threaded | unthreaded | newest first

Region-free DVD players

topic posted Wed, April 23, 2008 - 12:09 AM by 
(X-posted from 1713 members)

Can anyone recommend a particular one, and/or a particular site for buying one? It all seems very sketchy. I was looking through the site www.regioncodefreedvd.com/dvdorig.html , and it sounds like they get new DVD players, remove them from the box, and then hack them to remove the region encoding before selling them. Are there any that come region-free out of the factory?

I just want a cheap-o, no-frills player for British DVDs. I don't need HDMI output, or any other extras, just the standard red/white/yellow cable. I found several for $60-$95, but some reviews talk about skipping and such. But maybe it's just when upconverting, I don't know. My TV's crap, so it's not like I'm going to get a stellar picture anyway. I just want to take it out of the box, plug it in, and get a reasonable picture without pausing and skipping and stuff. Any ideas?
posted by:
join to post

  • Re: Region-free DVD players

    Wed, April 23, 2008 - 2:33 AM
    Hey there, Enrika : )
    This one sounds pretty darn good:
    www.amazon.com/review/R1X...m_cd_pg_pg2

    Personally, I have a Samsung dual deck that works perfectly, and a Sony (also dual) that's okay. I think they both play region 1 & 2, just not positive enough to suggest them. I'll check and get back to you. I *love* my Samsung...

    Cheers!
    : D
    join to post

    • Re: Region-free DVD players

      Wed, April 23, 2008 - 12:28 PM
      Thanks, Denisey! I've been looking at that one, actually, on the regioncodefreedvd site:

      www.regioncodefreedvd.com/phili...0.html

      The reviews there aren't quite so stellar, which gives me pause. Actually, there are some distressing reviews on Amazon, too, but for the most part they're quite positive. It may be a roll of the dice, I don't know. But it's only $43 at Amazon, and that review has the instructions for me to hack it myself, so what the hell. :) I'll give it another day or so to see if anyone else has any thoughts (and to let you check your players :) ), and if nothing better comes up, I'll go ahead and grab it. I'm *dying* to watch Doctor in the House!

      Thanks!!
      join to post

      • Re: Region-free DVD players

        Sat, April 26, 2008 - 2:04 AM
        Did you decide whether to order the $43 player from Amazon yet?
        Are you going to do it?
        I think you should...
        : D
        *do it do it do it*
        join to post

        • Re: Region-free DVD players

          Sat, April 26, 2008 - 2:15 AM
          *laughing*

          Actually, yeah, I probably will. Someone in the gold star tribe posted a site that might have a hack for the player I've already got, so I'm going to try that first. But a) it sounds like people have a really hard time getting it to work, and b) I seem to remember trying it already about six years ago without success. If I can make it work, there's no point in buying a new one, but if it doesn't, which is likely, then, yeah, I'll get the one you recommended. :) I even have credit on Amazon from a gift certificate my parents gave me for Christmas, so I won't actually be out anything for it.

          But the Doctor in the House DVDs are going to cost me nearly $200!! Jesus Christ!! I have to order them from Amazon UK, which means outrageous shipping charges, combined with the fact that the exchange rate sucks at the moment.

          Oooh! But I just realized my tax refund was deposited into my checking account today, so I can order them RIGHT NOW!! Woo hoo!!! I thought I was going to have to wait until my next paycheck!
          join to post

    • Re: Region-free DVD players

      Wed, May 7, 2008 - 6:18 PM
      Hey, Denisey, the videos and the DVD player you recommended to me arrived yesterday. I applied the hack just like he said, and I now have a **region-free DVD player**!! I watched eight episodes in a row of Doctor in the House, and I'm planning another marathon tonight! I can't *tell* you how happy I am to have these. And I haven't even gotten through the second disc, and there are *ten of them*! WOOO HOOO!!!

      Thanks so much for the recommend, dearie. :)
      join to post

      • Re: Region-free DVD players

        Thu, May 8, 2008 - 2:32 AM
        Hey! You're welcome! Glad it worked out, but now I feel like we'll lose you to the Doctor!
        See you next week ; )
        join to post

        • Re: Region-free DVD players

          Sat, May 10, 2008 - 3:48 PM
          Denisey, I just want to thank you again. I've been doing virtually nothing but watching Doctor in the House since Tuesday, and this player hasn't skipped a beat. It works like an absolute charm, and the region-free hack was a piece of cake. I haven't encountered any of the things that people had complained about in any of the reviews. And it was only $49! Really, I couldn't have hoped for a better player. Thanks again. :)

          Oooh, and the really cool thing is: I'm not even halfway through yet!
          join to post

Recent topics in "!!~AllNighters, Unite~!!"

Topic Author Replies Last Post
A couple humorous bits Stickboy 1 Today, 6:08 PM
*SHOCK* DVDBurner 7 Today, 4:06 PM
How desperate can you get? DVDBurner 10 Yesterday, 8:55 PM
Roll on, DVDBurner 2 Yesterday, 7:57 AM