alfonsosoriano

I need to buy a new player for my room and I of course want region free and PAL converting because there's tons of stuff I've always wanted to get from overseas and what-not. Can anyone recommend me a cheap player? It doesn't have to have any special features or functions at all, it just has to play the other region DVDs. Thanks a lot.

alfonsosoriano

http://regioncodefreedvd.com/super.html

They really sell that one well and the reviews are good. But I have no idea, what do you guys think?

Mr. Salty

I think there are tons of threads already asking this very question.

alfonsosoriano

Uh...thanks?

DVD Polizei

Maybe you can make a sticky thread about DVD Players and upconversion? Would be a good idea.

Mr. Salty

There probably should be two stickies: Upconversion and region-free.

dizzlle01

u can get a philip for cheap if your just looking for a basic region free player. Go to vcdhelp.com to find the hacks the player

DVD Polizei

He wants PAL conversion too, which adds a few more requirements to the DVD player. I don't think Philips has this feature in any of their players. Philips is a good product though and if it wasn't for the PAL conversion necessity, I'd say get one as well.

alfonsosoriano

Thanks guys. Any thoughts on the one I linked to?

Patman

My Philips 5960 does PAL-to-NTSC converting. I know it can be made region free (or rather, you can tell it what region it can play by using the hack). I have a few PAL non-region 1 DVDs and I can use the Philips 5960 to play them. It also plays via USB (like DIVX files, and other video formats), and has a HDMI output, too.

Just found out that Philips just released the 5982, which is like the 5960, but also offers 1080p upconverting via the HDMI output. People have reported that they are able to use the USB port (connect a hard drive to the USB port and play files off of it). On my 5960, I just use a USB 2GB memory stick when I went to play video files on the 5960.

DVD Polizei

Are you getting the International Elite version? Looks pretty good to me. For the modifications, it looks like it's a good deal. Even the standard $69 version looks fine.

dleedlee

Target carries a Magnavox 460 also made by Philips for $45, I picked up mine on sale for $34. It's remote hackable.

alfonsosoriano

Does it have the PAL -> NTSC?

dleedlee

Yup.
Actually, are there any region-free capable player that doesn't do PAL/NTSC? Seems to go hand in hand. Anyway, this one does, too.

Spiky

Try the International Forum. I believe there are such stickies there. If the big one is still there, it covers stores for both discs and hardware.

And dleedlee is correct that most region-free players convert PAL-NTSC, including all the Philips region-free models that have existed. A few years ago it was a bit more common than now that you'd find a player that did not convert, and that could be made region-free. But that is essentially pointless since your average American SDTV cannot use the PAL signal, so what would it matter stripping the region coding. So they all convert.

Vipper II

Philips 3960/37

It can be hacked AND it can do the PAL-NTSC conversion without a hitch. Plus, it does a decent job of upconverting.

alfonsosoriano

Would this be the hack for that Philips player?

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks?dv...&Search=Search

And I'm just wondering, I know you said it does PAL/NSTC conversion, but is that an unlisted feature, or something that also becomes unlocked?

Patman

It's the same hack for all current Philips DVD players.

If you have or want HDMI (or USB) playback, get the Philips 5960 or 5982, otherwise, you'll probably okay with the 3960.

Phodg

I second the Philips 3960. Upconverts and plays all regions (after a simple hack). 45 bucks from Walmart. It also has HDMI output - I'm using mine.

alfonsosoriano

Alright sweet, thanks for the help guys. I knew about the region free hacks but had no idea that they would also play PAL. Thanks!

Patman

Ah, it was just the USB port that was the main difference between the 3960 and the 5960/5982.

Willh51

I am also going region free, so the Philips 3960 still gets a strong thumbs up?

alfonsosoriano

Bumping an old topic by me. I never actually bought one, but now I'm interested again all of a sudden. That Philips 3960 is still $40 at Walmart and $30 refurbed at Philips Outlet Site:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5584897
http://www.outlet.philips.com/b2c_re...6&SID=FW6qsutc

Good buy one year later?

alfonsosoriano

Another bump. I think I'm gonna get that Phillips as I need a cheap option for my SDTV. Just for one last confirmation (I know, I'm paranoid) it converts PAL to NTSC?

dleedlee

Today, I'd get the 5990(best buy)/5992(costco). It has a USB port which could come in handy.

And, to answer your question, yes.