Long Way Round - DVD format question

[UT_Rider]

Gang,

 

Looking for feedback from anyone who owns the exact same copy of DVDs....

 

My amazing wife picked up a copy of the

Long Way Round/Long Way Down/Race to Dakar DVD set recently for a gift, but I'm a bit nervous about opening it. It was printed in Australia and I get conflicting messages about the formatting based on looking at Amazon & other online retailers. Since Australia uses PAL format on their TVs, I'm a bit nervous that it may not play and I think it'll be easier to return to vendor if seal is intact.

 

Amazon is awful about revision control on stuff like this and seems to have 2 listings for the identical item. It's the 8-disc set made in Australia. It claims to be Region 0 (all region) - which is fine. The problem is that it says both PAL & has NTSC logo on bottom of package!?

 

ISBN: 5099926406398

Picture attached & inline which looks like mine - notice the Australian government warning label for language. (Sorry it's bad resolution, but only one i could find with same warning label)

 

 

So - anybody buy this set and can you comment on whether it will play on standard US equipment? (I don't own a multi-region DVD player and don't want to buy one just for this.)

 

Any help welcomed!

 

Thx!

 

[AZKomet]

Highly unlikely given the format.....

[UT_Rider]

That's what i thought, but Amazon has ~94 reviews, mostly from folks in US who seem to have had little/no trouble. If it were 1 or 2, I might fully agree with you, but have hard time reconciling.

 

That's why I'm looking for some folks with personal experience.

 

Thanks!

[Burt]

I have purchased a number of guitar instructional DVDs from the UK over the past several months. Some are PAL, some are NTSC, and some are both. They will all play on a computer. If you have a problem with your DVD player, you could watch them on your computer.

[UT_Rider]

Good suggestion...will have to consider that option as a backup, but still would love to see someone tell me their experience with standard DVD player & US TV.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

UT Rider,

 

I have a set sent by some friends in the UK. I don't remember anything about how the box was marked. I'll try to remember to check it out tonight and get back to you.

[Survived-til-now]

I don't think the PAL or NTSC is the issue. With DVD's - it the area code that matters for the decoder (DVD player) and as long as it's worldwide or your region it is good to go.

 

What the decoder talks to (the TV) is irrelevant - isn't it?

 

Of course you realise that we waited a long time for PAL and that NTSC is commonly known over here as "Not The Same Colour" Twice

[pickersgill1]

Hello I have the DVD set in UK format, most players will play different formats. I would play on laptop and connect lap top to TV if not able to view on your player.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

UT Rider,

I checked my set and it was printed in Australia as well. It also says PAL and the Race to Dakar DVD box also says "NTSC All regions". Never had any problems with it and I don't have a very expensive DVD player. Hope this helps.

[UT_Rider]

Nice n Easy Rider,

 

Awesome - thanks! Gives me some confidence to tear into the package. At least I have a backup plan also with computer. My DVD player & TV are about 6 years old, so not certain...this is usually bigger issue for us folk in NTSC regions than those in PAL regions... Many newer DVD players probably play to both standards of TV, but player needs the horsepower to tweak refresh rates, pixel aspect ratios, etc. Or if my TV supports PAL input I might be fine too...(DVD player wouldn't need to convert at all).

 

I might be able to answer my own questions if I went and looked up the specs on the TV & DVD player too....

 

If anyone has contradictory results, please advise!

 

Thanks,

Matt

[Bradley_Gillie]

UT Rider,

I checked my set and it was printed in Australia as well. It also says PAL and the Race to Dakar DVD box also says "NTSC All regions". Never had any problems with it and I don't have a very expensive DVD player. Hope this helps.

 

+1

[Casey]

 

 

And the verdict is????

[wbrissette]

I have the exact same set! You know, I never looked at the labeling, you're right, it is a bit confusing with both PAL and NTSC labels on it. However, I can tell you that I have watched the entire box set without any issues on both modern Blu-Ray/flat panel and older tubeTV/DVD combo sets without any problems.

 

By the way, if you do have a flat-panel screen, the whole PAL vs. NTSC issue pretty much goes away because we no longer deal in scan rates like we did with older tube technology.

 

Anyhow, I would open and watch without hesitation. Of course then you'll want to get on your bike and set off to the four corners of the world. ;-)

 

Wayne

[RichEdwards]

I have the same DVD set from Amazon. Works fine on my US equipment.

[UT_Rider]

All,

 

Thanks for the inputs! I gotta get some time on calendar to plug them in and see!! (Too busy to even ride lately! ) I need a separate woodworking shop from my RT storage so I don't have to cover the bike & pile wood stocks around the bike!

 

Will advise...will try to at least break the seal & test drive a few discs. Have seen both LWR & LWD before, so I already know better than to sit down on the couch while it's playing or get sucked into the vortex!

 

Thanks!

[UT_Rider]

Survey says....awesome!

 

The only problem with the DVDs is that somehow they made the stop button on the remote stop working for about 2 hours...

 

Thanks to everyone and yeah...I kinda want to ride across Mongolia now!