Nearly all DVD home video products are protected against unauthorized distribution outside their licensed territories by what is known as region encoding.

Region 2 DVDs are encoded discs that are playable only on DVD players manufactured for use in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Austria and other western European countries, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and other the Middle Eastern countries, Japan, Greenland, Iceland, and certain South African countries. Depending on the country’s dominant television format, Region 2 DVDs are either PAL or NTSC format discs.

Region 2 NTSC or PAL discs will not play on most American DVD players. Many Region 2 DVD players are manufactured to play both PAL and NTSC discs, regardless of region encoding (check your player’s manual).