. who reads this post. Furthermore, the U. K. was denied an official meeting until the last minute and even then was denied thier flag as is customary when any head of state visits the U.S.A. just as when the President visits andy foreign Country!!! Know this, I am not by any means alone on how I feel...contrary, it is Obama, (an extreme radical)and his supporters, who are a minority in the USA who led the mass uninformed to get elected and many of whom are already having regrets about their vote for him. Your Country is one of only two or three that I would defend with my life. Please accept my humblest apology.


RE: What an insult.
By borowki2 on 3/27/2009 6:57:03 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
The real views of many in Obama administration were laid bare by a State Department official involved in planning the Brown visit, who reacted with fury when questioned by The Sunday Telegraph about why the event was so low-key.

The official dismissed any notion of the special relationship, saying: "There's nothing special about Britain. You're just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn't expect special treatment."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northame...


RE: What an insult.
By MrBungle123 on 3/27/2009 10:44:22 AM , Rating: 3
Before your post I was beginning to think I was the only one on this board that really understood the significance of this.


RE: What an insult.
By Secret Agent Man on 3/27/2009 8:53:26 PM , Rating: 2
You are not alone. WE SURROUND THEM! Hell, it was YOUR Post that motivated me to open my mouth and even bother! It is so disgusting now the level of foul stench. America cannot take much more of this...the pot has begun to boil.


RE: What an insult.
By adiposity on 3/30/09, Rating: -1
RE: What an insult.
By Secret Agent Man on 3/30/2009 7:03:39 PM , Rating: 2
You need to learn more of the details Dan. First learn about Diplomatic Courtesies and Rules. Secondly, learn about the people whom we pay to just sit around to think up gifts for heads of state which he did not use...another form of gov't. waste. Next learn about the symbolism of HMS Resolute and the gifts given to us the American People that he snubbed his nose at. BO is totally inexperienced to run the USA as CIC. Now socialists Countries, like Germany to name one are concerned he will try to lead the world into hopeless socialism that has NEVER worked.


RE: What an insult.
By dare2savefreedom on 3/27/2009 1:28:33 AM , Rating: 2
@Tede

are you 4 real?

>>used to squandering the people's money on pampered leadership. Thank >>goodness Obama doesn't follow this tradition.

you mean like flying the expensive air force 1 to la to do the tonight show and fly back when he could of just recorded from the white house?

i though he is the technological president?

fsck it it's the taxpayers money right.
but obama doesn't squander right.
or your forgot about the trip to colorado or that
he heats the white house to 80 degrees after telling americans
we got to tighten our belts.


RE: What an insult.
By B3an on 3/27/2009 7:46:40 AM , Rating: 2
Exactly. Infact if you look at everything TedE has wrote he's done an impressive job of saying the opposite to how things are in reality. But some idiot has actually rated him up anyway.


RE: What an insult.
By oab on 3/29/09, Rating: 0
RE: What an insult.
By siberus on 3/31/2009 2:13:21 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
The utter disrestpect shown to the leader of our closest ally


I thought that was Canada :o


Region coding totally pointless
By ChugokuOtaku on 3/24/2009 11:53:28 AM , Rating: 5
for most DVD players state-side, you can dig out the instructions online to disable the stupid region lock. In certain parts of the world, you couldn't even FIND a DVD player that isn't region free.

heck, plenty of DVD players even have built-in PAL/NTSC converters




RE: Region coding totally pointless
By mmntech on 3/24/2009 1:18:09 PM , Rating: 5
That and HD resolutions and frame rates are now standardized world wide, so the limits of PAL vs NTSC vs SECAM no longer present issues. I guess the Hon. Gordon Brown is going to have to find himself a region free player.

I've never really understood the piracy justification for region lockout. Everybody knows the real reason for it is so they can charge more in different areas. It's one of the reasons why I liked HD-DVD over BD. Unfortunately, Hollywood made it known loud and clear they wanted to keep region coding and have more DRM.

Fortunately BD did cut the number or regions down from six to three. Also, not all studios enforce region coding on BD. According to Wikipedia, Paramount and Universal release all their movies region free and the other studios release most of theirs without it. Out of the nine BD movies I have, only three are region coded: distributed by Lionsgate, Touchstone, and FOX respectively. I applaud them for not making region coding mandatory, as it pretty much was with DVD.


By Proteusza on 3/25/2009 7:05:04 AM , Rating: 5
Its got nothing to do with piracy, its got to do with keeping margins high.

It means Sony can sell the same movie in Egypt for $5 and sell it in the USA for $20. They still profit off the $5 sale but they know that they can get $20 out of Americans, so thats why the price is like that.

Region coding is a way of protecting that, of protecting profits. Its one of the reasons why HD DVD failed - studios werent happy that it didnt include region coding, but Blu Ray did.


By consumerwhore on 3/26/2009 1:33:55 PM , Rating: 2
I now have an image in my mind of the Queen fiddling with the bloody remote to make that sodding DVD work!


Nice gift...
By daar on 3/24/2009 4:11:27 PM , Rating: 5
The (arguably) greatest nation with it's vast wealth and power gives it's closest ally a gift of...25 dvds. Sort of disappointing, but it is change...




RE: Nice gift...
By Flunk on 3/24/2009 9:59:09 PM , Rating: 5
Vast debt you mean.


RE: Nice gift...
By laok on 3/26/2009 10:13:38 AM , Rating: 2
It does not matter it is debt or wealth. The US does not have the money to and will not pay back the debts anyway.


RE: Nice gift...
By HammerStrike on 3/27/2009 1:00:13 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah, the US has a terrible track record of defaulting on debt...


RE: Nice gift...
By Fritzr on 3/29/2009 11:41:01 PM , Rating: 2
You've got it backwards...

The Feds are great at defaulting on debts...It's paying them off that they don't do well :P


And this is...
By Saosin on 3/24/2009 2:10:09 PM , Rating: 2
Yet another reason why people download movies illegally...




RE: And this is...
By fatedtodie on 3/25/2009 1:53:24 PM , Rating: 2
And that is why region locking exists...

The cycle remains unbroken.

People steal because they hate the programing that makes it so they can't steal.

Irony at its finest.


RE: And this is...
By omnicronx on 3/25/2009 2:32:19 PM , Rating: 2
That's what you call an excuse. Region locking means absolutely nothing unless you plan on buying foreign movies, or you plan on watching your movies overseas.

Anyone using Region locking as an excuse it pirate is just masking their true intentions, 99% of people would have pirated anyways.


RE: And this is...
By Fritzr on 3/29/2009 11:47:29 PM , Rating: 2
I view DVDs from SE Asia...I view US DVDs while in SE Asia.

I don't buy a DVD player unless it is unlocked or I know it can be unlocked without problem.

In the malls just ask the sales clerks. They will tell you which ones can be unlocked and which cannot.

The last one I purchased, the sales clerk put it through a store required test before turning over to the purchaser. One step of that "test" was unlocking and testing with DVDs from multiple regions :D No piracy required to play "foreign" DVDs :)


RE: And this is...
By adiposity on 3/30/2009 12:58:28 PM , Rating: 2
I guess this means that if you buy a region free DVD player, you must NOT be a pirate. Yet, for some reason, region-free is considered a form of DMCA violation.

-Dan


Ugh, Jason
By Reclaimer77 on 3/24/2009 6:08:27 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
President Barack Obama hasn't just been working hard to right the American automotive ship, he's also been looking to foster better international relations, meeting with PMs and Presidents of many nations. However, on one of those recent meetings he made a humorous technical snafu, that's something most of us can relate to.


This entire paragraph reeks of bias, partisanship, and continues the trend of the media working hard to gloss over and whitewash our 'president's' constant idiocy and inexperience.

"That's something most of us can relate to" Ha ha. Except when it comes out of a Republicans mouth (*cough* Bush *cough*) then he's a complete MORON and needs to be removed from office.




By fatedtodie on 3/25/2009 10:04:01 AM , Rating: 4
So... someone comes from a foreign country to your house, gives you an expensive heirloom type object as a gift, what is the first thing that comes in mind to give them? I would say a pile of crappy DVDs! That way they know you value their friendship and the alliance of two great nations.

So the only "change" we get from Obama is we go from a nation of protecting the world from itself to... retards that can't make a useful decision?

go america... ugh...




By dare2savefreedom on 3/27/2009 1:31:10 AM , Rating: 1
amen brotha...

uh i meant go allah!


Didn't this get reported everywhere else...
By johnbuk on 3/24/2009 12:59:40 PM , Rating: 2
...like 3 weeks ago?

There is an abundance of freeware available that will allow the PM to rip the the DRM off those DVDs, reencode them to PAL and burn them to DVD-Rs. Can be done it half an hour on even a low end PC.

I have an old DVD player that allows me to set the region code and converts PAL to NTSC just fine. Have ordered several DVDs over the years from Amazon's UK site.




By dare2savefreedom on 3/27/2009 1:45:57 AM , Rating: 2
do you think the PM wants hordes of black storm trooper soldiers of the MPAA storming his house and taking everything?


WTF- Can you change the region?
By kdeeone on 3/27/09, Rating: 0
By UNHchabo on 3/30/2009 5:53:42 PM , Rating: 2
DVD drives can only change regions 4-5 times before they're locked from further changes. It isn't something you want to do every time you want to watch a different movie.

For most people with an HTPC though, I'd recommend two DVD drives -- one for Region 1, one for Region 2. Assuming of course that you don't want to risk bricking a drive in an attempt to hack it to be Region Free.


By Screwballl on 4/2/2009 10:28:54 AM , Rating: 2
A better addition to the gifts would have been a US based DVD player, even a $50 walmart cheapo. Of course the PM can get one of his aides to buy a US region based DVD player themselves before they left the US.


More on the gift exchange
By mattclary on 3/24/2009 1:18:49 PM , Rating: 3
A little more detail on the gift exchange with emphasis on the perceived (actual) slight.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-236...




Ahhhh, dang..
By rodneymcname44 on 3/25/2009 2:29:50 AM , Rating: 1
quote:
"Yet another reason why people download movies illegally... "
Haha, that couldn't be any more true bro! But dang, that sucks about the movie. That's quite the strange restriction. Kinda dumb really..

http://www.governmentgrantstruth.org/




RE: Ahhhh, dang..
By fatedtodie on 3/26/2009 3:12:53 PM , Rating: 1
You're right, it is dumb to protect your IP....

"Copyright protection laws vary from country to country. The purpose of these anti-copyright theft laws is to protect valuable ideas and the creative industries. That effort benefits all people in the filmmaking business - not just those in Hollywood. MPA has four major offices in Brazil, Singapore, Europe, and Canada as well many other branches around the globe. MPA investigators work with international law enforcement to ensure that copyright is protected with respect to each country's legal system. "

http://www.mpaa.org/piracy_IntLaw.asp

You and the other thieves can go make your own movies and see how that turns out... for the rest of us that like good quality products I am happy to have region locking.


No Effort
By Totally on 3/26/2009 5:36:23 PM , Rating: 2
went or thought went into that gift. I wouldn't be suprised if he'd sent an aide to fetch it from the airport gift shop at the last minute before he boarded his flight.




I'm sure
By Penti on 3/28/2009 3:58:36 PM , Rating: 2
I'm sure he can go out to buy a region free DVD-player as any Swede can? Brands like Philips have region free players here so I don't see the problem. Not conforming to specs seems to be fine here.




DVDs?
By Skilty on 3/30/2009 10:20:07 AM , Rating: 2
Ok I am a brit and not at all insulted. My comment is President Obama might have bought him blurays disks :-)

How better to enjoy a classic such as Lawrence of Arabia or 2001!

As pointed out Gordon Brown is not our head of state and it appears the gift was personal rather than from the people of the USA. In comparison I think it only fitting that the PMs gift was crafted from HMS Gannet and given not only to the US head of state but also the first African American President.




OBAMA'S GIFTS To THE Britsih PM etc
By Robey on 4/2/2009 4:36:02 PM , Rating: 2
I have been reading all of the comments about the gifts between the Obama's and the British PM. I feel sick and disgusted when I read these comments. After all these are just gifts. Plain and simple. He could have given a BOOK MARKER for all I care. When someone gives a gift. It should be cherished as a gift regardless of the value. I believe only simple minds quibble about the quality and quantity of gifts. There is far more to the meeting between two people than the MATERIALISTIC NATURE OF A GIFT. The best gift to me is the mere presence of the person. Not what they brought for me. I do compliment the people who offered information on ways to get around the REGIONAL BLOCK. I consider this to be constructive. At least I learn something.




By VaultDweller on 4/3/2009 7:00:37 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
using region coding as a means of fighting piracy.

I believe you're mistaken about the purpose of region coding on DVDs and players. They aren't intended to fight piracy, they're intended to preserve regional distribution rights. If Company A has distribution rights in America, region codes make it harder to buy from Company B in Japan.




Obama gets creepier everyday
By phxfreddy on 4/12/2009 9:52:22 AM , Rating: 2
More than a few people are noticing how creepy Obama is. His wife? Ouch that wig of hers hurts my eyes.




Wow
By ablecluster on 3/25/2009 7:00:47 AM , Rating: 1
Makes pretty good sense to me dude. WEll done!

RT
www.privacy-tools.us.tc




wow.
By vistaisfine on 3/28/09, Rating: 0
Blu-Ray
By TomZ on 3/24/09, Rating: -1
RE: Blu-Ray
By theflux on 3/24/2009 3:32:50 PM , Rating: 4
Blu-ray region coding is optional, and a good majority of the releases are region free. Time for you to put the brakes on your troll train.


RE: Blu-Ray
By Keeir on 3/24/09, Rating: -1
RE: Blu-Ray
By HeelyJoe on 3/25/2009 6:28:00 PM , Rating: 2
Oh noes you have to read the box!


RE: Blu-Ray
By wordsworm on 3/29/2009 2:51:00 PM , Rating: 1
That's too funny. But really, asking people to read the box is like asking someone to buy a map before going on a trip, or reading instructions, or something like that.


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