The DVD-Video standard is complied with, in the case where video information compression-coded by MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group) 1 or MPEG 2, which is one example of compression-coding, is recorded onto an optical disc such as a DVD. According to the DVD-Video standard, the compression-coding and high-density recording of the record data have advanced to the extent that content information with a volume of about one movie can be recorded onto one optical disc. The DVD-Video standard is standardized mainly to prepare packaged software including the title of a movie or the like, and to sell the packaged software to users. On the other hand, since the DVD-Video standard is standardized mainly to record the read-only title, a users' arbitrary editing is restricted. In particular, the DVD-Video standard is not suited for such an application that users record the title such as a TV program, in which commercial messages (CM) and a main story are discretely arranged, while editing the CM. In addition, in the DVD-Video standard, the copy-once title broadcasted in terrestrial digital broadcasting and BS digital broadcasting cannot be recorded.
That is why the DVD-VR (Video Recording) standard, disclosed in a patent document 1, is standardized in addition to the DVD-Video standard. In the DVD-VR standard, users can record the title such as a TV program in which CM and a main story are discretely arranged, while editing the CM, or users can edit it after recording the title. In addition, the DVD-VR standard supports CPRM (Content Protection for Recordable Media) or the like, so that the copy-once title can be recorded. Thus, it is possible to preferably protect the copyright of the title to be recorded.
Moreover, a region code for restricting a reproducible area of recorded content is assigned to a DVD. Specifically, the world is divided into six regions (or seven regions if an airplane is considered to be one region), and a unique region code to each region is defined. One or a plurality of region codes are assigned to a DVD. Moreover, one region code is assigned to a DVD player for reproducing the DVD. Then, only if the region code assigned to the DVD matches the region code assigned to the DVD player, the DVD player can reproduce the content recorded on the DVD. For example, a region code “2” is assigned to both the DVD and the DVD player which are sold in Japan. Thus, the content recorded on the DVD sold in Japan can be reproduced by using the DVD player sold in Japan. On the other hand, a region code “1” is assigned to the DVD sold in America. Thus, the content recorded on the DVD sold in America cannot be reproduced by using the DVD player sold in Japan. Such DVD reproduction control is referred to as RPC (Region Playback Control) (refer to a patent document 1).
The patent document 1 discloses that the DVD player is controlled as follows. The region code indicating a country or region in which the DVD player is to be placed and operated is stored in the DVD player for reproducing the DVD, while the region code indicating a country or region which allows the reproduction of the title recorded on the DVD is recorded in the DVD in the manufacturing step. The region code stored in the DVD player on which the DVD is loaded is verified with the region code recorded on the DVD itself, and only when the both region codes match, the title reproduction is started.    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open NO. 2004-127486
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