John Sinnott

I've heard conflicting reports about region free Blu-ray players. I know there are some that have hardware hacks, are there any that have software hacks that will allow you to play any region DVDs and Blu-rays? As I understand it the Oppo did, but a recent firmware upgrade killed the region-free Blu-ray part. (Or did I dream that. I can't seem to find the source, but I could swear I read that some place.)

Mr. Salty

You're right about the Oppo, but the firmware that killed it happened a long time ago.

I have an Oppo, and I installed a hardware mod with no problem. I couldn't be happier.

John Sinnott

With the hardware mod is it multi-region for both DVDs and Blu-rays? How much does the mod run?

Mr. Salty

Yes to both. It stays region-free all the time for DVD (but you can also set it to a specific region). Blu-ray zones have to be set to a specific zone. To change the Blu-ray zone, you press the blue button on the remote for 5 seconds until you hear a beep, then press 1, 2 or 3 for zones A, B or C. DVD is similar, except you press the red button on the remote.

The mod is available on eBay for about $50-$60. There are more expensive sellers, but the mods are pretty much all the same. Just look for a seller with a good rating.

The mods are player-specific, and Oppo now makes a couple of different models of Blu-ray player. Make sure you get the right one! Installation was easy. The trickiest part was getting the player's cover off.

John Sinnott

Thanks for the advice Mr. Salty!

Mr. Salty

I'm glad I could help! If you buy a kit and have any questions, just let me know.