Now that HD-DVD has bitten the dust, all now turn to BLU-RAY for our HD fix. However, the HD-DVD machine I purchased in December 2007, a Toshiba model, was modified by a company representative for me at the request of the retailer BEFORE I would purchase it. I wanted this machine to play my substantial U.S. DVD library region free and unconverted to 24 fps/1084P for my HD projection system. I would not have bought this machine if I couldn't play my old Region 1 DVD’s.

It's fascinating to me that ALL Blu-Ray machines come with mandatory DVD region coding that you can't change. Not to mention Blu-Ray Region coding which is a different can worms itself. There are no Region Free models offered or fixes from manufactures in Australia currently.

I find myself harking back to the late '90s when the region coding issue "hit the fan" so to speak. Considerable pressure was applied to manufactures of DVD's to offer region free machines. This request was ratified right up to the courts in Australia who deemed Region Coding as "restrictive and in possible breach of the Trade Practices Act”

So through the ‘000’s we have had multi-region players on the market (or at least freely available multi region reprogramming information) from ALL manufactures including SONY, PANASONIC, SAMSUNG and the rest. Why then are we being expected to purchase Region Locked Blu-RAY/DVD players from the same company's now?

Interesting that in the states Region Coding on Blu-Ray titles has NOT BEEN implemented yet! Why? It’s something the film houses insisted be included in the specifications for all new HD discs but it is not mandatory at this time. So why Region code the DVD section and not Blu-Ray. Surely you can't have one coded and the other not? It’s a situation that is confusing and must be fixed.

I will not buy a Blu-Ray machine that can’t play DVD’s I’ve purchase in my travels overseas. Region Coding has been firmly dealt with in this country and the consumer won. DVD machines are available Region Free filling a consumer demand. Why are we now expected to give up this right and purchase a Blu-Ray machine with DVD region coding and the potential future region coding of Blu-Ray discs?

We need to start putting pressure on retailers and manufactures. The HD war maybe over but the Region Coding war just started again!