Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
My Panasonic B35 has started to give out and it's time to go region free. What is the best combo of price and player out there right now?
#2
DVD Talk God
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
http://www.bombayelectronics.com/Son...o_bdps1500.htm
I just purchased the above Region Free BD/DVD player from Bombay Electronics in Illinois.
It's free shipping via Fedex and no sales tax.
There's also a coupon code= bargainoffers to get an additional 5% off. Came out to $133 flat.
After 2 days, so far, so good. Very happy with it and plays everything smoothly.
There's are several more expensive players available on that site, but I read all the reviews of this player and everyone seems to be happy with it.
I just purchased the above Region Free BD/DVD player from Bombay Electronics in Illinois.
It's free shipping via Fedex and no sales tax.
There's also a coupon code= bargainoffers to get an additional 5% off. Came out to $133 flat.
After 2 days, so far, so good. Very happy with it and plays everything smoothly.
There's are several more expensive players available on that site, but I read all the reviews of this player and everyone seems to be happy with it.
#3
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Why does the description of the player say multi-region BD play is "optional"? Does it convert PAL to NTSC or just pass it through?
#4
DVD Talk God
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
It's $100 as a Region A player, but as a muti-region DVD player. The extra $40 is an add-on for them to modify it and make it a Multi-Region BD player.
and yes it does convert PAL to NTSC. The converter is built in. I played a couple of my UK Region 2 PAL DVDs and they played perfectly.
#5
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I've been thinking about this one from Amazon
$179 new / $109 refurbished.
Sony S5200 2D/3D Blu Ray and DVD Player with Wifi, US and EU Connectors, and 6ft HDMI Cable (Bundle)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...A2EH3A7AEDBIYP
$179 new / $109 refurbished.
Sony S5200 2D/3D Blu Ray and DVD Player with Wifi, US and EU Connectors, and 6ft HDMI Cable (Bundle)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...A2EH3A7AEDBIYP
#6
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I've been thinking about this one from Amazon
$179 new / $109 refurbished.
Sony S5200 2D/3D Blu Ray and DVD Player with Wifi, US and EU Connectors, and 6ft HDMI Cable (Bundle)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...A2EH3A7AEDBIYP
$179 new / $109 refurbished.
Sony S5200 2D/3D Blu Ray and DVD Player with Wifi, US and EU Connectors, and 6ft HDMI Cable (Bundle)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...A2EH3A7AEDBIYP
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
http://www.bombayelectronics.com/Son...o_bdps1500.htm
I just purchased the above Region Free BD/DVD player from Bombay Electronics in Illinois.
It's free shipping via Fedex and no sales tax.
There's also a coupon code= bargainoffers to get an additional 5% off. Came out to $133 flat.
After 2 days, so far, so good. Very happy with it and plays everything smoothly.
There's are several more expensive players available on that site, but I read all the reviews of this player and everyone seems to be happy with it.
I just purchased the above Region Free BD/DVD player from Bombay Electronics in Illinois.
It's free shipping via Fedex and no sales tax.
There's also a coupon code= bargainoffers to get an additional 5% off. Came out to $133 flat.
After 2 days, so far, so good. Very happy with it and plays everything smoothly.
There's are several more expensive players available on that site, but I read all the reviews of this player and everyone seems to be happy with it.
#8
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
So just to make sure I understand, are both of the Sony models listed so far units that have been unofficially modified after the fact by third parties? So I couldn't go back to Sony for any kind of official repair or service needs?
#9
DVD Talk God
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
But, Bombay Electronics does have a 1 year parts and 90 day labor warranty.
#10
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I don't know what they're doing to modify it, but back when I got the mod kit for my Oppo, it was just plugging a ribbon cable in. Could easily be reversed. I'm not sure if these players have any alerts to notify the case has been opened but somehow I doubt it.
#11
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
As was said, the hardware mods have been (in my experience) a simple device that "plugs in" to a convenient empty slot on the circuit board, which can be easily unplugged if you need to send back for service.
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
The only kind of multi-region modification for any player sold in the US is "unofficial" (whether a hardware mod for BD region-free or either hardware or software mod for DVD region-free).
As was said, the hardware mods have been (in my experience) a simple device that "plugs in" to a convenient empty slot on the circuit board, which can be easily unplugged if you need to send back for service.
As was said, the hardware mods have been (in my experience) a simple device that "plugs in" to a convenient empty slot on the circuit board, which can be easily unplugged if you need to send back for service.
#13
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Any opinions on th better model of the two Sony mods listed so far? Unless I'm missing something, the key difference seems to be one has on board wi-fi and the other does not. I would rather have the wi-fi built in.
Are there any other region free players that people would recommend over the two Sony models. I would much rather the modification be hardware based vs. software based. Seems those are able to handle PAL DVD's as well.
Are there any other region free players that people would recommend over the two Sony models. I would much rather the modification be hardware based vs. software based. Seems those are able to handle PAL DVD's as well.
#14
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Yes, hardware mods are immune to firmware updated, while software mods might "break" when a new firmware is released.
I know this is probably no surprise, but I recommend Oppo as the best region-free player. Easy hardware mod, can convert PAL to NTSC (but can also "pass through" the signal if your monitor can handle PAL without needing a conversion), can convert 1080i/50 to 1080i/60 (and can also pass-through) and also have a better upscaler (for your DVDs) than any other brand on the market.
If you only need region-free for the DVDs, there is a software mod for that available for Oppos called SuperDisk (as I recall).
If the new ones are too pricey, consider a used older model.
I know this is probably no surprise, but I recommend Oppo as the best region-free player. Easy hardware mod, can convert PAL to NTSC (but can also "pass through" the signal if your monitor can handle PAL without needing a conversion), can convert 1080i/50 to 1080i/60 (and can also pass-through) and also have a better upscaler (for your DVDs) than any other brand on the market.
If you only need region-free for the DVDs, there is a software mod for that available for Oppos called SuperDisk (as I recall).
If the new ones are too pricey, consider a used older model.
#15
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I know this is probably no surprise, but I recommend Oppo as the best region-free player. Easy hardware mod, can convert PAL to NTSC (but can also "pass through" the signal if your monitor can handle PAL without needing a conversion), can convert 1080i/50 to 1080i/60 (and can also pass-through) and also have a better upscaler (for your DVDs) than any other brand on the market.
If you only need region-free for the DVDs, there is a software mod for that available for Oppos called SuperDisk (as I recall).
If the new ones are too pricey, consider a used older model.
If you only need region-free for the DVDs, there is a software mod for that available for Oppos called SuperDisk (as I recall).
If the new ones are too pricey, consider a used older model.
#16
DVD Talk God
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
http://www.bombayelectronics.com/Opp...ayer_s/163.htm
There's 4 Oppo players listed in the site I posted, but they're significantly more expensive. Cheapest player is $629.
There's 4 Oppo players listed in the site I posted, but they're significantly more expensive. Cheapest player is $629.
#17
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
With Oppo it's more about build quality and reliability in addition to features. They still have support for things like SACD and DVD-Audio which is nice. But more importantly, my BDP-83 is built like a tank. 7 years old and still works like new. Great firmware support too.
I had considered just buying their latest player and "retiring" the BDp-83 to living room duty, but I didn't want to spend the $500 plus mod money at the moment so I figured I'll throw $140 at the player Djariya linked. But I will definitely by another Oppo if/when the BDP-83 goes down or is no longer being updated with firmware. There was a scare a couple years ago with X-Men Days of Future Past but Oppo did a firmware update even though they had said they weren't supporting the 83 anymore.
I had considered just buying their latest player and "retiring" the BDp-83 to living room duty, but I didn't want to spend the $500 plus mod money at the moment so I figured I'll throw $140 at the player Djariya linked. But I will definitely by another Oppo if/when the BDP-83 goes down or is no longer being updated with firmware. There was a scare a couple years ago with X-Men Days of Future Past but Oppo did a firmware update even though they had said they weren't supporting the 83 anymore.
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
http://www.bombayelectronics.com/Opp...ayer_s/163.htm
There's 4 Oppo players listed in the site I posted, but they're significantly more expensive. Cheapest player is $629.
There's 4 Oppo players listed in the site I posted, but they're significantly more expensive. Cheapest player is $629.
#19
Senior Member
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I wouldn't say immune. My Oppo has a hardware mod that stopped supporting region free blu-rays for a time due to a firmware update. Luckily a later firmware update resolve the issue.
#20
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Nothing but love for: http://www.220-electronics.com/regio...y-players.html
#21
Senior Member
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Are there any region-free UHD BD players (as in, they can play regular BDs and DVDs from any region) yet?
#22
Banned by request
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Ask in maybe a year or so. There's only a couple of UHD players available as of now, with a few more models to be released before the end of the year. I read somewhere Oppo is working one one, but it guessing sometime in 2017. But since UHD is region free, I'm guessing they won't be as hard pressed to mod one that will be region free for blu and DVD. But they will be out there, just not as fast as ones in the past.
Last edited by E Unit; 08-22-16 at 08:40 PM.
#23
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Ask in maybe a year or so. There's only a couple of UHD players available as of now, with a few more models to be released before the end of the year. I read somewhere Oppo is working one one, but it guessing sometime in 2017. But since UHD is region free, I'm guessing they won't be as hard pressed to mod one that will be region free for blu and DVD. But they will be out there, just not as fast as ones in the past.
#24
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
A budget possibility for region free blu playing is the Seiki SR4KP1, which also offers region free DVD and 4K upscaling. The region free blu playing requires resetting, if you're switching regions. The region free DVD is permanent. You will need to Google instructions for how to do these settings. I've set up mine for region free DVD but haven't yet tried region 2 blus yet (don't have any). Nor do I have need of 4K upscaling.
Here's the current Monoprice deal for $48: http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=16073
The only caveat is that the machine is pretty flimsy. But for this cost, I guess you can't have everything. Another plus is really excellent DVD upscaling.
Here's the current Monoprice deal for $48: http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=16073
The only caveat is that the machine is pretty flimsy. But for this cost, I guess you can't have everything. Another plus is really excellent DVD upscaling.
#25
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I just received one of the Seiki SR4KP1 systems - purchased from B&H Photo:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ay_player.html
$49.99 with free shipping making it a better deal than from Monoprice (they wanted ~$12 shipping). Just make sure you have a pair of AAA batteries for the remote as the unit doesn't come with any.
It *is* a lightweight/flimsy feeling unit but getting it region free is dead simple and quick. That's the first thing I did and tested it with a R2 DVD I'd received from Hastings in error. It played flawlessly. It has very good video quality and far more features than I expected. It even has a composite video output (not that anyone would truly use that output for serious viewing), a network port (for updates from a LAN or for BD-Live stuff - it has *no* built-in apps), and supports PIP on discs having that feature (I have one but haven't yet tested it). I've not yet tried any R2 BR yet but I don't have any of those. I wanted one for some British sitcoms that aren't available in R1. It's so inexpensive that I'm tempted to order a 2nd as a spare. So far I'm very pleased with this unit.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ay_player.html
$49.99 with free shipping making it a better deal than from Monoprice (they wanted ~$12 shipping). Just make sure you have a pair of AAA batteries for the remote as the unit doesn't come with any.
It *is* a lightweight/flimsy feeling unit but getting it region free is dead simple and quick. That's the first thing I did and tested it with a R2 DVD I'd received from Hastings in error. It played flawlessly. It has very good video quality and far more features than I expected. It even has a composite video output (not that anyone would truly use that output for serious viewing), a network port (for updates from a LAN or for BD-Live stuff - it has *no* built-in apps), and supports PIP on discs having that feature (I have one but haven't yet tested it). I've not yet tried any R2 BR yet but I don't have any of those. I wanted one for some British sitcoms that aren't available in R1. It's so inexpensive that I'm tempted to order a 2nd as a spare. So far I'm very pleased with this unit.