Can't change regions on a Sony BPD-S5500 - Blu-ray Forum

Bertaut · 12-23-2021, 02:34 PM

A few years back, I purchased a multi-region Blu-Ray player, the BDP-S5500. Never had a day's trouble with it; everything worked fine.

Until today.

Long story short, it's locked on Region A and I can't change regions. I changed from B to A about a month ago and everything was fine and I've changed many times over the years with no issue. And now all of a sudden, pressing the blue button for region b does nothing (nor does the red for region c). I've tried a factory reset, checked to see if the firmware was up to date, and everything seems fine (I've made sure quick launch is turned off). I've also had a look around online and nobody else seems to have had this problem.

Any help would be immensely appreciated.

Thanks

rdodolak · 12-23-2021, 04:09 PM

What type of mod do you have? It's possible the mod went bad or it came loose.

hariseldon · 12-23-2021, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertaut

A few years back, I purchased a multi-region Blu-Ray player, the BDP-S5500. Never had a day's trouble with it; everything worked fine.

Until today.

Long story short, it's locked on Region A and I can't change regions. I changed from B to A about a month ago and everything was fine and I've changed many times over the years with no issue. And now all of a sudden, pressing the blue button for region b does nothing (nor does the red for region c). I've tried a factory reset, checked to see if the firmware was up to date, and everything seems fine (I've made sure quick launch is turned off). I've also had a look around online and nobody else seems to have had this problem.

Any help would be immensely appreciated.

Thanks

The easiest answer (though unlikely answer) would be if the remote itself was bad assuming you have a unit that is changed by pressing the Color Buttons. If you have a similar Sony Remote with the same key or A/B/C/D buttons you could try it.

If it was a hardware mod from Bombay or 220 electronics (or their Ebay store), they advertise a lifetime warranty of the region mod, so contacting them may be the next step since it sounds like you've done most of the usual easy troubleshooting things. If you're in the UK as I suspect maybe, then you may need to look at the Shop Policy where you purchased

Someone recently posted a similar issue and 220 sent them a custom firmware update that fixed their issue,.

It seems every few months one of these messages pops up mostly with the Sony units, but I think much of that is just the sheer number of Sony's that are out there. The Recommend a Region Free Player thread has a few of these reports scattered in the posts

Bertaut · 12-23-2021, 04:42 PM

Thanks for the replies.

Couple of things;

I'm in Ireland (so basically the same as the UK for this purpose).

I didn't mod the machine myself. I bought it directly from Amazon and it came as is.

I've checked the remote using the text entry thing and the colour buttons all work fine in there.

There was an instruction leaflet with the machine explaining how to switch regions - the letter head says Multi System Electronics.

RFK · 12-23-2021, 05:15 PM

Do you know if this was a firmware modification or a physical cable modification?

If this was a firmware modification, any update to the players firmware would delete the all region capability.

Bertaut · 12-23-2021, 05:26 PM

It must have been a physical mod as I've updated the system a few times in The years I've had it with no problems. Last update was well over a year ago.

I'm only realising now that the machine was nodded at all. I (naively) thought it was manufactured as region free. Just found a post on Sony's own forums where someone had the same problem and the only advice they gave him was "we don't make regionfree machines"!!

Not that that changes anything, I just didn't realise it was a mod.

hariseldon · 12-23-2021, 07:04 PM

MultiSystem Electronics could be one of 220Electronics 3rd Party Name. The address on the website certainly tracing to the same Chicago suburb as 220 Electronics.

The Ebay listing say they have a lifetime guarantee on the Region Mod so my suggestion would be let them know. Hopefully it's something they can help with remotely.

Looking for some information on names, I did run across a couple more posts from EU and Phillipines saying they received help in the way of a custom firmware though a couple people
had trouble getting them to respond via email, but direct Phone Contact worked well.

Bertaut · 12-23-2021, 11:34 PM

Alright, I'll give them a shout so, and see what happens. Appreciate the advice. If I hadn't just shelled out for a PS5, I'd just pick myself up a 4K region free player!

Alister_M · 12-24-2021, 01:14 AM

Well I mean at least it's locked to Region A not B so you can still play your A discs. I have a modded 4K player and I've never bothered changing regions on it as I have two others for region B locked discs.

Bertaut · 12-24-2021, 01:41 AM

Yeah, that occur to me alright - if it was locked on B, I'd be screwed.

chip75 · 12-24-2021, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertaut

Alright, I'll give them a shout so, and see what happens. Appreciate the advice. If I hadn't just shelled out for a PS5, I'd just pick myself up a 4K region free player!

Is Quick Start enabled? it can sometimes cause issues.

It might be worth opening the machine to see if all the solder joints are okay, they're simple enough to crack open and you don't have to touch anything inside.

Bertaut · 12-28-2021, 04:35 PM

Just to answer the previous question, no quick start is disabled. As for opening it up, I wouldn't know what I was doing so I'd rather not go that route, especially as it still works for region a.

As to contacting 220electronics, I did so and they sent me this reply: "We are not multi-system electronics and we are not able to help." Certainly to the point!! Lol.

chip75 · 12-28-2021, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertaut

Just to answer the previous question, no quick start is disabled. As for opening it up, I wouldn't know what I was doing so I'd rather not go that route, especially as it still works for region a.

I wouldn't be too apprehensive about cracking it open, it's a couple of screws on the back of the machine and the lid pops off. You don't have to touch anything inside, just check for bad solder joints or loose wires.

Bertaut · 12-28-2021, 08:00 PM

Ok. I'll give that a go tomorrow. Thanks.

chip75 · 12-28-2021, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertaut

Ok. I'll give that a go tomorrow. Thanks.

It's definitely worth checking, below is a link (Downloads/Fitting instructions) to the points that maybe an issue:

https://rattlebyte.com/Shop.php?lang...l&model_id=140

IlCorvo · 03-20-2022, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertaut

Ok. I'll give that a go tomorrow. Thanks.

Did you find a solution?

12-23-2021, 02:34 PM	#1
Bertaut Junior Member Member since:Oct 2013 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:28 iTunes collection:1	Can't change regions on a Sony BPD-S5500 A few years back, I purchased a multi-region Blu-Ray player, the BDP-S5500. Never had a day's trouble with it; everything worked fine. Until today. Long story short, it's locked on Region A and I can't change regions. I changed from B to A about a month ago and everything was fine and I've changed many times over the years with no issue. And now all of a sudden, pressing the blue button for region b does nothing (nor does the red for region c). I've tried a factory reset, checked to see if the firmware was up to date, and everything seems fine (I've made sure quick launch is turned off). I've also had a look around online and nobody else seems to have had this problem. Any help would be immensely appreciated. Thanks

12-23-2021, 07:04 PM	#7
hariseldon Blu-ray Count Top contributor Member since:Jul 2010 Location:Charlotte, NC 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Digital collection:- Trading Score:185	MultiSystem Electronics could be one of 220Electronics 3rd Party Name. The address on the website certainly tracing to the same Chicago suburb as 220 Electronics. The Ebay listing say they have a lifetime guarantee on the Region Mod so my suggestion would be let them know. Hopefully it's something they can help with remotely. Looking for some information on names, I did run across a couple more posts from EU and Phillipines saying they received help in the way of a custom firmware though a couple people had trouble getting them to respond via email, but direct Phone Contact worked well. Last edited by hariseldon; 12-23-2021 at 07:10 PM.

12-23-2021, 04:09 PM	#2
rdodolak Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Jul 2007 4K collection:880 Blu-ray collection:3733 DVD collection:939 MA collection:338 Digital collection:1099 iTunes collection:75 Prime collection:11 Trading Score:20	What type of mod do you have? It's possible the mod went bad or it came loose.

12-23-2021, 04:42 PM	#4
Bertaut Junior Member Member since:Oct 2013 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:28 iTunes collection:1	Thanks for the replies. Couple of things; I'm in Ireland (so basically the same as the UK for this purpose). I didn't mod the machine myself. I bought it directly from Amazon and it came as is. I've checked the remote using the text entry thing and the colour buttons all work fine in there. There was an instruction leaflet with the machine explaining how to switch regions - the letter head says Multi System Electronics.

12-23-2021, 05:15 PM	#5
RFK Blu-ray Guru Member since:Apr 2015	Do you know if this was a firmware modification or a physical cable modification? If this was a firmware modification, any update to the players firmware would delete the all region capability.

12-23-2021, 05:26 PM	#6
Bertaut Junior Member Member since:Oct 2013 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:28 iTunes collection:1	It must have been a physical mod as I've updated the system a few times in The years I've had it with no problems. Last update was well over a year ago. I'm only realising now that the machine was nodded at all. I (naively) thought it was manufactured as region free. Just found a post on Sony's own forums where someone had the same problem and the only advice they gave him was "we don't make regionfree machines"!! Not that that changes anything, I just didn't realise it was a mod.

12-23-2021, 11:34 PM	#8
Bertaut Junior Member Member since:Oct 2013 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:28 iTunes collection:1	Alright, I'll give them a shout so, and see what happens. Appreciate the advice. If I hadn't just shelled out for a PS5, I'd just pick myself up a 4K region free player!

12-24-2021, 01:14 AM	#9
Alister_M Blu-ray Grand Duke Top contributor Member since:Feb 2016 4K collection:352 Blu-ray collection:1923 DVD collection:21 Blu-ray reviews:15 Trading Score:5	Well I mean at least it's locked to Region A not B so you can still play your A discs. I have a modded 4K player and I've never bothered changing regions on it as I have two others for region B locked discs.

12-24-2021, 01:41 AM	#10
Bertaut Junior Member Member since:Oct 2013 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:28 iTunes collection:1	Yeah, that occur to me alright - if it was locked on B, I'd be screwed.

12-28-2021, 04:35 PM	#12
Bertaut Junior Member Member since:Oct 2013 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:28 iTunes collection:1	Just to answer the previous question, no quick start is disabled. As for opening it up, I wouldn't know what I was doing so I'd rather not go that route, especially as it still works for region a. As to contacting 220electronics, I did so and they sent me this reply: "We are not multi-system electronics and we are not able to help." Certainly to the point!! Lol.

12-28-2021, 08:00 PM	#14
Bertaut Junior Member Member since:Oct 2013 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:62 DVD collection:28 iTunes collection:1	Ok. I'll give that a go tomorrow. Thanks.

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