What are the frame rates of blu-rays from different regions?

[hiilikemovies]

I need a little help.

The bottom line is, I want to be able to watch blu-rays in North America whether they are region A or B (C probably won't matter). I don't care about Ultra HD or DVD's. I've got my eye on a region-free player with 4k upscaling, the Sony BDP-S6700 https://smile.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S6.../dp/B075Y4H4PM

But is it as easy as putting in any region B blu-ray disk and having it play? I don't know if region B uses a different frame rate than the blu-rays I'm used to from region A. The only region B blu-ray disk I have that shows tech specs on the back mentions "BD 25." I assume that means a frame rate of 25fps, which region A probably is not. So will a region-free player make it work somehow?

I was thinking I could buy a region B player otherwise, but they are built for 220V.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by hiilikemovies

I need a little help.

The bottom line is, I want to be able to watch blu-rays in North America whether they are region A or B (C probably won't matter). I don't care about Ultra HD or DVD's. I've got my eye on a region-free player with 4k upscaling, the Sony BDP-S6700 https://smile.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S6.../dp/B075Y4H4PM

But is it as easy as putting in any region B blu-ray disk and having it play? I don't know if region B uses a different frame rate than the blu-rays I'm used to from region A. The only region B blu-ray disk I have that shows tech specs on the back mentions "BD 25." I assume that means a frame rate of 25fps, which region A probably is not. So will a region-free player make it work somehow?

I was thinking I could buy a region B player otherwise, but they are built for 220V.

BD-25 means the size of the disc (it contains 25 gigs) of data, it has nothing to do with frame rate.

Yes, it's as simple as buying a player set to Region B, putting a Region B locked disc in it and playing it. I think some reviews have mentioned that there might be PAL content on a disc preceding the feature which might create a problem on an NTSC TV, but I've yet to experience that problem.

[hiilikemovies]

Oh, thanks for informing me on what BD 25 means, guys. Well if region B blu-rays are 24fps as well, I guess I have nothing to worry about. As long as the menu is not 25fps, you are saying? I doubt I will buy any UK TV stuff, just movies.

[TripleHBK]

Originally Posted by hiilikemovies

Oh, thanks for informing me on what BD 25 means, guys. Well if region B blu-rays are 24fps as well, I guess I have nothing to worry about. As long as the menu is not 25fps, you are saying? I doubt I will buy any UK TV stuff, just movies.

Region locking is a much bigger issue than frame rate differences. With that said there are still plenty of releases overseas that have special features in 25fps. Menu's, special features, may be encoded at 25fps.

Any commercially released official film should be encoded at 23.957fps (24p). However interlaced material such as that found on concert releases, nature documentaries (in some cases) may or may not be.

Generally speaking region locking is the bigger issue for folks, getting a region free player that can convert 25fps to 23.957fps will address all of your issues though and is likely the way to go if you are going to importing lots of titles.

Edit: Unless you are buying that player from somewhere else not mentioned, the one you linked to on amazon is not Region free btw.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by hiilikemovies

Oh, thanks for informing me on what BD 25 means, guys. Well if region B blu-rays are 24fps as well, I guess I have nothing to worry about. As long as the menu is not 25fps, you are saying? I doubt I will buy any UK TV stuff, just movies.

Players sold region free generally will play back most DVDs and BDs. Menus aren’t a problem. Even the NTSC/PAL SD material is moot for nearly all region moded players as these include NTSC/PAL convertors.

So you will be fine with TV and movies.

[hiilikemovies]

Originally Posted by TripleHBK

Region locking is a much bigger issue than frame rate differences. With that said there are still plenty of releases overseas that have special features in 25fps. Menu's, special features, may be encoded at 25fps.

Any commercially released official film should be encoded at 23.957fps (24p). However interlaced material such as that found on concert releases, nature documentaries (in some cases) may or may not be.

Generally speaking region locking is the bigger issue for folks, getting a region free player that can convert 25fps to 23.957fps will address all of your issues though and is likely the way to go if you are going to importing lots of titles.

Edit: Unless you are buying that player from somewhere else not mentioned, the one you linked to on amazon is not Region free btw.

They don't make it obvious, but the product description says it is region free. Oh crap, you might be right. I think that product description is partially wrong. Anyone know a cheap region-free player with 4k upscaling? And with frame rate conversion

[hiilikemovies]

So let me see if I've got this right. Most of the region B blu-ray disks are in 24p, so they will play fine on a region-free player. But if the start menu of a disk, or even the content are in 25p... the player can still output it because they are modded PAL players, but I would need a TV from outside of the U.S. to view it at that frame rate. Unless the player converts 25p to 24p. I guess?

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by hiilikemovies

So let me see if I've got this right. Most of the region B blu-ray disks are in 24p, so they will play fine on a region-free player. But if the start menu of a disk, or even the content are in 25p... the player can still output it because they are modded PAL players, but I would need a TV from outside of the U.S. to view it at that frame rate. Unless the player converts 25p to 24p. I guess?

It's is EXTREMELY rare for anything but an SD bonus feature to be in PAL. I've been buying UK stuff for years and have never had that problem even once. Also most region-free players will convert PAL to NTSC anyway, so you have nothing to worry about twice over. Also also more and more US equipment can play PAL now as well, my 2016 Samsung does.

The only time this is really an issue is if you import a region-free disc, play it on region A locked equipment that can't handle PAL, and it has PAL content.

[hiilikemovies]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

I don't see anything in your AMazon link that incorrect at all -- it's just not a Region Free player. It's just a normal plain US Sony which won't even play Region Free 1080/50 Blurays (no Sony less than the 4K players or PS4 can).

Every modded region free player I'm aware of has a Pal/NTSC converter so 1080/50 or even PAL DVD aren't a problem on US TVs. it would be a major issue if that wasn't included.

Many US sets actually will play direct 50hz framerates anyway, but not all can. Some Region Free players will all you to play directly at 50Hz or convert to 60, while others only allow converted output.

I have the modded 6700 from Bombay (I know 220Electronics is the same)
and it plays any disc and converts to US standard without a problem. The Pal to NTSC is even pretty good. I've never been able to figure out if it's capable of outputting 50Hz or PAL directly -- there's nothing in the menu that seems to allow it and the info/display screen doesn't say.

Is it as simple as throwing a disc in the player -- close, but not exactly since for Bluray you have to manually change the region anytime you switch region locked discs. The 6700 has one of the easiest region switch procedures though. Turn player off, push either yellow, blue, or red button and the player turns on in eitehr Region A/B/C. I yet to run across a C-locked disc though I assume they exist somewhere.
The 6700 upscales to 4K as well and plays 3D discs

Oh boy. Now what does 50 and 60Hz have to do with it? If the disks are 24p or 25p, isn't that the same as 24Hz or 25Hz? Thanks for weighing in since you have the 6700 player. Do a ctrl-f of "region free" and look under the "Product Description." That's what made me think it was region free, but there's no other mention of it, and it looks like it say region A right before that part. I have the Panasonic VT50, and unfortunately it doesn't do 50Hz, which I still don't know why that matters

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by hiilikemovies

Oh boy. Now what does 50 and 60Hz have to do with it? If the disks are 24p or 25p, isn't that the same as 24Hz or 25Hz? Thanks for weighing in since you have the 6700 player. Do a ctrl-f of "region free" and look under the "Product Description." That's what made me think it was region free, but there's no other mention of it, and it looks like it say region A right before that part. I have the Panasonic VT50, and unfortunately it doesn't do 50Hz, which I still don't know why that matters

50hz is 25fps and 60hz is 30 fps. A display has to be 60hz to display 24p (and every NA TV is).

[hiilikemovies]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

It's is EXTREMELY rare for anything but an SD bonus feature to be in PAL. I've been buying UK stuff for years and have never had that problem even once. Also most region-free players will convert PAL to NTSC anyway, so you have nothing to worry about twice over. Also also more and more US equipment can play PAL now as well, my 2016 Samsung does.

The only time this is really an issue is if you import a region-free disc, play it on region A locked equipment that can't handle PAL, and it has PAL content.

Thanks, that's good to know. So I probably won't run into a PAL framerate on a blu-ray disk, and if I do it will get converted to 24p for me anyway, unless it's a really unusual region-free player.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by hiilikemovies

Thanks, that's good to know. So I probably won't run into a PAL framerate on a blu-ray disk, and if I do it will get converted to 24p for me anyway, unless it's a really unusual region-free player.

Yes. Only way I could see getting one without PAL to NTSC conversion would be if you bought one of those cheap-o brands that have an easy way to hack into European mode or whatever. Anything you buy specifically marketed as region-free would 100% come with the ability to convert.

The only reason people mention PAL content on certain European discs is for those locked to A who import region-free titles.

[hiilikemovies]

Okay, I understand it all now. Even the 50/60Hz refresh rates. Many thanks to everyone for the great answers! And thanks for the info on where to buy it, hariseldon. I'm glad I didn't buy that one on Amazon. This forum rocks

[Alister_M]

Sadly a lot of UK and Australian discs are 1080i/50hz. Even if you can play them on a US setup, they should be avoided because they're sped up and the pitch increase is incredibly annoying. It can't be converted to 24fps either, your equipment might be able to change refresh rates to accomodate it but it will still be 25fps.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by shotstabber

Its not extremely rare for anything other than an SD bonus feature to be in PAL its completely unknown. If its not SD its not PAL anyway. The terms NTSC and PAL do not exist in the HD world. Are you calling PAL and 50hz the same thing because they're not.

I was talking about SD content on a Blu-ray, so yes it is PAL. That's how it's always been referred to before by everyone, anyway. If your point is "since it's on a BD it's technically X" then okay, but it's kind of irrelevant. There is also 50hz content on Blu-ray too though, yes. And obviously these terms have more depth to them but we're talking basic advice here, it's fine.

Point is if he buys a region-free modded player he doesn't have to worry about any of it.

[Alister_M]

Originally Posted by shotstabber

I'm not sure it's accurate to say "a lot". There are some but not enough to say a lot.
With one or two exceptions the only 1080/50i discs I've come across have been tv material.

Well, every title I've seen from G2 has been 1080i, there's a few others too. It only seems to happen with cheap DTV movies in the UK. It's more of a problem in Australia, where even well-known movies like Pulp Fiction, Snitch, Broken City and Killing Them Softly have gotten the 50hz treatment, as well a lot of DTV stuff.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by hiilikemovies

Oh, thanks for informing me on what BD 25 means, guys. Well if region B blu-rays are 24fps as well, I guess I have nothing to worry about. As long as the menu is not 25fps, you are saying? I doubt I will buy any UK TV stuff, just movies.

blu-rays are almost totally 24fps, especially for movies

the only possible catch is are a VERY few particular nature documentaries and such that ended up getting a PAL encoding (but most nature documentaries and the like are 24fps by far, but a very few do seem to be PAL) and perhaps some live music footage discs might be PAL now and then too, not sure about that, many of those are 24fps too for sure though and maybe the very odd overseas TV show

[bigshot]

As far as I know, Blu-ray can't be encoded in PAL as HD. It can be at 25 fps though. PAL content is generally in SD. There's more to PAL than just frame rate.