region for blueray affects playing, burning or both?

[hermespan]

Subject explains all.

Context: I just picked up an external blueray player in Canada intending to bring it to Thailand/Cambodia/Malaysia. I did so because although my 3.5 year old laptop (SONY Vaio) does include a disk player (maybe it is a burner too) blueray must be too too or expensive to be included. And for business reasons I needed one right away.

I have had several disappointments that I wish to warn others about...

1. Brand: I bought LG instead of some unknown Chinese brand or even Pioneer because I figured a higher end name brand would have a better warranty, better performance and all-round be better. Based on the posts here it appears I made the wrong decision - that cheapo brands are more likely to have fewer hassles and because they are a throw away price, who cares? I paid CAD100 plus 12% taxes at a big box store when I could have paid $60.

1. Software scams: Using the accompanying CD I got a test that said my laptop was incapable of playing disks but for the price of $50 I could buy something to solve this problem. ? Isn't hardware supposed to come with a disk that makes the device work or a free online download? Had I such an old laptop that the tech specs weren't up to par or was this a scam? Turns out it was a marketing scam (not impressed by LG) as after closing another name of a software came up that ;looked more legit. If I wasn't sort of savvy I could have been ripped off by deceptive marketing practices.

2. Customer 'service': I called 24/7 Canada office (every call it sound like they are in the Philippines) and after they looked up the model number, they told me to call US as it is a US model. 'US' office is closed at night. Call next day, on a Saturday, they have to transfer me from Blueray division to ISP division. But that department closes early. So must wait over a day for information.

3. Region limitations: I need to be able to read a disk burned in Switzerland (region then burn disks for Canada and USA (region A) and ocassionally Hong Kong (region C). And switch back and forth accoring to mailing and in-pereson presentation needs. the burner in Europe has no idea whether how he did it is region-free or a particular region. So this all sounds very unpromising.

I thought regions for disk and entertainment products were abandoned ages ago?

[hermespan]

region 'b' keeps coming up in my post as a smiley.

[IMHO]

Region coding is set in post-production, and is optional. If you want to create bluray discs that will play anywhere, simply skip the region coding.

Depending on what software you're using for your post prod, you might not see/have the ability to region code the content anyway