Is a region-free player necessary anymore? - Blu-ray Forum

SilverBlade · 10-25-2014, 05:01 PM

Do any studios release region-locked blu-rays still, that makes the purchase of a region free player necessary? or do most studios now release region-free titles?

Red Dragon · 10-25-2014, 05:27 PM

I'm absolutely not an authority when it comes to this subject, but I am currently under the impression that a good deal of blu-rays from England, France, Germany, Spain, etc... are still being released with the dreaded regional coding. Many of the television series and films (case in point, virtually every zavvi blu-ray steelbook I purchase), I watch and regularly enjoy are imported from Europe, so for me it is very necessary.

But it would be wonderful if regional coding became less and less. I hope what you're saying is accurate, but until regional coding is no more ...I, for one, will continue to need (and use) region free blu-ray (and whatever comes next), players.

nik666uk · 10-25-2014, 06:02 PM

The Criterion Collection are always region locked

Razzeh · 10-25-2014, 06:07 PM

All of Scream Factory is region locked, afaik. This actually made me buy a region free player (I NEED The Fog and Body Bags).

cya
Raziel-chan

atlantajoseph · 10-25-2014, 06:39 PM

From my perspective things have only gotten worse in regards to region coding over the past few years. I used to love importing Masters of Cinema region free BDs but those have sadly dried up completely.

I don't want to bother getting a region free BD player (did that with DVD and not a great experience for various reasons).... so I pretty much just bide my time for stateside releases these days.

Sad but it is what it is.

bigshot · 10-25-2014, 06:54 PM

Another problem is that the market is soft for blu-rays in the US, so just because it's been released in Europe, it doesn't necessarily mean that a US release is automatic. I saw too many deep catalog films being released in Europe with no equivalent US release, so I recently went region free. It was a good decision.

cooney · 10-25-2014, 07:03 PM

I just finally picked up a region free player because of Arrow's release of The 'Burbs. Two titles I had wanted that were locked were Cinema Paradiso and The Wicker Man - both of which had better region B releases so I was finally able to get those and I've now been opened up to Arrow's library of titles which is great.

RBBrittain · 10-25-2014, 07:10 PM

Though region locking is less common now with major-studio releases, it still happens; just a few months back Disney released Ratatouille 3D in the UK & France, Region B-locked in both countries. And it's still as common as ever among indie labels in Europe, including Eureka/MoC.

marblearch · 11-02-2014, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razzeh

All of Scream Factory is region locked, afaik. This actually made me buy a region free player (I NEED The Fog and Body Bags).

cya
Raziel-chan

I have avoided buying a region free player because I can get my Panasonic player to play most region A locked discs through various remote control fixes.

I had given up on Scream Factory releases because I could not get a borrowed copy of Prince of Darkness to play ( so I bought the German blu ray) - then I borrowed Telling Lies in America/Traveller double feature and eventually got it to play by pressing Function followed by 4 enter twice. Hopefully this will work for other Scream Factory titles. All recent release Kino discs I have tried so far work with the common Function, Top Menu fix

Clark Kent · 11-02-2014, 08:51 PM

A region-free player is essential if you are a fan of niche genre fare. Horror fans will almost certainly never get the complete Hammers in America.

RickWJ324 · 11-02-2014, 09:00 PM

I'm region A but constantly import items that are region B locked (mostly horror films). It's amazing how many movies that are made in the USA still don't exist on blu here, but can be imported from other countries.

I'm region-free, but prior to having region-free players I would still buy imports that were region locked. I'd simply buy them, rip them and remove the region coding, then burn it to a bd-r. Now that I have region-free players that isn't necessary anymore.

Trigger89 · 11-08-2014, 03:36 PM

Didn't know where else to post this but I just bought an American Blu-ray player and I need a step down transformer/converter. Would a 45watt get me away or should I go for a 100watt just to be safe?

schan1269 · 11-08-2014, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trigger89

Didn't know where else to post this but I just bought an American Blu-ray player and I need a step down transformer/converter. Would a 45watt get me away or should I go for a 100watt just to be safe?

What player? Are you sure it isn't 110-240 50/60 already?

Geoff D · 11-08-2014, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

A region-free player is essential if you are a fan of niche genre fare. Horror fans will almost certainly never get the complete Hammers in America.

Yup. The majority of indie labels and smaller distributors on both sides of the atlantic still lock their stuff because they have to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trigger89

Didn't know where else to post this but I just bought an American Blu-ray player and I need a step down transformer/converter. Would a 45watt get me away or should I go for a 100watt just to be safe?

Can you not find the specs for it online? The instruction manual may also say how many watts it typically draws.

Worth checking if it's already multi-voltage though. I bought a US Panasonic player a couple years ago and after comparing it to the exact same UK model they both had the same power board. Plugged the US one straight into the UK mains and it was fine.

whiteboi · 11-08-2014, 08:56 PM

Living in Finland I must say that having a region free blu-ray player is a must. Most of the Criterion titles I've ordered from US are region locked.
Some of the discs released here by certain distributors are also region locked. There are also certain discs in US that never have seen the light of day here.

Trigger89 · 11-08-2014, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yup. The majority of indie labels and smaller distributors on both sides of the atlantic still lock their stuff because they have to.

Can you not find the specs for it online? The instruction manual may also say how many watts it typically draws.

Worth checking if it's already multi-voltage though. I bought a US Panasonic player a couple years ago and after comparing it to the exact same UK model they both had the same power board. Plugged the US one straight into the UK mains and it was fine.

The American player I bought was the 'Panasonic DMP-BD30'. That wouldn't happen to be the same one as yours?

p w · 11-08-2014, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

A region-free player is essential if you are a fan of niche genre fare. Horror fans will almost certainly never get the complete Hammers in America.

You can always use a british vpn and watch most of them on youtube...

schan1269 · 11-08-2014, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trigger89

The American player I bought was the 'Panasonic DMP-BD30'. That wouldn't happen to be the same one as yours?

Look at the back. Right in that big square almost dead center...it says the power requirement.

Since it is Panny, probably not world voltage.

10-25-2014, 05:01 PM	#1
SilverBlade Expert Member Member since:Mar 2012 Location:Canada Trading Score:4	Is a region-free player necessary anymore? Do any studios release region-locked blu-rays still, that makes the purchase of a region free player necessary? or do most studios now release region-free titles?

10-25-2014, 05:27 PM	#2
Red Dragon Special Member Member since:Mar 2011 Location:North Charleston, South Carolina Blu-ray collection:324	I believe so... I'm absolutely not an authority when it comes to this subject, but I am currently under the impression that a good deal of blu-rays from England, France, Germany, Spain, etc... are still being released with the dreaded regional coding. Many of the television series and films (case in point, virtually every zavvi blu-ray steelbook I purchase), I watch and regularly enjoy are imported from Europe, so for me it is very necessary. But it would be wonderful if regional coding became less and less. I hope what you're saying is accurate, but until regional coding is no more ...I, for one, will continue to need (and use) region free blu-ray (and whatever comes next), players.

10-25-2014, 06:02 PM	#3
nik666uk Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2011 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Digital collection:-	The Criterion Collection are always region locked

10-25-2014, 06:07 PM	#4
Razzeh Active Member Member since:Oct 2014	All of Scream Factory is region locked, afaik. This actually made me buy a region free player (I NEED The Fog and Body Bags). cya Raziel-chan

10-25-2014, 06:39 PM	#5
atlantajoseph Expert Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2010 Location:Atlanta 4K collection:24 Blu-ray collection:605 DVD collection:291 Digital collection:322 iTunes collection:2 Prime collection:4 Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:5	From my perspective things have only gotten worse in regards to region coding over the past few years. I used to love importing Masters of Cinema region free BDs but those have sadly dried up completely. I don't want to bother getting a region free BD player (did that with DVD and not a great experience for various reasons).... so I pretty much just bide my time for stateside releases these days. Sad but it is what it is.

10-25-2014, 06:54 PM	#6
bigshot Blu-ray Knight Member since:Aug 2010 Home Theater Gallery:12 Blu-ray collection:82 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:3	Another problem is that the market is soft for blu-rays in the US, so just because it's been released in Europe, it doesn't necessarily mean that a US release is automatic. I saw too many deep catalog films being released in Europe with no equivalent US release, so I recently went region free. It was a good decision.

10-25-2014, 07:03 PM	#7
cooney Active Member Member since:Jun 2012 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:-	I just finally picked up a region free player because of Arrow's release of The 'Burbs. Two titles I had wanted that were locked were Cinema Paradiso and The Wicker Man - both of which had better region B releases so I was finally able to get those and I've now been opened up to Arrow's library of titles which is great.

10-25-2014, 07:10 PM	#8
RBBrittain Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Jan 2009 Location:Little Rock, AR 4K collection:751 Blu-ray collection:1842 DVD collection:91 MA collection:989 Digital collection:349 iTunes collection:56 Prime collection:5 Trading Score:6	Though region locking is less common now with major-studio releases, it still happens; just a few months back Disney released Ratatouille 3D in the UK & France, Region B-locked in both countries. And it's still as common as ever among indie labels in Europe, including Eureka/MoC.

11-02-2014, 08:51 PM	#10
Clark Kent Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Oct 2007 Location:Metropolis Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:184	A region-free player is essential if you are a fan of niche genre fare. Horror fans will almost certainly never get the complete Hammers in America.

11-02-2014, 09:00 PM	#11
RickWJ324 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Richmond, VA Trading Score:37	I'm region A but constantly import items that are region B locked (mostly horror films). It's amazing how many movies that are made in the USA still don't exist on blu here, but can be imported from other countries. I'm region-free, but prior to having region-free players I would still buy imports that were region locked. I'd simply buy them, rip them and remove the region coding, then burn it to a bd-r. Now that I have region-free players that isn't necessary anymore.

11-08-2014, 03:36 PM	#12
Trigger89 Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:May 2010 Location:Ireland Home Theater Gallery:20 4K collection:3 Blu-ray collection:423 Blu-ray reviews: 1 Trading Score:18	Didn't know where else to post this but I just bought an American Blu-ray player and I need a step down transformer/converter. Would a 45watt get me away or should I go for a 100watt just to be safe?

11-08-2014, 08:56 PM	#15
whiteboi Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:Turku, Finland 4K collection:250 Blu-ray collection:844 DVD collection:40 Blu-ray reviews:2	Living in Finland I must say that having a region free blu-ray player is a must. Most of the Criterion titles I've ordered from US are region locked. Some of the discs released here by certain distributors are also region locked. There are also certain discs in US that never have seen the light of day here.

Best Blu-ray Movie Deals