Because I don't need one.

I'm trying to curb my Region 1 DVD purchasing so opening up other regions would just kill my wallet.

I purchased a Malata a few years back and it serves well. only problem is some Reg 1 releases dont get read for some reason. It does play burnt dvds, as well as vcd and svcd. I only own 2 non region 1 dvds though so it really wasn't needed but isnt bad. you can get it on ebay now for about 30 dollars.

I don't have a region free player because I don't want to limit my choice of players. If Pioneer releases a region free player (advertised as such, not one that requires hacks), I will consider it.

i've been region free for years and i really don't use it for region free-ness that much, but i do love having the few or so gems that are from a different region that i can play at anytime. "Spaced": The Complete Series for one. looking forward to the LE "Kontroll" for another. but even though the Phillips I have is a pain to use with my mx-500 remote, i love having my tv sets play in there and left in there throughout the week and not need to change on a weekend when i watch movies on the better, Sony R1 player. it makes more sense in my head, but it is nice just to have another player and that it is region free is a nice addition.

What are you talking about? Pioneer does make a region free player...without having to use hacks! Define hacks! Hell there are alot of Region Free players out there. I have a Pioneer DV-490V and works just great!!!

Got mine here.....http://www.regionfreedvd.net/

I'm not sure. It might upconvert to 720p over component, but I've never tried it. Right now, i'm using HDMI out to a 1080p display.

There seems to be a misconception that importing DVD's is expensive.

Sorry, but that Pioneer player is NOT officially region free. That site applies the hack and resells it. On the official Pioneer site there is no mention of it being region free. It is a Region 1 player.

because getting a region-free player would instantaneously make sooo many more dvds available to me, thus at the same time instantaneously making me sooo broke.

And works just fine....if thats your definition of "hack". So it has a built in PAL-NTSC converter, they also have a better warranty than you would get from a store. So what exactly is your problem with them? Please enlighten us with your hack theory and why it is you don't like them....have you owned one? Did you have a bad experience? I have owned one for over a year now and I must say its the best player I have ever owned ( and I have owend a bunch of them)

It plays my Region 2 Quantum Leaps and several of my films like Santa Sangre just fine!

yeah, Amazon.co.uk is pretty shady

I bought the LG RC797T, a floor model at BB for under $200. You can easily download a file, burn it to a CD, pop it in, and you're region free. It's been an acceptable secondary unit to my Panasonic DVD Recorder (it even reads the DVD-RAMs burned on the Panasonic, so I can dub stuff off.)

If you want to see if there's a hack for your DVD player, just go to the following site:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks

I had a cheapy Cyberhome once that was region free, but it didn't handle the PAL to NTSC conversion well at all. The picture looked stretched.

I know there are much better ones out there (Oppo) but I just haven't gotten around to it. There's not much in the way of other region releases that I consider MUST HAVES. Although, the SE of Creepshow had me considering it.

Never felt the need for one, I mostly get mainstream stuff I guess.

That will never happen. As a condition of their DVD consortium membership they are not allowed to officially sell region-free players. That's one reason the cheapo no-name players are often advertised as region-free and the big name players often are not. The cheapo brands are not members of the DVD consortium (and thus do not pay the ~$20 per player patent licensing fee) and are not so constrained.

On the other hand, in most countries outside of the USA, it is hard to buy a regionless player. The stores unlock them before even putting them on the shelves. I have heard that it is a legal requirement in Australia, that region-locked players violate their consumer protection laws.

Hacking a player is a very temporary step. If that player dies then I would have to find a replacement for it. If Pioneer doesn't make a replacement that is hackable for region-free playback, then I'm SOL. I'd be forced to find another player (probably of lesser quality) to play those other discs. Besides, I have been able to find discs of every film that I'm interested in that can play on my region 1 player. nuff said.

I refuse to be locked in to a subset of players.

If you choose to do so, that's your problem.... even if you don't see it as a problem, it is your decision.

Can't afford it. Otherwise I would have one and sleep with it at night.

This is somewhat unrelated, but has anyone tried to hack a DVD drive on a computer? Both internal and external computer drives and recorders allow you a certain number of plays or records for non-Region 1 discs (I think four), but what happens when you exhaust that number? Is there a fix for it?

But I do have one...

The price of foreign DVD's kept me out of it for a long time.

Possibility to buy DVDs other than just of R1 is a true gift that has been given to me by I don't know whom. But without this gift I'd hang myself. R2 and R3 DVDs is one of the best things that ever happened to me

I do not own a region free player. I've always meant to get one, but haven't for most of the same reasons as others have been saying; already have too many unwatched R1, expense, just lazy, etc

My only interest is in unavailable R1 titles. I don't know or care what an interlaced upconverter thing is. Most dvds look just fine to me.

Anyway, in the interest of seeing exactly what the cost would be, I just ordered a copy of 1984 from Amazon.uk.

It was $10 for the dvd and $6.25 for air mail. All my info, including credit cards was already on file.

Obviously, now I need a player.

I will probably go back later and order copies of Ishtar, Dr. Terror's House Of Horrors and Quatermass And The Pit, all $8.00 each.

Well, I must say your reply made no sense whatsoever. But by taking the stance that you have it is your loss. I guess I will just have to keep enjoying all my region 2 DVD's that are not available here in the US on that great Pioneer player that I am watching them on.