Region B/2 or Region FREE any good players?

[ChiefSneed]

I want to get imports, and I noticed that mostly everything I'll ever need is going to be Region B and barely any Region C.

Two questions:

What is a great Region B player?


What is the best Region 0 player? Just in case I decide to have all the discs in one player rather than 2 and also can play Region C. (Do these work well? I don't know much about them?)

Thanks!

[PrivatePixel]

As an FYI, we have a number of existing threads discussing multi-region/region-free Blu-ray players, with this thread being the most active one presently.

I think the mods should merge this thread with the one above.

[ChiefSneed]

Ok let me add on to this because I checked out the "budget region free" thread and just had me waste hours online second guessing what to get.


I'd like something that at least plays Region B blu-rays. If it can play every region DVD that'd be amazing too and I'd prefer it. I almost just bought a Region B player since Region C's discs are something I don't anticipate buying.

There has to be something out there that is just all around quality and a work horse that people unanimously can agree on right?

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by ChiefSneed

Ok let me add on to this because I checked out the "budget region free" thread and just had me waste hours online second guessing what to get.


I'd like something that at least plays Region B blu-rays. If it can play every region DVD that'd be amazing too and I'd prefer it. I almost just bought a Region B player since Region C's discs are something I don't anticipate buying.

There has to be something out there that is just all around quality and a work horse that people unanimously can agree on right?

There is....if you don't mind paying for it. Without question, the best region-free option among Blu-ray players is a modified OPPO BDP-93 player, which is $618 (shipping included). It will play regions A-C (for Blu-ray) and regions 0-8 for DVDs, and the retailer stands behind their work.

If you want something that's easier on the wallet, there are modified players from other notable brands (Panasonic, Pioneer, LG, etc.) that are worth looking into, or you can take a gamble on one of Best Buy's Insignia models or the Seiki BD-660 (available in Canada via Walmart).

Give us a budget, and we'll give you options.

[ChiefSneed]

Originally Posted by PrivatePixel

There is....if you don't mind paying for it. Without question, the best region-free option among Blu-ray players is a modified OPPO BDP-93 player, which is $618 (shipping included). It will play regions A-C (for Blu-ray) and regions 0-8 for DVDs, and the retailer stands behind their work.

If you want something that's easier on the wallet, there are modified players from other notable brands (Panasonic, Pioneer, LG, etc.) that are worth looking into, or you can take a gamble on one of Best Buy's Insignia models or the Seiki BD-660 (available in Canada via Walmart).

Give us a budget, and we'll give you options.

Thank you for the informative, concise answer. The OPPO is a little on the pricey side, but I'd definitely consider it.

What do the other modified players tend to go for and do they command the same features as the OPPO?

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by ChiefSneed

What do the other modified players tend to go for and do they command the same features as the OPPO?

It is possible to spend as little as ~$160-180 (before shipping) for an LG player (models BD611 and BD630).

With the BD611, you're getting a basic player in the truest sense of the word, i.e. no app streaming support and network connectivity is limited to firmware upgrades. Stepping up to the BD630 will offer features that are more in line with similar offerings from competitors (e.g. streaming online content, upscaling of DVDs), but as one of the lower-end models, it is not DLNA-enabled, no DivX support, no WiFi, among a few others.

If you compare the features between one of these LGs to the OPPO, it's apparent that the OPPO outclasses not only these, but even LG's top-tier offering, the BD690. It's not just the absence of features, but little things such as ease of use and speed that factor into the overall user experience. If you prefer other brands (e.g. Panasonic, Pioneer, SONY, etc.), expect to pay a bit more.

[maze]

Originally Posted by ChiefSneed

Thank you for the informative, concise answer. The OPPO is a little on the pricey side, but I'd definitely consider it.

What do the other modified players tend to go for and do they command the same features as the OPPO?

If you have a Blu-ray drive in your computer you may consider this region-free BD player software options. Depending on your preference and cheating aptitude you can do it with one, two or three players and it could still be cheaper than any of the hardware options.

If you prefer a standalone player I think Oppo is the best option, eventually you can get a cheaper player of another brand but in my opinion it's better to get a player that is chip-modified rather than one you could cheat with your remote.

[Geode]

Originally Posted by PrivatePixel

There is....if you don't mind paying for it. Without question, the best region-free option among Blu-ray players is a modified OPPO BDP-93 player, which is $618 (shipping included). It will play regions A-C (for Blu-ray) and regions 0-8 for DVDs, and the retailer stands behind their work.

If you want something that's easier on the wallet, there are modified players from other notable brands (Panasonic, Pioneer, LG, etc.) that are worth looking into, or you can take a gamble on one of Best Buy's Insignia models or the Seiki BD-660 (available in Canada via Walmart).

Give us a budget, and we'll give you options.

I was hoping to buy a Seiki BD-660, but apparently Wallmart does not sell these online but only in stores in Canada.

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by Geode

I was hoping to buy a Seiki BD-660, but apparently Wallmart does not sell these online but only in stores in Canada.

YesAsia has it in stock for $154.99 (with free international shipping): this may be your best option, if you're interested in this player.

The lowest shipping cost from a Canadian address to Thailand is ~CDN $52 (the player weighs around 5.6 lbs), so after factoring taxes, it's not much different than the US price.