Question Re: Picard Season 1 Steelbook

[Tayloron]

Hi everyone, I'm new and was hoping someone might be able to help me. I just bought a copy of "Picard" Season 1 on Steelbook (Blu-ray) from Amazon, but it's the French release and I'm in the USA. Does anyone know what the region code for the French Steelbook is? I read somewhere that the Steelbook releases are region-free but I'm not sure.

I've been looking everywhere for an affordable copy of the North American Steelbook but they're sold out everywhere (except eBay if you're willing to pay about $200).

If anyone knows the region coding on the French release of the season 1 Steelbook, that would be great. Thanks a bunch!!

 

[Avro Arrow]

I don’t know if the French release is region free or not, sorry. But if you get it and it turns out you can’t play it, if you still want the North American steelbook, Amazon Canada has it in stock for C$58, which should be about $43 for you.

https://www.amazon.ca/Star-Trek-Picard-Blu-Ray-Steelbook/dp/B08DSX38KK/ref=sr_1_4

 

[Tayloron]

That's a great price but unfortunately, it won't ship to my address in the states. Thanks anyway tho. I really appreciate it!!

 

[CommanderTrip]

States blurays are region A encoded. According to this link, the season 1 French bluray is region b, meaning you wouldn't be able to play it in the states unless you have a multiregion blu ray player.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Star-Trek-Picard-Season-One-Blu-ray/278939/

If you can return and get the region a version, that would be your best bet.

 

[Avro Arrow]

That's a great price but unfortunately, it won't ship to my address in the states.

Sorry, I didn't realize Amazon Canada had become so restrictive with their international shipping.

States blurays are region A encoded. According to this link, the season 1 French bluray is region b, meaning you wouldn't be able to play it in the states unless you have a multiregion blu ray player.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Star-Trek-Picard-Season-One-Blu-ray/278939/

If you can return and get the region a version, that would be your best bet.

My understanding is that the North American release is actually region free, so it's at least possible that maybe the French release is also? It's surprisingly difficult to find accurate specifications on the various releases, but the French one seems to have more language tracks included, so presumably they aren't the same discs as the (apparently) English-only American ones. But the French release and the Japanese release appear to have the same six audio tracks... so it's at least a possibility that they released the same discs in both countries, which, if true, would mean it would have to be multi-region, since France is Region B and Japan is Region A.

I guess we'll have to wait until the OP receives them to know for sure. The actual steelbook seems to be the same the world over, so if the discs end up not playing, they could order the regular US set and put those discs in the French release steelbook. It sucks buying the same set twice, but at least it's still probably cheaper than spending $200 on Ebay?

 

[CommanderTrip]

Sorry, I didn't realize Amazon Canada had become so restrictive with their international shipping.



My understanding is that the North American release is actually region free, so it's at least possible that maybe the French release is also? It's surprisingly difficult to find accurate specifications on the various releases, but the French one seems to have more language tracks included, so presumably they aren't the same discs as the (apparently) English-only American ones. But the French release and the Japanese release appear to have the same six audio tracks... so it's at least a possibility that they released the same discs in both countries, which, if true, would mean it would have to be multi-region, since France is Region B and Japan is Region A.

I guess we'll have to wait until the OP receives them to know for sure. The actual steelbook seems to be the same the world over, so if the discs end up not playing, they could order the regular US set and put those discs in the French release steelbook. It sucks buying the same set twice, but at least it's still probably cheaper than spending $200 on Ebay?

If it's region free discs, that changes things as region free can play in region a/b/c. (I own a lot of 3D blurays and have had to import some releases, including spiderman no way home, which is region b only, requiring me to get a region free 3d blu ray player.

OP - can you check the back of your steelbook? If it days region a/b/c, that's region free. If it only lists one, usually region locked

Would be nice if they dud away with region encoding entirely. I believe they did the same for VHS way back when with NTSC/PAL encoding

I own an enterprise complete series which was a region b (uk) release but rgion free, so there is precedent. Thr listing I googled mention region b, but region a/c untested... so it seems there is a chance you can play the French steelbook

 

[Tayloron]

French release and the Japanese release appear to have the same six audio tracks... so it's at least a possibility that they released the same discs in both countries, which, if true, would mean it would have to be multi-region, since France is Region B and Japan is Region A.

I guess we'll have to wait until the OP receives them to know for sure. The actual steelbook seems to be the same the world over, so if the discs end up not playing, they could order the regular US set and put those discs in the French release steelbook. It sucks buying the same set twice, but at least it's still probably cheaper than spending $200 on Ebay?

I was thinking the same thing. I'll definitely post pictures if/when I receive it. I was reading through the reviews and someone said that the only difference is the French-language text on the back card. But if the discs don't work, I plan on replacing them with the US discs. Like you said, it's still cheaper than $200 on eBay.

OP - can you check the back of your steelbook? If it days region a/b/c, that's region free. If it only lists one, usually region locked

Would be nice if they dud away with region encoding entirely. I believe they did the same for VHS way back when with NTSC/PAL encoding

I'll definitely do that. I remember reading that if it didn't indicate the region on the back, it means the discs are region-free. Hopefully that's true. And I agree: I really wish they would just get rid of region coding. I don't know how much relevance it has in 2023, especially given the decrease in Blu-ray sales. Pictures coming soon though (hopefully).