All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

[anthonyjhc]

I have a Kogan and have had endless audio probs with it, after trying to connect it to a B & W Panorama soundbar using optical, co-ax and RCA jacks. Would work fine a couple of times, then emit only high-pitched gibberish.
Now that's in my sitting-room connected to my Panasonic Plasma, and with an all-HDMI connection, it works just fine.
Downstairs in my 7.5 meter long cinema room (Epson hd projector and 110 inch screen) I'm now using an Oppo BDP 83 imported to Australia from the US, and modded to be region-free using a Danish hardware kit via Ebay. Result? Perfection in image and sound. It was a relatively expensive fix, but well worth the outlay as this does seem a great -- no, very great -- machine.
Anthony in Woodend, Victoria. Australia

[s.j. bagley]

i've finally started socking some money away for an all region player and i've got my eye on the opp BDP-83.
am i correct in thinking it's pretty much the best one out there for upconverting (and how easy is it to make it region free for dvd and bd?)

[matrixschmatrix]

I was recommended this region free DVD player- does anyone have any experience with the model, or any recommendations for something else in the under $50 range?

[Anthony]

i've finally started socking some money away for an all region player and i've got my eye on the opp BDP-83.
am i correct in thinking it's pretty much the best one out there for upconverting (and how easy is it to make it region free for dvd and bd?)

I have the Oppo BDP-83 and it's a fantastic player. No complaints. However you will need to buy a DIY kit to make it region-free (for both DVD and Blu). I paid someone to install the kit for me (about $125). With the kit you can set the DVD player to region 0 so it will play everything, and manually change it for Blu to region A, B or C. Upconverted NTSC and PAL DVDs look great. However, without the kit, the player is locked to Region "1" for DVDs and "A" for Blu.

[zedz]

Same story here - I bought it modded. Superb machine, incredibly easy to switch zones for BluRay, and - not that I have much with which to compare it - the upscaling was the biggest, happiest surprise for me. Even some very old DVD transfers that I know are mediocre look vastly better now.

[s.j. bagley]

Same story here - I bought it modded. Superb machine, incredibly easy to switch zones for BluRay, and - not that I have much with which to compare it - the upscaling was the biggest, happiest surprise for me. Even some very old DVD transfers that I know are mediocre look vastly better now.

mind if i ask where you picked yours up? (the idea of dropping $500 on a machine and then royally fucking it up by trying to do a hardware mod myself doesn't sound all too pleasant.)

and in the meantime, while i'm saving up for the oppo, is there a cheap and reliable all region bd player with decent upscaling?

[Michael Kerpan]

and in the meantime, while i'm saving up for the oppo, is there a cheap and reliable all region bd player with decent upscaling?

Is this cheap enough:

http://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-BDP-5004 ... 223&sr=8-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tested on my one Region B BRD and on DVDs from various regions. It took a little experimentation to figure out how to change from Region A to B and back, but it worked.

[domino harvey]

I love my Sherwood and yes, it upscales great and plays my BFI Blus no problem

[Michael Kerpan]

I love my Sherwood and yes, it upscales great and plays my BFI Blus no problem

My biggest worry is that the remote control seems a bit frail -- and the remote control is the sole means for region switching (not sure if one could find a replacement remote control if the current one dies in a couple of years).

[mfunk9786]

I love my Sherwood and yes, it upscales great and plays my BFI Blus no problem

But did you ever get Stagecoach to play in it?

[domino harvey]

Yes, actually. I don't know what the deal was but it worked the next day fine. As much as I love Blu-rays, I use it more for PAL SD discs than anything else-- such great conversion mine eyes have never seen

[manicsounds]

Yes, actually. I don't know what the deal was but it worked the next day fine. As much as I love Blu-rays, I use it more for PAL SD discs than anything else-- such great conversion mine eyes have never seen

Agree with the PAL conversion. Smooth. Problems I've had so far, are the remote, as without it, the machine is completely useles. The front panel buttons can't do very much. And also, ome discs with DVD-ROM content won't play. It goes to the file folders and won't play the discs at all. (BFI's Bodysong and A&E's bonus disc of "The Prisoner" are 2 I've found so far with these problems)

[Perkins Cobb]

Those Sherwoods are all over the map: A friend bought one and it died straight out of the box. I bitched a lot about mine earlier in this, but a lot of the annoying bugs (the loud hum; the counter on the console failing to work during playback) now happen less often. And the image quality is indeed beautiful.

However: The Sherwood, unlike my DVD player, will not read DVDrs burned on my new laptop. DVDrs made on my old (but now dead) PC are fine, but it spits the new ones right back out at me.

[Mark Metcalf]

Perkins, have you tried any Warners Archive discs? I rented several from ClassicFlix, and none of them would play in my conventional Samsung player.

[Perkins Cobb]

Yep, I've played Warner Archive discs successfully with the Sherwood. Although, your mention of Classicflix reminds me that on occasion I've gotten scratched rental DVDs that would play on my DVD player but not on the Sherwood.

[kemalettin]

which place offers cheapest Region Free Players for UK residents?

[DanV]

Warning for all Foehn & Hirsch BD2101 owners. The last firmware update KILLS the region free option.
Further readings:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/blu-ray- ... 2-a-4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/3192 ... nes-owners" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-player ... 4-a-2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All Momitsu clones¹ with an updated firmware seem to have the same issue - in short, since this Broadcom "region-free option" is actually illegal, they're trying, through this update, to fix 'em.

¹
Momitsu 799
Foehn & Hirsch
Limit BD-M100
Hiteker HTB-1026
Curtis 1102
Maidston MD-BR-2102
Ambiance AMB-1026
Sherwood BDP-5004
Allure AL-500BD

[nsps]

Thanks for the heads-up. I still really want to pick up a region-free cheapie at some point, and it seems that it will get more difficult to do in the near future.

[TMDaines]

Warning for all Foehn & Hirsch BD2101 owners. The last firmware update KILLS the region free option.
Further readings:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/blu-ray- ... 2-a-4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/3192 ... nes-owners" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-player ... 4-a-2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All Momitsu clones¹ with an updated firmware seem to have the same issue - in short, since this Broadcom "region-free option" is actually illegal, they're trying, through this update, to fix 'em.

¹
Momitsu 799
Foehn & Hirsch
Limit BD-M100
Hiteker HTB-1026
Curtis 1102
Maidston MD-BR-2102
Ambiance AMB-1026
Sherwood BDP-5004
Allure AL-500BD

Yeh, I've been holding off on updating with the latest Limit software (from the 8th Feb) until I have any problems just in case. As I don't buy the big studio releases though I'll probably be fine on updating for quite a while as the likes of Criterion and MoC don't use all the more advanced features and force their users to update.

[manicsounds]

I seem to be having problems trying to install OLD firmware into the 799 (clone) player, to have it region-free.

I downloaded the RAR file, unzipped it, burned that information onto a CD, put it in the BD drive, but it just spit it out.

(Haven't tried with the USB as I don't have a flash drive right now)

Anyone get it to work?

[Alphonse Doinel]

The Seiki Region Free Blu-ray player Walmart Canada has for $88 has now dropped to $50. Also has a usb port that plays pretty much all video file standards.

I've only had one for a few weeks now, so I can't say if it will blow up within two months, but so far, its been fantastic.

As far as I know, its only available in Canadian stores.

[matrixschmatrix]

Damn- if anyone in Canada was willing to work with me, I'd be more than happy to cover shipping, etc. Is that region free as in region free dvd/region locked blu, or unlocked for both?

[Alphonse Doinel]

Damn- if anyone in Canada was willing to work with me, I'd be more than happy to cover shipping, etc. Is that region free as in region free dvd/region locked blu, or unlocked for both?

Turns out its one of those YMMV scenarios. All the stores near me still have them priced at $88. I'd ship one, but at that price, with shipping, you might as well just buy the Sherwood. At least that way you have a warranty too.

But yes, you can change regions for both dvd and blu.

[matrixschmatrix]

I appreciate you checking, thanks.

[wllm995]

The Seiki Region Free Blu-ray player Walmart Canada has for $88 has now dropped to $50. Also has a usb port that plays pretty much all video file standards.

Is that the same as the Seiki BD660 Blu-ray player available at my local Walmart?