Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
#26
Senior Member
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
So, almost two years later, any suggestions for the best region-free BD player out there today?
#27
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
The best or the best in a certain price range?
Best would still be either of the Oppos- either the base 203 or audiophile 205 version.
They'll play just about anything you throw at them and convert PAL to NTSC flawlessly if your display can't take a native PAL signal (though at this point, I'm guessing that isn't a concern for the majority of users).
For the 203- Bombay is sold out, but JVB Digital still has some in stock at $699, while 220 electronics wants $799. 220 is the only one outside of ebay that has the 205 and they want $3500.
You can get the 203 direct from Oppo now for $550 and the $205 later this summer + $18 shipping, but you would have to pay for any upgrade kits and hook them up yourself. It would be an external one, whereas if you get them from one of the two dealers above, they will be internally hardware modified.
After the Oppos, every other region free player is a compromise in some way (IMO).
Best would still be either of the Oppos- either the base 203 or audiophile 205 version.
They'll play just about anything you throw at them and convert PAL to NTSC flawlessly if your display can't take a native PAL signal (though at this point, I'm guessing that isn't a concern for the majority of users).
For the 203- Bombay is sold out, but JVB Digital still has some in stock at $699, while 220 electronics wants $799. 220 is the only one outside of ebay that has the 205 and they want $3500.
You can get the 203 direct from Oppo now for $550 and the $205 later this summer + $18 shipping, but you would have to pay for any upgrade kits and hook them up yourself. It would be an external one, whereas if you get them from one of the two dealers above, they will be internally hardware modified.
After the Oppos, every other region free player is a compromise in some way (IMO).
#28
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Anyone heard of a region free Blu-ray player that after you install it, it would either blow out your TV or any of the components hooked up to the TV?
I bought a region free player Sony s-3700 about a month or two ago. Ever since I installed it crazy things have happened. My original tv lost the signal and won’t work, my computer blew, and my first s-3700 lost power and shut down. I had The player replaced. Just installed it this afternoon. Now at night time, my cable box won’t work but the player works fine. I’m losing my mind with this.
I bought a region free player Sony s-3700 about a month or two ago. Ever since I installed it crazy things have happened. My original tv lost the signal and won’t work, my computer blew, and my first s-3700 lost power and shut down. I had The player replaced. Just installed it this afternoon. Now at night time, my cable box won’t work but the player works fine. I’m losing my mind with this.
#29
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
So I am back in the market for a region free blu-ray player. But given that 4k is now available I figured I would see if there are 4k players that can be made region free for BD/DVD.
So far I have found listings for the SONY UBP-X800. Any of similar models that have been made region free for BD/DVD, but are a better choice for the combination of cost and quality?
So far I have found listings for the SONY UBP-X800. Any of similar models that have been made region free for BD/DVD, but are a better choice for the combination of cost and quality?
#30
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
So I am back in the market for a region free blu-ray player. But given that 4k is now available I figured I would see if there are 4k players that can be made region free for BD/DVD.
So far I have found listings for the SONY UBP-X800. Any of similar models that have been made region free for BD/DVD, but are a better choice for the combination of cost and quality?
So far I have found listings for the SONY UBP-X800. Any of similar models that have been made region free for BD/DVD, but are a better choice for the combination of cost and quality?
#32
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I bought the Sony UBP-X800. It was close to $400 from Bombay, but there was a 5% coupon out there.
There isn't much I can say about it. I can't tell how well it does 4k because I don't have a TV that takes advantage of it. Nor do I have an other-region Blu to test it's playback capability. Bombay advertised that it can stream hundreds of sites, but it's locked down and only streams about 17.
There isn't much I can say about it. I can't tell how well it does 4k because I don't have a TV that takes advantage of it. Nor do I have an other-region Blu to test it's playback capability. Bombay advertised that it can stream hundreds of sites, but it's locked down and only streams about 17.
#33
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I'm still waiting for a multi-region 4K player that supports Dolby Vision (i.e. the Panasonic UB9000). I don't think it's been modded yet.
#34
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
These is what the Oppo firmware from end of June 2018 addresses
There was another FW update after this one, so it's great to see Oppo continuing to support their out of production players.
Mine were purchased in April, so I'm two updates behind.
- Added the Dolby Vision “Player-led processing” mode for compatibility with recent Sony Dolby Vision TVs and firmware updates.
- Added the “Dolby Vision” mode under the HDR Setting menu, which allows the player to convert the output to Dolby Vision when possible.
- Added the “Dolby Vision Processing” setting under the HDR Setting menu. This setting allows customers to choose whether Dolby Vision processing is handled mainly by the TV or the UDP-20x player.
- Added MQA support via the USB DAC In for the UDP-205 players. (More info can be found in the “USB DAC Firmware” section on the UDP-205 support page.)
- Added the “Up-Sample DAC Input” setting under the Audio Processing menu for the UDP-205.
- General fixes and disc compatibility improvements based on recent and upcoming UHD Blu-ray releases as well as user-submitted samples.
Mine were purchased in April, so I'm two updates behind.
#35
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price

I went with this one. Have to wait for Xmas but still excited
#37
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
it was on EBay. I made an offer of $20 less so it came to $250 something
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-UBP-X8...5-5151ec36b3d0
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SONY-UBP-X8...5-5151ec36b3d0
#38
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Does this X800 really play all regions of BRs and DVDs? Anyone have actual experience with it? What about DVD-Rs, CD-Rs, etc? I don't trust or like Sony.
#39
Senior Member
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
Are there any region-free Blu-ray players with Roku included?
#40
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I love this one, but what does 2k/4K upscaling mean? I don’t think I ever used it. Says near 4K quality. Is this a feature I never turned on? For year and a half?


#41
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I'm looking to get a region-free blu-ray player as a secondary player, so don't want to spend much.
However I need it to be able play discs with to 50hz/50i thing and convert in the player.
Are there specific brands that do not support this that I can just not bother looking at?
However I need it to be able play discs with to 50hz/50i thing and convert in the player.
Are there specific brands that do not support this that I can just not bother looking at?
#43
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
#44
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I have the Spanish Blu-ray import of REC. That one should play fine on my player, but I have not confirmed it. Before this Sony region free player, I used to have one of the old Momitsu region free players until it died. That one played REC. I'll test out the REC disc on the Sony player and report back in the next day or two.
#45
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I have the Spanish Blu-ray import of REC. That one should play fine on my player, but I have not confirmed it. Before this Sony region free player, I used to have one of the old Momitsu region free players until it died. That one played REC. I'll test out the REC disc on the Sony player and report back in the next day or two.
#46
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Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I bought the Sony X800M2 a couple of weeks ago and use it with a LG 65" 4K television. The upscaling of DVD's is outstanding on the 4K television. It disregards the region code for blu-ray discs. For a player in its price range it has an unusually strong laser disc mechanism and framing that is supposed to minimize any chance for jitter. For $250 at Best Buy it is an excellent value. It also provides a separate HDMI audio out port for those who do not have a 4K capable receiver so that there can be separate streams for the video and audio data.
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wahlers (07-08-20)
#48
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
#49
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Region Free BD Player - Best combination of player and price
I just had my mind blown. I own a Panasonic bd player, I can’t remember the model. I was able to play a Region 2 disc just by accidentally accessing the bd menu from the players home screen.
Is this common knowledge? I never would have replaced my broken region free player last year if I had known this.
Is this common knowledge? I never would have replaced my broken region free player last year if I had known this.