Why do I have to select a country to watch a DVD?

ben501

Can't find the answer via Google so hoping someone here can answer.
Hardly a major issue. Just one of those little things that annoys me.

Sometimes when I play a DVD (a normal region 2 film) after the logo, Warner Brothers in this case, has been displayed I get a screen where I have to choose a country. United Kingdom always seems to be right at the end. I have to go through about 4 pages to get to it.
This time I just selected the first country on the list. It went to the same menu. the film was still in English.

So does it make any difference which country you select?

T_T_2

There are a number of reasons but more often than not it boils down to advertising. As you know a lot of DVDs start off with trailers for other DVDs or Boxset seasons. Different countries will be targetted with different things, for example ugly betty might be something they would show to a UK audience but not to a German audience.

Another reason can be local legislation whereby they want to display the correct rules regarding copying and reproducing of DVDs and who to inform if you believe you have a fake DVD. This will vary by country.

These menus can sometimes exist without reason and have simply been put on as a matter of habit.

shaun_from_Africa

Another reason is the language.

Some DVDs come with multiple language options & the country you click on decides on the language you will hear (it's usually dubbed, but very occasionally there are foreign subtitles.

S0litaire

Also It goes alphabetically, Remember Region 2 DVD's cover Europe/Asia They tend to speak other languages other than English.
So it's cheaper for the Movie houses to just use 1 DVD for Region 2 and stick every subtitle and a few European and a couple of Asian Audio Dubs than to produce a different DVD for each Country.

googler

Different language in the subtitles, depending on what you select in the menu?

Spank

Paramount used to be bad that was, but they changed it a couple of years ago to English on the first page