Region Free Blu-ray Players? - Blu-ray Forum

Lee Christie · 05-10-2008, 04:05 PM

Since everyone agrees that region coding was a bad idea and a complete failure for DVD... and if you don't agree go ahead and say so... is there a way to get a multi region Blu-ray player to play any region Blu-ray? Or simply modify a common player, PS3, or Samsung or something, I know some DVD players had hidden menus to do that. So far I've only heard of hacks for PC programs. (Cyberlink etc.) Are we still going to have to wait a while until someone figures out the hardware players?

I'm sick of sitting around waiting for films like Juno, still not out until June (was April for Region A) and other awesome region coded films. It's cool that many back titles are region free, but what about the new films? Whatever happened to international trade? It's not like you're worrying about 240V/110V or 50Hz/60Hz, this is a damn disc with a bunch of ones and zeros saying "no you can't watch this film because you're a limey b*stard and you have to wait until June because we hate you!!!"

</rant>

jw · 05-10-2008, 04:09 PM

I saw somewhere they sell modded BD players in the UK, just google it.

I am not sure where region coding has affected dvd negatively. They seem to have flourished fine here in the states

Lee Christie · 05-10-2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwbbud

I saw somewhere they sell modded BD players in the UK, just google it.

I am not sure where region coding has affected dvd negatively. They seem to have flourished fine here in the states

You get all the good DVDs first so unless you're in to Doctor Who or something you're probably fine with a region 1 DVD player, it's us poor saps in region 2 etc that suffer, although we don't really because the reason I called region coding a failure if that today its very easy to obtain a region free player, even Amazon sells them you don't have to go to some shady back-alley store, and there's free PC software player such as VLC which plays any region DVD without even caring. Maybe in 5 years or so Blu-ray will be like that.

jw · 05-10-2008, 04:17 PM

oh, figured with the euro worth more than the dollar they would want to do more business in the UK. Isnt that what Nintendo did?

Lee Christie · 05-10-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwbbud

oh, figured with the euro worth more than the dollar they would want to do more business in the UK. Isnt that what Nintendo did?

We use Pounds not Euros, but anyway your point still stands because Pounds are worth more than Dollars too. Yes I'm sure if they can get more profit out of us Brits than they can in the US, then I'm sure region coding is great for those selfish jerks but I'm saying it sucks for us consumers, not the distributors.

WickyWoo · 05-10-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Maybe in 5 years or so Blu-ray will be like that.

Highly unlikely. The controls placed on manufacturers of decks, not even taking into account the massive countermeasures built into the format will make sure remote hacking is a thing of the past.

You're going to be paying hundreds of dollars for a modchip, which may lock it out of future discs if they come up with countermeasures

If you want to be sure you can play a region's discs, use an HTPC set to that region or buy a player/PS3 from that region

TenEightyP · 05-10-2008, 04:25 PM

I too am a UK resident that has in the past purchased DVD's from the US. The main reason I did it was because some films here in the UK were cut compared to the US or other territories. The same is also true in reverse.

I have now owned two region free DVD players, and as has been said, they are so easy to purchase in the UK. My latest DVD player was a Denon 1940, which my retailer said he would modify for me, just requires a CD ROM and two minutes of my time.

So far I have seen no Blu region free players here in the UK. I was going to buy a BD ROM and let the software take care of the region coding.

._.

Mobe1969 · 05-10-2008, 09:40 PM

In Australia, even Sony DVD players are region free from Sony Australia. My last two DVD players were Sony and both Region Free.

I really want the PS3 to get region freed. It would be an all in one masterpiece if it was. As it is, I had to buy another upscaling DVD player (sony region free) to play my non region 4 DVDs. And I still don't have a solution for Region A Blu Ray. The best option I can see at the moment is a Region A PS3... So I need three units. Rather than just one.

05-10-2008, 04:05 PM	#1
Lee Christie Active Member Member since:Aug 2007	Region Free Blu-ray Players? Since everyone agrees that region coding was a bad idea and a complete failure for DVD... and if you don't agree go ahead and say so... is there a way to get a multi region Blu-ray player to play any region Blu-ray? Or simply modify a common player, PS3, or Samsung or something, I know some DVD players had hidden menus to do that. So far I've only heard of hacks for PC programs. (Cyberlink etc.) Are we still going to have to wait a while until someone figures out the hardware players? I'm sick of sitting around waiting for films like Juno, still not out until June (was April for Region A) and other awesome region coded films. It's cool that many back titles are region free, but what about the new films? Whatever happened to international trade? It's not like you're worrying about 240V/110V or 50Hz/60Hz, this is a damn disc with a bunch of ones and zeros saying *"no you can't watch this film because you're a limey bstard and you have to wait until June because we hate you!!!"** </rant>

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05-10-2008, 04:09 PM	#2
jw Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Apr 2007 Location:USA Trading Score:519	I saw somewhere they sell modded BD players in the UK, just google it. I am not sure where region coding has affected dvd negatively. They seem to have flourished fine here in the states

05-10-2008, 04:17 PM	#4
jw Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Apr 2007 Location:USA Trading Score:519	oh, figured with the euro worth more than the dollar they would want to do more business in the UK. Isnt that what Nintendo did?

05-10-2008, 04:25 PM	#7
TenEightyP Active Member Member since:Jun 2007 Location:United Kingdom 4K collection:1076 Blu-ray collection:5914 DVD collection:140	I too am a UK resident that has in the past purchased DVD's from the US. The main reason I did it was because some films here in the UK were cut compared to the US or other territories. The same is also true in reverse. I have now owned two region free DVD players, and as has been said, they are so easy to purchase in the UK. My latest DVD player was a Denon 1940, which my retailer said he would modify for me, just requires a CD ROM and two minutes of my time. So far I have seen no Blu region free players here in the UK. I was going to buy a BD ROM and let the software take care of the region coding. ._.

05-10-2008, 09:40 PM	#8
Mobe1969 Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Brisbane, Australia 4K collection:980 Blu-ray collection:1610	In Australia, even Sony DVD players are region free from Sony Australia. My last two DVD players were Sony and both Region Free. I really want the PS3 to get region freed. It would be an all in one masterpiece if it was. As it is, I had to buy another upscaling DVD player (sony region free) to play my non region 4 DVDs. And I still don't have a solution for Region A Blu Ray. The best option I can see at the moment is a Region A PS3... So I need three units. Rather than just one.

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