FYI: $58 DVD player at Radio Shack with Region-Free hack...plus $10 mail-in rebate!
06-13-03, 10:36 PM
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FYI: $58 DVD player at Radio Shack with Region-Free hack...plus $10 mail-in rebate!
I don't know if anyone is interested, but I saw this post at the HT Forum and I wanted to share it with the dvdtalk gang. It might may a nice Fathers Day present... 
Here is the post:
***********************************
Link to Dvd
It's the Cyberhome CH-DVD 300/S player, regularly $69.99. It's currently on sale for $58.00, plus there is a $10 mail-in rebate if you're not too lazy to send off for it.
There is a soft hack to make it Region-Free!
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
turn on unit, make sure no disc is in tray, push menu 1, 9, then a screen comes up. Third line from bottom is region #. enter # of what region you want to play, or just push 0 for all region.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two notes about this: it seems that you have to re-enter the code for each power-up, and you must push the menu-1-9 sequence pretty quickly after power-up, while it is still checking to see if the disc is present.
This sucker is less than 9"x9" square and less than 2" high! It does Progressive Scan, and PAL-to-NTSC conversion. I'm told that "it stretches the widescreen pal, but full screen Pal is all right". For this price, I'll check it out (fully returnable in 30 days if in like-new condition and you have your receipt). I've ordered an R2 copy of The Last Unicorn from Germany (anamorphic widescreen and English 5.1 track, whereas the U.K. version is fullscreen only) to test this out.
Only downsides I've seen so far are a lack of optical audio digital connection (coaxial connection is present though), and lack of auto-switching between aspect modes. Maybe I just have to get the hang of the latter, I dunno.
Dolby and DTS are built-in, off course. Plays all the formats including VCD, MP3's, etc. Yada yada yada...check the link above for full specs.
My local Radio Shack had plenty of them...it's got a shelf talker advertising it!
***********************************
I just picked one up at My local Radio Shack and it was $62 total with tax, and a $10 mail in rebate.
Now to find some region 2 dvd's....
Here is the post:***********************************
Link to Dvd
It's the Cyberhome CH-DVD 300/S player, regularly $69.99. It's currently on sale for $58.00, plus there is a $10 mail-in rebate if you're not too lazy to send off for it.
There is a soft hack to make it Region-Free!
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
turn on unit, make sure no disc is in tray, push menu 1, 9, then a screen comes up. Third line from bottom is region #. enter # of what region you want to play, or just push 0 for all region.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two notes about this: it seems that you have to re-enter the code for each power-up, and you must push the menu-1-9 sequence pretty quickly after power-up, while it is still checking to see if the disc is present.
This sucker is less than 9"x9" square and less than 2" high! It does Progressive Scan, and PAL-to-NTSC conversion. I'm told that "it stretches the widescreen pal, but full screen Pal is all right". For this price, I'll check it out (fully returnable in 30 days if in like-new condition and you have your receipt). I've ordered an R2 copy of The Last Unicorn from Germany (anamorphic widescreen and English 5.1 track, whereas the U.K. version is fullscreen only) to test this out.
Only downsides I've seen so far are a lack of optical audio digital connection (coaxial connection is present though), and lack of auto-switching between aspect modes. Maybe I just have to get the hang of the latter, I dunno.
Dolby and DTS are built-in, off course. Plays all the formats including VCD, MP3's, etc. Yada yada yada...check the link above for full specs.
My local Radio Shack had plenty of them...it's got a shelf talker advertising it!
***********************************
I just picked one up at My local Radio Shack and it was $62 total with tax, and a $10 mail in rebate.
Now to find some region 2 dvd's....
06-16-03, 02:24 PM
#7
Does anyone have any more info about the widescreen PAL stretching? There are a few R2 discs I've been meaning to pick up, but they're all widescreen and PAL. It wouldn't really be worth it for me if they're going to end up looking horrible.
06-16-03, 02:51 PM
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11-24-03, 12:00 AM
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I bought this DVD Player and actually did have a few R2's laying about, mostly music CD-singles with DVD content and some R2 music video DVD's. It was well worth the price and for myself, i didn't actually have to punch anything in. It automatically plays both R1 and R2 discs.
My question is will the R2 discs play on an average NTSC TV set using that DVD player? Right now I have it hooked up to my HDTV and am wondering if that is why i can see both R1 and R2 DVD's without having to adjust the settings on the TV itself. Or is the player actually converting the PAL signal to NTSC?
For the $50.00, it's quite a value! I've already ordered a few more PAL music DVD's to celebrate finally being liberated from having to watch R2 discs on my computer.
My question is will the R2 discs play on an average NTSC TV set using that DVD player? Right now I have it hooked up to my HDTV and am wondering if that is why i can see both R1 and R2 DVD's without having to adjust the settings on the TV itself. Or is the player actually converting the PAL signal to NTSC?
For the $50.00, it's quite a value! I've already ordered a few more PAL music DVD's to celebrate finally being liberated from having to watch R2 discs on my computer.
11-24-03, 01:25 AM
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Originally posted by cowanrg
hooray, another cheap dvd player that wont last a year...
hooray, another cheap dvd player that wont last a year...
What is a threadcrap?
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What's the big deal about threadcraps?
The purpose of the DVD Talk Forum is discussion. Threadcraps interfere with the flow of discussion. Something that goes against the purpose of the forum and rudely interrupts a discussion between members has no place on this forum.
A "threadcrap" is a term we've come to use here at DVD Talk for a post (usually negative) that is off the topic of the thread in which it is posted, or criticizes/ridicules the thread starter or the thread itself. Threadcraps usually have no reasoning behind them, but this is not always the case. This definition is not meant to be all inclusive, but it is meant to give you a general idea of what the term means. Ultimately, the moderators hold the final word on what is or is not a threadcrap.
What's the big deal about threadcraps?
The purpose of the DVD Talk Forum is discussion. Threadcraps interfere with the flow of discussion. Something that goes against the purpose of the forum and rudely interrupts a discussion between members has no place on this forum.
11-24-03, 10:30 AM
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Originally posted by lcnickell
cowanrg- and what would you suggest
i think it's a very good buy
cowanrg- and what would you suggest
i think it's a very good buy
OTOH, I will probably recommend this to a few friends who wanted region-free on the cheap. I have a 2-year-old APex, also not a "high-end" unit, with a region hack that works just fine. And this RS unit is even cheaper!
I'll report back on performance if my friend checks it out. Or, any other reports here would be most welcome.
11-29-03, 03:38 PM
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Can anyone here tell me exactly what the difference is between the CH-DVD 300 model and the CH-DVD 320 model that Radio Shack and Target are now displaying?
11-29-03, 11:12 PM
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Try here for discussions on different cyberhomes:
http://www.nerd-out.com/forum/viewfo...b307e0130a5909
They might be able to answer your question.
http://www.nerd-out.com/forum/viewfo...b307e0130a5909
They might be able to answer your question.
