HockeyMan2000

Sorry if this has been posted before, but after going on DVDRHelp over the weekend I noticed someone used an easily-available firmware to permanently "upgrade" the Toshiba 3900 to Region Free.

It's VERY easy (just burn to a CDR, insert, hit "O" and that's it!), and saves you from ever having to try the damn MENU+1/TOP-MENU+1 code ever again!

Check it out all the way down of the bottom of the page at

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdhacks.php...Toshiba+SD3900

cheers,
Hockeyman

Fandango

Just tried this, worked like a charm! I tried an R3 and an R2 PAL disc, both loaded up on their own without me having to do anything. Thanks alot HockeyMan2000.

HockeyMan2000

You're very welcome Fandango. I love this board and wanted to make sure everyone else here knew about it (as I know there are a lot of 3900 owners here!).

renaldow

Has anyone who's tried this noticed anything odd occur, or any change in video quality? Kind of reluctant to do this, as it's a firmware for a different machine. Wouldn't want it to mess up any other part of my 3900.

Slowpc

Anyone know if the 3950 is any different and if it works with it? Co-worker got that model and knowing if that works will make him happy.

Fandango

renaldow, I wouldn't worry as I don't think it is actually a firmware, the screen that comes up is just a region select screen, it lets you pick from region 0-6 and then you save with the pause button.

Laser Movies

Thanks HockeyMan2000 for the information. Just burned a disc and it worked great! I will have to see if the 3900 will play my region 2 copy of the Deer Hunter now. One of the few DVDs that wouldn't work with the remote hack.

MrPink

There is a file also avaible for the Toshiba 4900. Just change the search on the dvdrhelp website

Laser Movies

I just got a chance awhile ago to try my R2 copy of the Deer Hunter special edition and it will now play on the Toshiba 3900. Have to say this hack makes the Toshiba an even better mutli region player then before.

MrPink

I can't access the dvdrhelp website now. I couldn't download the file until I got home.

geodi

Success! Tested with R3 Resurrection of Little Match Girl and R2 Wonder Woman.....no more fiddling with the remote. Thanks! (now going to install on basement 3900)

Furious

This isn't new firmware for the player, though it does change a setting in the firmware. It simply writes to the section of the firmware that stores the region code. Looks very harmless and worked fine on my player.

renaldow

I tried it, it worked. Excellent post! Now the CH 500 that was sitting below it can be taken away, and my wife can watch whatever DVD she wants without me being harassed about how I can get it to play but she can't!!

Match

I tried it and it works great. I'm glad I didn't get rid of the Toshiba for the Philips 727.

unclehulot

Fantastic!

Just one question, do you need to switch back to region 1 for RCE discs? I'm assuming it's easily done by using the cdr again and setting to 1.

Furious

The few Columbia RCE titles (6th day, Charlie's Angels) I tried worked fine set to R0. The 727 is still a useful player as it's optical pickup is far superior at reading poorly replicated/scratched discs.

HockeyMan2000

Is the Philips any good at reading DVD-Rs? I've read conflicting opinions. As much as I love my Toshiba 3900, it doesn't handle most of the DVD-R's I've burned in my Panasonic DVD Recorder.....which DO play on other machines I own.

Match

Play SVCD on the Toshiba SD-3900.

player on with NO DISK message in drive, then press the following sequence on remote:

PAUSE, 1, 4, 7, 2

The SD 3900 will display on the screen:

55 53 00 47 14 55 64 FF
(important that you write this number down and don't lose it!)

press LEFT arrow x4 (the value at the top should now correspond with the 4th value from the left in the middle of the screen)

press 6 and hold to change to F

press RIGHT and press 4 and hold to change to D

The screen will display:

55 53 00 47 14 55 FD FF

Now turn off the player and turn it back on.

I tried a SVCD before the hack and a message displayed "Check Disk"
I used the hack and the same SVCD. Popped it back into the player and it plays perfectly.

If you are uncomfortable with the hack, you can always change it back. Just follow the directions.

Fandango

Just tried the hack, worked perfectly with no problems, thanks alot Match! Between the region free CDR hack and this SVCD one it feels like I have a whole new player now.

richard98

Thanks. It worked on my 3900. If anyone's interested, I created a *.nrg file from the CD I used. Unzip it and burn it to CD with Nero:
*.nrg file - burn to CD with Nero

After burning the image file with Nero, follow the other instructions from dvdrhelp:

4. Inserted the burned CD into the dvd, wait for the menu on the LCD of the dvd.

5. Pressed "0" then "PAUSE", turned the dvd OFF

6. That's it !!!, REGION FREE.

dlew308

Does this work on a 3950?

shaggy

Thanks your Nero file worked perfectly, I love this player even more now

Slowpc

Was going to get the 3950, but went with the 4900 because of the extra controls on the front. Just in-case i misplace my remote. The co-worker i know really likes the 3950 and was a pretty good deal for what it does.

The Valeyard

Do you NEED Nero for this to work? Can you use a different CD burner to burn it?

Andrew

DrGerbil

No, I used a different program (Sony CD Extreme) and it worked fine.