Need Help With DVD Player Region Free

[T'Bonz]

I know it's a tad off-topic, but I figured the most people on the BBS who would have a region-free DVD player would probably be in here. And I can't be the only American who can't get BBC or other UK DVDS in R1.

Can anyone recommend a good region-free player? My current player evidently can't be hacked (too bad, not that I'm technically inclined anyhow) and I'd really like to watch a few DVD series from the UK that I can't purchase here.

Thanks for any help.

Edit: Not Blu-ray. Just DVD player.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I had one in the past made by Phillips. It had good reviews for doing what it did, although I'm unsure if they still make a similar model or if all their DVD players are region free these days.

Here's the link to the player. I'm sure they would have a better model out there by now:

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-DVP642-DivX-Certified-Progressive-Scan-Player/dp/B000204SWE

 

[Sindatur]

I know it's a tad off-topic, but I figured the most people on the BBS who would have a region-free DVD player would probably be in here. And I can't be the only American who can't get BBC or other UK DVDS in R1.

Can anyone recommend a good region-free player? My current player evidently can't be hacked (too bad, not that I'm technically inclined anyhow) and I'd really like to watch a few DVD series from the UK that I can't purchase here.

Thanks for any help.

Edit: Not Blu-ray. Just DVD player.

If you have a laptop, check it's DVD Drive. Many laptop DVD Drives these days are capable of playing PAL DVDs

If you're not technologically savvy of hacking or locating a DVD Player that Region Free (And no one comes through with better information) hit up your local TV/Video repair shop, one of the workers in there, sould be able to guide you where to go (Or some of those places fix stuff up to sell, and they may have one they've hacked)

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

Do US DVD players, hacked or otherwise, play PAL discs?

I was under the impression that they didn't. In which case you might have to import a PAL player and hack that for multiregion, as PAL players play both NTSC and PAL, or get a hackable Blu-ray player (while hacking Blu-ray's isn't common, you can hack them for multiregion DVD playback, my Panasonic plays multiregion DVDs but is locked to B for BD playback) Blu-rays support multiple resolutions and frame rates.

Actually, the easiest method seems to be get AnyDVD and hack a laptop's player, and hook it up to the TV via HDMI.

Having a quick Google, it turns out that if you want to play R2 PAL discs in the US, you have to ask your electronics dealer for a) a multiregion player, and b) a multi-system player that will convert PAL to NTSC on the fly, output that as an NTSC signal that a US TV can display.

 

[Leroy]

I have a Philips 5960 DVD player and there is a "hack" to make it region free, it also has a chipset that can convert from PAL to NTSC which is what you need, I use it to watch my region 2 Blake's 7 DVDs.

 

[Admiral Bear]

This is almost really old tech now.

Years ago, I read that all DVD players will output in the regional TV standard (PAL/NTSC/SECAM) of the country in which the machine is sold regardless of the format of the DVD you're playing. ie assuming no regional coding restrictions, if you stick a PAL DVD in a US NTSC player, the machine will convert the PAL to NTSC, and vice versa for UK PAL players and R1 NTSC discs.

If you can get a multi region player (cheap Asian makes are usually good for region free out the box), it should convert PAL to NTSC without a hitch. You may get some slight picture juddering due to the difference in frame rates between PAL and NTSC. As an technical example, PAL runs at a faster speed than NTSC. Technical stuff which I won't bore anyone with.

 

[MacLeod]

Treu PAL runs faster than NTSC, but PAL has more lines than NTSC. So you get a slightly high resolution. Each system has it's pros and cons.

 

[C.E. Evans]

If you can get a multi region player (cheap Asian makes are usually good for region free out the box), it should convert PAL to NTSC without a hitch.

I have an old Daewoo DVD player from the mid-90s (sold at America's favorite store Wal-mart*) that switches back and forth at the push of a button.

*Irony

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Nowadays you can actually put region free DVD player in Amazon and get some results. I'd check the user reviews to see what to get. I've had my players for a while so I couldn't tell you about current ones. I have a feeling some listed still need you to enter some code, like I say check the comments. I saw a Phillips for like $50, in the past Phillips made rather mediocre players but they get the job done.

 

[T'Bonz]

It turns out that there was a hack for my upstairs DVD player, which I did last night. I'll know if it worked when I get my DVD in the mail.

If not, the husband (Mr. Technologically-skilled) said that I could reburn them on my computer down here, and then they'll play.

So hopefully, I will not have to lay out $$ for a new region-free player.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll let y'all know how it went. Theoretically, I'll know by mid-week. My DVD should be here Monday or Tuesday.

It was one thing when it was just a movie I wanted...but then it was another one, and a DVD series and why the fuck BBC couldn't make them available for R1 like they do other stuff is beyond me.

This region crap is utter, utter bullshit anyhow.

 

[MacLeod]

I suspect many R2 people have had similair issues with either no R2 release or a long wait, or an sub-par release. lacking features availble on the R1 disc.

 

[Sindatur]

It turns out that there was a hack for my upstairs DVD player, which I did last night. I'll know if it worked when I get my DVD in the mail.

If not, the husband (Mr. Technologically-skilled) said that I could reburn them on my computer down here, and then they'll play.

So hopefully, I will not have to lay out $$ for a new region-free player.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll let y'all know how it went. Theoretically, I'll know by mid-week. My DVD should be here Monday or Tuesday.

It was one thing when it was just a movie I wanted...but then it was another one, and a DVD series and why the fuck BBC couldn't make them available for R1 like they do other stuff is beyond me.

This region crap is utter, utter bullshit anyhow.

Yea, I waited year, after year for Blake's 7 to come out in the States, before I had to resort to running the PAL discs through a Converter to burn NTSC Discs

 

[T'Bonz]

Well that was an exercise in annoyance. The hack doesn't work for the player I have IF it's one from R1, which it is.

I did some research on a new player, but the information out there is muddled and confusing, to say the least.

The husband suggested burning the disk. Couldn't do it on my computer, as it only allows the handful of region changes. But he was able to figure out something on our backup old desktop computer and we burned a copy.

It's an older movie not in the best condition, so it's hard to judge how well it took. I do see some differences, which I guess might be expected.

I'd like to find a cheap region-free DVD player under $70 if possible, so that if it dies/is a p.o.s. that I won't be out too much money. From what I've been reading, they're all hacked abroad and the quality of the job varies with no way to tell from this end if you're getting one that will work well or not.

I've looked up all of the players suggested here (and on FB) but they're all discontinued, unfortunately. You blink your eyes and electronics are out-of-date!

I'm going to send for another movie for him to burn. I only wanted 2 movies and a DVD set from the UK - none of which they sell here. I'd LOVE to give them my money - but they don't seem to want it!

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ It's funny how long some stuff takes to get a US release, but I guess they base these things on how much money they think they'll make.

Newer machines certainly don't convert. I have a couple year old Sony blu-ray player. It will not recognize the PAL side of The Stranger DVD's I have.

Luckily, they have an NTSC side.

Still, I'd like to know if the machine can be hacked. There's some R2 DVD's out there I would like.

 

[OmahaStar]

T'Bonz, go *cheap* on a DVD player and you should be fine. Don't give me that look. Over the years, I've picked up several DVD players at places like Hollywood Video, Menards, Home Depot, etc., for $25 or under. Usually no-name brands, or "off" brands like Coby. Every one of them was multi-region, without needing any kind of code entry or "hack."

An option for ripping/burning on your computer is to buy an external DVD drive/burner. It connects with a USB cable. Leave your main (internal) DVD drive as Region 1, but switch the external one to Region 2 and rip to your heart's content. Typically with ripping software, it's all about where it comes from, not where it's going, so the region 1/2 part is important when it's ripping, but when you go to burn your backup copy (of the DVD you legally own!), you can do so in whatever region you want, or just go with region free (aka region 0).

 

[T'Bonz]

Still, I'd like to know if the machine can be hacked. There's some R2 DVD's out there I would like.

Check this:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks

* *

OmahaStar:

Ye gods, I'm not that technical, but I get the gist of what you're saying, mostly. The husband was able to make a copy of the DVD, which now plays. The picture is not 100% crisp and clear, which I assume would take more programs/software/$$, but it's good enough for my purposes.

I tried to burn it myself (husband had a program installed on my computer) but no-go with the regional bullshit so he did a bit of research and found a program that could do it.

I have mulled over getting a cheap DVD player as you explained, and I very well may do so. I already have a cheap one (non-hackable, alas!) in the bedroom for the rare times when I need to watch a DVD upstairs.

This region crap is just that, crap. Threads (the first movie in question) is the best nuclear horror movie ever produced, imnsho. Yet it's not available in R1. Neither is Supervolcano, which was on one of our channels a while back.

Of course, the UK historical documentaries are always of interest. Other than one, I usually get those. Now I'll get that one.

Every one of them was multi-region, without needing any kind of code entry or "hack."

And how did you know this ahead of time? I can't find that kind of information. If I KNEW which ones were multi-region (and cheap!), I'd have ordered them instead of posting this!

I think it's stupid on their part to not produce those DVDs in other regions and rake in more money, because there are plenty who will just say "fuck it" and not figure out/try to hack a player or who are like me and don't really have a lot of expertise (I do OK for someone who is middle-aged, and I figure I'm right in the middle of the skill range for my age).

I appreciate the help.

 

[OmahaStar]

^ I didn't know ahead of time. After my "oh my god I paid how much for that?" player finally bit the dust, I went in the opposite direction - cheap as can be - and experimented. The off brands (as in, not Sony/Panasonic) are the ones that tend to have the fewest features. And, oddly, region restrictions seems to be one of those features.

Another option, if you don't want to spend money on guesswork and possibly get it wrong, is to pull up bestbuy.com and search your local store's inventory. (can also do this on Walmart or Target), find out exactly which models they have in stock, and google those models. Then buy the sure thing. It will cost a few dollars more, but you take the risk/guesswork out of it.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

^ I didn't know ahead of time. After my "oh my god I paid how much for that?" player finally bit the dust, I went in the opposite direction - cheap as can be - and experimented. The off brands (as in, not Sony/Panasonic) are the ones that tend to have the fewest features. And, oddly, region restrictions seems to be one of those features.

There's a licensing cost to the DVD Consortium attached to region coding. Leave out the region coding, and the manufacturer can shave a few dollars off the price.

That was how I lucked into a multi-region player. I found a store that was blowing through players for ten dollars each. "I should buy a cheap back-up," I said to myself. And I noticed that the box (a COBY) didn't have any region symbols on it.

 

[Angel4576]

I was miffed when I upgraded our BD player to a BD player + sound system setup and found out (afterwards) that the new BD player couldn't be hacked for DVD multi-region.

In the end I bought a £20 ($30) player and use that. Gallingly, it sits right on top of the new BD player......