Low-end region free DVD players?

February 7, 2004 12:48 PM

Advice on region free dvd players. I've checked Dvdoverseas.com and ZoneFreeDvd.com for a variety of players w/built-in video converters (which therefore obviate the need for a multi-system TV). Does anyone have experience with relatively low-end players? I'm trying to augment my system so that I can watch UK DVDs, rather than replace what I've currently got.
posted by thomas j wise to Technology (14 answers total)

I've got a Yamakawa DVD-218 that I got for $65 (it does not have progressive scan, but I understand their -318 does). It converts PAL to NTSC, has component out and an internal 5.1 converter (outputs as six analog channels). It's also easily region-freeable (e-mail me if you end up deciding on one and I'll tell you how).

It does get hot so I can't put stuff on top if it, but it's played almost anything I've thrown at it including a DVD that my computer choked on (badly mastered).
posted by j.edwards at 2:13 PM on February 7, 2004

If you're playing animation, you'll find it awfully jerky after conversion on a cheap player with PAL -> NTSC conversion.

Or at least that was my experience with the UK Family Guy DVDs.
posted by shepd at 4:11 PM on February 7, 2004

If you are going to be watching a lot of PAL movies, you might want to investigate how well the player converts PAL to NTSC. When many (cheaper) players convert 16x9 PAL to 16x9 NTSC they slightly stretch the image vertically.
posted by gluechunk at 4:13 PM on February 7, 2004

Both Delicatessan and the Futurama DVDs look good (to me) on this player.
posted by j.edwards at 4:15 PM on February 7, 2004

By which I mean they're PAL, and they look decent on my NTSC television.
posted by j.edwards at 4:19 PM on February 7, 2004

Apex makes several models that are sooper cheep and hackable via a firmware update to be region free.

Delicatessen was a great show.
posted by mecran01 at 7:29 PM on February 7, 2004

Another vote for Apex - I updated my AD700 a few years ago and it's been great. Been great for the BBC, too, because this enables me to indulge my David Attenborough fetish with legally purchased box sets (how does it make sense for the BBC to sell R2-only dvds?).

The best place to start looking for a region-free VCR (or how to region-free an existing one) is here. If you can find a cheap player with a remote control hack so much the better - my first firmware update attempt resulted in the indulgence of Box Store's generous return policy...
posted by Gortuk at 5:56 AM on February 8, 2004

Could you play it from a computer DVD drive, which usually does not recognize regional settings?
posted by hama7 at 10:18 AM on February 8, 2004

I can't believe that no one has mentioned the Sampo players yet.
I've had a few different region-hack DVD players and so far these
are the most robust (although that's not saying much with this competition)
I have never noticed much difference in the players and all of them
seem to have a slight motion blur from fast movements on a dark
background (farscape) and very rare pauses from certain animation (cowboy bebop).
And the hacked firmware is easy to find on the web.

BTW, Hama7, I have never seen a computer DVD drive that does not support region settings,
(as that would get them in trouble with the MPAA fairly quickly)
they usually need the same hacks as everything else.
posted by milovoo at 11:52 AM on February 8, 2004

I second the vote for Sampo. They're very cheap players with loads of features, and they're easy to make region-free (with a remote control sequence, in most cases). Plus, the newest model supposedly fixes the conversion problem gluechunk mentions, which means you'll get good PAL< ->NTSC playback built-in. You can get that player online for around $75. If you'd like to see some features and prices for Sampo's players, check out Area 450. They have all the info you'll ever need on Sampo players, and how to make them region-free.

Oh, and whatever you decide to buy, don't fall for resellers who offer "region-free" players at a markup. Half the time you're paying the guy $20 or more just to enter a remote control sequence! You should buy your player at or below retail price, and apply the region-free hack yourself.
posted by vorfeed at 6:01 PM on February 8, 2004

Could you play it from a computer DVD drive, which usually does not recognize regional settings?

Well, no, because computer DVD drives usually do recognize regional settings. Most computers DVD drives allow you to change the region a limited number of times, since people move and manufacturers don't want to have to worry about where a drive will be sold when they make it, but after you change it a few times, they will be permanently stuck at the last region you selected.
posted by kindall at 7:15 PM on February 8, 2004

but after you change it a few times, they will be permanently stuck at the last region you selected.

That's disappointing. But what if you don't change it? What I mean is, I've been able to play Korean DVDs on an American-bought DVD drive, with no problems yet. Will there come a time that I'll have to choose one or the other, or will one be chosen by default?
posted by hama7 at 7:48 PM on February 8, 2004

What I mean is, I've been able to play Korean DVDs on an American-bought DVD drive, with no problems yet.

You shouldn't be able to. Maybe the company that manufactured your DVD drive is in a country that doesn't care much about copyright. That happens. :)
posted by kindall at 10:08 PM on February 8, 2004

Maybe the company that manufactured your DVD drive is in a country that doesn't care much about copyright.

I would say an equally possible option is that even though the DVD says region 2 (or whatever) it has no encoding. A lot of the discs I have from other regions have no encoding at all and will play on anything. (could be either one, really)
posted by milovoo at 12:58 AM on February 9, 2004