Region free player suggestions?

[Byrons_Ghost]

Given how wiggy some US DVD releases are (see: Twin Peaks, anything from the BBC), I've decided to pick up a region free DVD player and start importing. I've been checking around Amazon and other sites and was considering the Philips DVP5140, but I wanted to post here and see if anyone had any recommendations.

I don't need anything fancy, just a PAL,NTSC converter and the ability to play some various digital file formats (CDR, Divx, etc). Most of the stuff I've been looking at has been in the $50-60 price range.

Thanks!

 

[kenobi65]

We've got a little Philips DVD player that apparently had a "hack" that you could use to make it region-free -- a series of commands you entered on the remote. My wife uses it to watch British DVDs.

Unfortunately, I think they pulled it off the market for that very reason.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

The only problem you are going to have with a region free player is RCE; region coding enhancement. This technology is included on some newer DVDs and it may prove difficult to play them on a region free player.

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

The only problem you are going to have with a region free player is RCE; region coding enhancement. This technology is included on some newer DVDs and it may prove difficult to play them on a region free player.

Hm, I hadn't heard about that. I'll have to do some Googling and see what works and what doesn't.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Hm, I hadn't heard about that. I'll have to do some Googling and see what works and what doesn't.

Thanks for the tip!

No problem, glad I could help.

Here is a website that has info on RCE:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/rce.html

 

[mhacdebhandia]

You could consider getting an Australian DVD player. By law, all Australian DVD players must have the capability to switch to region-free - and many are sold region-free from the get-go.

 

[Soel]

4 years ago, I bought a Malata DAV3600 (home theater system) and its still going strong, and hasn't balked at any dvd I've put into it (doesn't play divx, but vcd and cdrs work fine though.) The Malata players were all said to be good region free players. I don't know what their current models are, however.

A friend of mine has one of the cheap Cyberhome players from Target, and it can be converted to play other region discs. Still might have some PAL to NTSC conversion issues picture-wise. He has only played a couple of discs from England...

There used to be a LOT of players with region-changing codes out there.