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Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

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Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Old 09-16-10, 11:57 PM
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Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Ok the topic says it all. I'm looking for a Region Free Blu-Ray player that plays both Region locked Blu-Rays and PAL/other region DVDs.
Old 09-17-10, 02:23 AM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Cheapest one here is $240, which is twice as much as the latest Panny player not region-free. I think you're going to have to pay something for the mod, regardless. You want to check carefully about the PAL compatibility, depending on your equipment. Lots of players will play PAL, but not convert it, so your TV has to have PAL capability.
Old 09-17-10, 12:43 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Put a $50 BD-ROM in your computer and output to your TV.
Old 09-17-10, 04:50 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Sherwood BDP-5004 - $143

http://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-BDP-5.../dp/B002AQ51VK

I have one. It's a tad noisy when it loads the disc and it has more bright lights than a spaceship but it played everything I threw at it so far. And it does convert PAL to NTSC. It's essentially a clone of the Momitsu 899 (or 889, can't remember...)
Old 09-22-10, 05:42 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by X
Put a $50 BD-ROM in your computer and output to your TV.
^ This guy is on it. I went this way and it was the best solution. I already had a PS3 so buying another full fledged blu ray player seemed silly.

It's fast - faster than my PS3
It works with any disc I've thrown at it
It's cheap
Old 09-26-10, 02:08 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by X View Post
Put a $50 BD-ROM in your computer and output to your TV.

Originally Posted by squidget
^ This guy is on it. I went this way and it was the best solution. I already had a PS3 so buying another full fledged blu ray player seemed silly.

It's fast - faster than my PS3
It works with any disc I've thrown at it
It's cheap
I am something of a hillbilly, so pardon the lack of knowledge.

Don't computers have a region setting that can only be set/reset a finite number of times, before they stick on the last setting permanently. Is this not applicable to Blu?
Old 10-11-10, 04:12 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by Ropes Pierre
Originally Posted by X View Post
Put a $50 BD-ROM in your computer and output to your TV.



I am something of a hillbilly, so pardon the lack of knowledge.

Don't computers have a region setting that can only be set/reset a finite number of times, before they stick on the last setting permanently. Is this not applicable to Blu?
The region coding is software based. As such another program can override it pretty easily. I use AnyDVD
Old 10-11-10, 05:04 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

The region coding is contained in firmware in the reader. It allows only 5 changes and then stays at the last one. At least that's they way it is for DVD, I haven't checked into Blu-ray.

You can either flash the drive with hacked firmware that removes the region locking (that's what I always do) or you can use software that removes the region from the movie and makes it appear to be region 0 (which I think gets into areas that we shouldn't discuss here). You just want to make sure you buy a drive that has the hacked firmware available.
Old 10-15-10, 12:13 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Don't think it's currently for sale (to be replaced by a new model) but the entry-level Oppo BDP-80 was under $300 (maybe even $250) and with a $50 hardware mod, is region-free for DVD and BluRay (though you have to manually switch the regions for Blu...no 'all region' setting). Fully NTSC/PAL compatible (both converts and outputs native signals, depending on your TV's capabilities) and, also important, can fully handle 1080/50hz content (think British TV BluRays imported from the UK), unlike many of the other players.

There is still stock at some online resellers, but I don't think Oppo are currently making any more (they cite a 'parts shortage').

The hardware mod is easy to install, but some online vendors will sell you a unit with the mod pre-installed for about the same price that you can get the player and mod separately. About $350 for both together from what I just googled.

I went for the BDP-83 myself (for the superior Anchor Bay chipset for DVD upscaling). Wouldn't trade it for anything.

Last edited by mythmaker18; 10-15-10 at 12:19 PM.
Old 10-15-10, 12:35 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by mythmaker18
Don't think it's currently for sale (to be replaced by a new model) but the entry-level Oppo BDP-80 was under $300 (maybe even $250) and with a $50 hardware mod, is region-free for DVD and BluRay (though you have to manually switch the regions for Blu...no 'all region' setting).
I got a $25 hardware mod off eBay and it works well.
Old 10-15-10, 01:40 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by X
I got a $25 hardware mod off eBay and it works well.
Yeah, if you shop around eBay, the mods for the BDP80 can be had for less money (I guess I was thinking of the mods for the BDP83, which were about $45-50 even on eBay).
Old 10-20-10, 05:36 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

I have an older tv that doesn't support the HDMI cable. So I had to use the regular three pronged cable to hook up my bluray player. Will there be a difference in picture quality by using the three pronged cables and not the HDMI cable?
Old 10-20-10, 08:03 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Assuming you mean component video, usually red/green/blue connectors, not really. Same resolution and color capabilities. Anyway, you can't compare on your TV, so it doesn't matter.
Old 10-20-10, 08:12 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by Spiky
Assuming you mean component video, usually red/green/blue connectors, not really. Same resolution and color capabilities. Anyway, you can't compare on your TV, so it doesn't matter.
Yes I do mean those cables. Thank you.
Old 10-24-10, 03:58 AM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

where to get the cheapest SONY Region Free Blu-Ray player? and i don't to manually switch the regions i want it to be ready to play anything i throw at it..
Old 10-25-10, 09:46 AM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by animatedude
where to get the cheapest SONY Region Free Blu-Ray player? and i don't to manually switch the regions i want it to be ready to play anything i throw at it..

(Edit) You're probably going to be limited to the BDP-S370 and BDP-S470. I highly doubt these are US models, though. They're probably grey market imports from overseas (I found them on regioncodefreedvd.com). At the prices that retailer was selling them for, you could've had an Oppo BDP-80 for the same money or less and had an arguably much better player.

Also, you'd better be careful. If there is a US model with these numbers, it's very likely it had some sort of hardware modification, as it's illegal to sell players that can be region-switchable for BR with a software hack. A high-profile company like Sony wouldn't take that kind of a risk.


To get Region-free for BluRay, you are limited to a small handful of models (literally, you can count them on just one hand, maybe two) and even then, you usually have to install a hardware modification (easy to do, though). Also, there is no BluRay mod that you don't have to manually switch regions for. On all current modifications for BR region capability, you are required to manually switch the region for region-locked discs. No exceptions, unless something new has come out in the past month or two.

You also cannot assume DVD region capabilities on any BluRay players. Some have it, some don't, and on some (like the Oppos), you don't get it until you install the hardware mod for the BR region capability.

But if you want Sony, it's not gonna happen.

Last edited by mythmaker18; 10-25-10 at 09:56 AM.
Old 10-25-10, 09:43 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Haven't all of the players found on regioncodefreedvd.com gone through some sort of hardware mod?
Old 10-25-10, 10:19 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by asianxcore
Haven't all of the players found on regioncodefreedvd.com gone through some sort of hardware mod?
Seems likely to me (especially given the prices).
Old 10-26-10, 09:52 AM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by mythmaker18
(Edit) You're probably going to be limited to the BDP-S370 and BDP-S470. I highly doubt these are US models, though. They're probably grey market imports from overseas (I found them on regioncodefreedvd.com). At the prices that retailer was selling them for, you could've had an Oppo BDP-80 for the same money or less and had an arguably much better player.

Also, you'd better be careful. If there is a US model with these numbers, it's very likely it had some sort of hardware modification, as it's illegal to sell players that can be region-switchable for BR with a software hack. A high-profile company like Sony wouldn't take that kind of a risk.


To get Region-free for BluRay, you are limited to a small handful of models (literally, you can count them on just one hand, maybe two) and even then, you usually have to install a hardware modification (easy to do, though). Also, there is no BluRay mod that you don't have to manually switch regions for. On all current modifications for BR region capability, you are required to manually switch the region for region-locked discs. No exceptions, unless something new has come out in the past month or two.

You also cannot assume DVD region capabilities on any BluRay players. Some have it, some don't, and on some (like the Oppos), you don't get it until you install the hardware mod for the BR region capability.

But if you want Sony, it's not gonna happen.
every body said the same thing when DVDs came out but then Sony released a multi-region DVD player..the same thing will happen to Blu-Ray.

anyways, i don't know about the US i don't live there and i'm sure it's a totally different story than here (middle east/gulf).
Old 10-26-10, 01:21 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by animatedude
every body said the same thing when DVDs came out but then Sony released a multi-region DVD player..the same thing will happen to Blu-Ray.

The BluRay people are far stricter than the DVD Alliance and have threatened the manufacturers with withdrawing their right to manufacture machines if they allow any software hacks to creep into their players' systems, so don't hold your breath. Some of the small no-name companies might take the risk, but I'm sure the big ones won't.



anyways, i don't know about the US i don't live there and i'm sure it's a totally different story than here (middle east/gulf).
I think multi-region BR players are just as scarce in countries outside the US (except maybe China, where most players are manufactured).
Old 11-05-10, 05:28 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

How about the cheapest region free BD/DVD player that has internet connections and possibly apps and what not.
Old 11-05-10, 10:13 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Pretty much the same answer as above. Cheapest is a PC, if you don't have to buy the whole PC. Obviously, those run apps. Otherwise try the website above or other similar ones with hardware-modded models. The recent ones mostly fit your specs.
Old 11-06-10, 04:52 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Originally Posted by Spiky
Pretty much the same answer as above. Cheapest is a PC, if you don't have to buy the whole PC. Obviously, those run apps. Otherwise try the website above or other similar ones with hardware-modded models. The recent ones mostly fit your specs.
I am from a Mac household.
Old 11-06-10, 10:59 PM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Me, too. Well, VMs don't support Bluray and neither does Steve Jobs, so you'd have to go with Boot Camp if you wanted that route. Or check out which models are available modded with the features you want. They tend to be a model behind, but some at that link I posted above have Netflix, Amazon On Demand, and other extra features.
Old 12-01-10, 03:26 AM
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Re: Cheapest Region Free Blu-Ray player?

Isn't it getting easier with Blu-Ray since there are only 4 Regions now and US/Japan/Korea are now the same Region. I know this excludes Europe and China, but it helps me out as I primarily view discs from Japan...

Also, are not most Blu-Ray Discs Region Free now? Or All Region...Region 0, whatever.

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