Watching movies on disc in 2026: edition, region, and a laptop without a disc drive
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A movie that disappears from your streaming service, and a laptop without a disc drive. Here's how to wisely buy movies on disc: edition, region, age rating, and how to play them.
You have a movie in mind, you look for it, and it's not available on any service you subscribe to. Or maybe it was there last month. That's why some viewers are buying physical discs again: what's on your shelf won't disappear when a license expires. At the same time, almost no laptop sold in the last ten years still has a disc drive. These two things together make buying on disc a bit more complicated than it used to be – but not difficult.
Below is what you should check before ordering a DVD, how to play it without a built-in player, and approximately what it costs.
First: how will you play it?
There are three options.
A standalone DVD player under the TV. The classic solution. Works, takes up space in your cabinet, and requires a free HDMI input.
A game console or older Blu-ray player you already own. Many of these devices can play regular DVDs.
An external player for your laptop. For most people, this is the most practical route, as you use the screen you already have.
What connection does your laptop have? A modern laptop often only has USB-C. This model features both USB 3.0 and Type-C, so you don't need to look for an adapter.
Do you have any ports left? An external player occupies one. The fact that this model is also a USB hub and card reader means you gain ports overall rather than losing one.
Do you have playback software? Windows does not play DVD video by default. There are free media players that do; install them before movie night, not after.
What to check on the cover
The edition and number of discs
Popular films come in standalone releases, box sets, and special editions with extra material. This difference is reflected in the price. The DVD Disney – The Lion King 3 Disc Special (€10.00) is one such multi-disc release, and Beverly Hills Cop 1, 2 and 3 (€20.00) contains three films in one box. If you want a complete series, pay attention to the season designation: Penoza – The Complete Collection season 1 to 4 (€19.95) is one set for the entire series.
The region
DVDs are divided into regions, and European releases generally fall into region 2. If you buy a disc from, for example, the United States, check if your player supports that region – otherwise, you'll get an error message instead of a movie. This usually isn't an issue with releases sold in the Netherlands. Background information on how this classification works can be found on the Wikipedia page on DVD region codes; when in doubt, always check the details on the cover itself.
The age rating
Dutch releases have an age rating on the cover, and you often see it reflected in the article title – for example, DVD The Score 12+ (€4.95) or DVD Fast Sofa 16+ (€4.95). If you're buying something as a gift for a child, that's the first thing you check, even before the price.
Language and subtitles
A release published in the Netherlands usually has Dutch subtitles; an imported copy does not necessarily. This is especially important for children's movies, as the dubbed audio tracks also vary by release. For titles like DVD Disney – Classic Dumbo (€4.95) and DVD Disney – Snow Buddies (€4.95), this can be the difference between being able to watch along or not.
What does it cost?
Item
Example
Price
Standalone catalog title
DVD – Apocalypse Now Redux
€ 4,95
Popular title
DVD – Fight Club
€ 14,95
Dutch film
DVD – QUIZ – NL
€ 14,95
Classic
DVD – The Deer Hunter
€ 9,95
Complete series
Penoza, season 1 to 4
€ 19,95
Three films in one box
Beverly Hills Cop 1, 2 and 3
€ 20,00
External player
External CD/DVD Player 8-in-1
€ 49,95
Standalone titles like Apocalypse Now Redux, The Deer Hunter, Fight Club, QUIZ and Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas are often available as single copies. For your first purchase, factor in the player, as you only pay for that once. After that, a movie night quickly falls below the price of a month of streaming – with the difference that you then own the movie.
The evening around it
A disc in the player is half the battle. The rest is the room: curtains closed, phones away, and something to eat that you don't have to prepare halfway through. A Popcorn Tub (€7.95) with Jimmy's Popcorn Sweet 100 gram (€4.95) is the simplest answer to that. If you spread a movie series over several evenings – a complete series lends itself well to this – you just put the tub back in the cupboard and take it out again next time.
Storing and sending
Discs last a long time, but not if you stack them loosely without a case: scratches mainly occur when inserting and removing them and when loose discs rub against each other. Store them upright, out of direct sunlight, and at room temperature – a cold shed or a warm windowsill is not a good place for the plastic and adhesive layer of a disc.
If you send a DVD, for example as a gift, the case is the weak point: it can crack or tear under pressure. A sturdy flat box or a padded envelope solves this. For the correct sizes, see Mailbox Packaging and Bubble Mailers.
Briefly summarized
First, arrange how you'll play it: a standalone player, a device you already own, or an external player for your laptop.
Check the edition, number of discs, region, age rating, and subtitles.
A box set or complete series is almost always more cost-effective per film than individual titles.
Store upright and dry; send in something sturdy.
The film selection can be found under DVD and Films & Series. Players, hubs, and cables can be found under Computers & Accessories and USB-Hub. If you're unsure whether a title or player is compatible with your equipment, please email info@verpakkingdeals.nl with the brand and type of your laptop or TV – we'll help you check before you order.
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