Region Free Freedom

[Crow T. Robot]

Originally Posted by bonehica

And this is the double edge sword. I just discovered this place a few months ago, which is a bit odd seeing as I have been collecting since the beginning of the format. Also, I collected DVDs since the beginning of THAT format. I thought I had built myself a respectable collection, but then I come here and am humbled, not just by the size of some of the ones here, but the quality of the material. I mean I would go to other places and check out reviews to find out if a blu was going to look like shiite or not, however the level of scrutinization that occurs here is intimidating. To go along with that, I then find out many of my blus are of the inferior kind compared to those in other regions. It's kind of deflating. So, I am dipping my toes into the RF arena. Baby steps to start. I haven't modded my player yet and only have a couple of region Bs so far. I thought upgrading DVDs to blu sucked. Now there is upgrading blus to blu AND upgrading blus to 4K! And, I know I don't have to do it, but I am OCD so...you know...I don't have a choice. This hobby can certainly be maddening

You bring up some great points... bonehica

I originally was lurking for a year or so, then I joined when I was deciding to go Region-Free mainly for the items I mentioned before (Napoleon and World At War) I had some questions.

I want to spend my money wisely, so I gather like you reviews from many sites. I don't regret any past purchases, but I feel much more educated by making wiser ? choices.

Too many unwatched movies to watch to start thinking about 4K , My viewing time is running out

In my collection, I have to segregate movies from Region A to Region B, so my kids who haven't gone RF can watch the Region A releases or Region Free ones

I'm not educated as some of those who post here, but I'm and much more informed then before.

I also buy more now than before, with being RF....

I do enjoy having my Region-Free player

Steve

[oilers73]

Originally Posted by Zarak

Amazon sells not only gray-area but also outright bootlegs directly, although they're largely oblivious to that fact and will remove the items if the rightsholder complains.

If an item is available through its suppliers, then Amazon will sell it, and their media suppliers sometimes carry gray-area items and straight-up bootlegs.

Amazon doesn't research the legitimacy of every item it sells—it just sells. If someone lodges a copyright complaint, then Amazon will take the item down, but if no one complains, they'll keep selling a bootleg in perpetuity.

Bootlegs, or counterfeits? There is a difference.

[Zarak]

Originally Posted by oilers73

Bootlegs, or counterfeits? There is a difference.

Bootlegs

[chas speed]

Originally Posted by notman

They had 10 pounds off 50 at least two years in a row to celebrate winning a national customer satisfaction survey. Unfortunately they dropped to 5th place this year. I had been looking forward to that sale. I probably buy more blu-rays from the UK than I do from the US now, and I'm in the US.

Thanks, for the info. I think after one month with a region free player I had already saved more money then the player cost.

[Zarak]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Resellers can sell bootlegs on Amazon, but I've never known actual Amazon to sell them. That would be news to me.

Actual Amazon US sells a lot of bootleg CDs. Amazon Spain sells many Spanish bootleg DVDs and Blu-rays. I'm sure countless more examples exist.

[horroru]

I went Region Free about 5 years ago with a cheap Seiki - what drove me to it was seeing those amazing Arrow UK special editions for Mario Bava's "Black Sunday" and "Black Sabbath."

The Seiki is a good cheap unit, but about 2 years ago I upgraded to a Sony I got from 220 Electronics (which I had a great experience with btw and can recommend)

I looked at the Stats on my collection here and saw that I have 74 Region B blu rays, with 42 of them being region locked.
Titles such as:
Elvira Mistress of the Dark
Hammer House of Horror plus of course various Hammer Films
The Handmaiden Extended Cut (Park Chan-Wook)
Thirst (Park Chan-Wook)
Phenomena (Arrow Argento)
Phantasm Collection (Arrow)
Theatre of Blood
The Fury
The Loved Ones
A Very Long Engagement
The Wicker Man (original release , 3 cuts)

In my opinion it's worth the investment, especially for movies that may NEVER be released here in the US (I'm looking at you "A Very Long Engagement")

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by Crow T. Robot

I want to spend my money wisely, so I gather like you reviews from many sites. I don't regret any past purchases, but I feel much more educated by making wiser ? choices

Definitely more informed and educated. I used places like High Def Digest and The Digital Bits for reviews, then I come here and see the same movies they gave glowing reviews would get trashed on here. Crazy!

Originally Posted by horroru

In my opinion it's worth the investment, especially for movies that may NEVER be released here in the US (I'm looking at you "A Very Long Engagement")

A Very Long Engagement is one of my biggest wants on blu!

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by chas speed

Thanks, for the info. I think after one month with a region free player I had already saved more money then the player cost.

I don't understand people who think they save money by being region free, or suggest a region free player "pays for itself". I've spent thousands on Region A titles since going region free, that I wouldn't have spent at all were I B-locked.

Rebuying the entire ESPN 30 for 30 5th Anniversary set was the biggest pain in the ass.

[skippy3elf]

Anyone have any feedback on the LG region free players from 220-electronics (or anywhere else for that matter)? The price is attractive, but I've heard that LG players are very cheaply built.

[Mystic]

I purchased a reasonably priced Sony region free player several years ago, and never looked back. Going Region Free opened up the opportunity to pick up titles I'd never have the opportunity to own if I had limited myself only to a Region A player. This was the best thing I've ever done as a movie collector.

[chas speed]

Originally Posted by koberulz

I don't understand people who think they save money by being region free, or suggest a region free player "pays for itself". I've spent thousands on Region A titles since going region free, that I wouldn't have spent at all were I B-locked.

Rebuying the entire ESPN 30 for 30 5th Anniversary set was the biggest pain in the ass.

OK, lets say you want to buy 16 seasons of Family Guy on DVD and you don't have a region free player. It would probably cost you over 300 dollars. If you had a region free player you could pick up 16 volumes for 40 dollars. Can you see how that would save you some money? I also bought The Arrow UK Dekalog set last year for 30 bucks. It had a free book that was about 150 pages and 10 hours of bonus stuff not included on the US version. If I had bought the Criterion set it would have cost twice as much. I also bought Batman The Animated Series Blu-ray set for under 60 dollars in the UK when it was released (saving at least 40 bucks) and bought the latest Monterey Pop Blu-ray set for 25 bucks (half the price of the US version).

[skreemingskulll]

Originally Posted by skippy3elf

Anyone have any feedback on the LG region free players from 220-electronics (or anywhere else for that matter)? The price is attractive, but I've heard that LG players are very cheaply built.

Aren't their TVs very highly regarded? Odd that their players wouldn't be -- but I've heard the same thing myself, and avoided them for that reason.

[skreemingskulll]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

I'm saying I think Amazon would care if it were outright illegal.

Right -- Amazon would never do anything illegal.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Do 4K discs have regional lockouts as well?

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by hanshotfirst1138

Do 4K discs have regional lockouts as well?

4K discs are region free.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by brainofj72

I’ve been collecting for about 20 years and still haven’t gone region-free. It’s caused some mild annoyances, but nothing too severe.

Same here.

I’m region A limited for simplicity’s sake, and I’m certainly not destitute with regard to my collection.

There are some setbacks, of course. I want the 1922 Nosferatu in the proper frame rate. I want Brute Force, The Lost Weekend, and a few other region B goodies. Part of the joy Blu-ray collection is wanting things, though.

For the most part, I’ve got great picture quality editions of everything that I need.

I’m also glad that 4K UHD is dispensing with this foolishness for now.

[metsfan1545d]

i imported a cheap region b player from the uk to go basically region free since i have no use for C

[Sam Loover]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I’m also glad that 4K UHD is dispensing with this foolishness for now.

The only reason UHD is region free is because they know the market will be so niche it won't be cost effective unless they can use the same disc worldwide. I think only Sony has gone to the trouble of doing a country specific UHD for a couple of films in the UK.
Also why in the early days of Bluray some studios were still locking back catalogue but eventually stopped that too.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by Sam Loover

I think only Sony has gone to the trouble of doing a country specific UHD for a couple of films in the UK.

This is false. No UHD disc is region locked.

[skippy3elf]

Originally Posted by skreemingskulll

Aren't their TVs very highly regarded? Odd that their players wouldn't be -- but I've heard the same thing myself, and avoided them for that reason.

I can't speak for their TVs, but my own personal experience with bluray/dvd players is that failure rates seem to be high (certainly relative to TV failures). I've had 4 dvd/bluray players over the last 15 years or so from 3 different brands and they've all broken within 3-4 years. I don't think I've ever had a TV break. I've never owned an LG before though (TV or player).