How can you watch an Italian DVD overseas

The world-wide DVD market, especially the Italian DVD market, includes countless titles not available at all in the U.S. as well as special edition discs not available in the U.S.

In order to play these rare titles in a U.S. DVD player and on a U.S. television, the unit must perform two crucial functions. 

 First, the unit must perform a "PAL to NTSC conversion" if the disc is from a country, such as Italy, with the PAL video standard.  There are many DVD players with this feature, but beware of more cheaply made players from companies such as Apex and Cyberhome that are prone to breaking down after only a few months of use.  Some of the very best, durable DVD players with this feature are units manufactured by Toshiba.  But PAL conversion is only half of the problem.  

The DVD player or the DVD movie itself must also be region-free.  There are 6 DVD regions for different parts of the world and players bought in one certain region are only supposed to play DVDs from that same region.  The U.S., for example, is Region 1, whereas Italy is Region 2, and Region 2 discs will not play in a Region 1 player.   ( Unless - ironically enought - you buy the boot-legged DVD movies widely available from street vendors. This DVD movies do not have a regional code and you can find them in all the major towns in Italy - However there is no guarantee that this DVD movies will perform correctly and lots of them do have problems therefore they are not suggested. Official ( original ) dvd movies are getting cheaper with time starting at 5 Euros each for old Toto movies and some special offers at the news paper stand.

Region Free DVD Players:

The best solution is then to buy a region-free ( or code free ) DVD player: Now days that a DVD player cost less than the average  dinner  at a  restaurant this should not break your bank.  Region free DVD payers are somehow more expensive ( ok dinner for two ) but still quite cheap.

No Best Buys or your local DVD store will not sell region free DVD, try ebay for example and you will have plenty to choose.