To fellow Americans: how to make the Sony BDP-S350 region free for DVDs only? - Blu-ray Forum

Avivoni · 10-14-2008, 01:11 PM

Hi everybody,
I got a tip from a British member that the Sony BDP-S350 can be made region free for DVDs using a OneForAll remote in the UK. I would like to know if any of you has experience with this in the USA. I want to buy an american Sony BDP-S350 for Xmas (I'll be in the USA on vacation), but I need to e sure I'll be able to play my brazilian DVDs as well.
Thanks,
Alex.

bhampton · 10-14-2008, 01:47 PM

Not likely.

Some of the cheap Chinese electronics are made with region codes that can be changed via remote but Sony doesn't typically allow such things.

-Brian

gekke henkie · 10-14-2008, 04:42 PM

The ony thing I know as that you can buy a (hardware) modification kit for 89 Euro (plus 19 for worldwide-shipping) to make the Sony S300 region free and I know they are working on the new ones (350/550 and Pana 35/55) right now. Would that work for you?

HDTV1080P · 10-14-2008, 09:05 PM

Sony could issue a firmware update and possible disable the region free hardware mod feature for DVD’s if they did not want their players to be region free or region selectable.

gekke henkie · 10-15-2008, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Sony could issue a firmware update and possible disable the region free hardware mod feature for DVD’s if they did not want their players to be region free or region selectable.

No, they can't. A software update won't change the hardware mod. Quote from the website BlurayMods.com: "Can be upgraded with all the latest firmware updates, will NOT effect the ICOS modification."

HDTV1080P · 10-15-2008, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gekke henkie

No, they can't. A software update won't change the hardware mod. Quote from the website BlurayMods.com: "Can be upgraded with all the latest firmware updates, will NOT effect the ICOS modification."

Now that is an interesting hardware modification. I see on their website that it also allows for region free BLU-RAY movie playback and not just DVD region free. Only time will tell if this hardware modification is 100% immune to firmware upgrades. I see that the region free hardware modification they are selling also allows for a firmware upgrades in case issues arise with the hardware modification.
The bluemods company on their website mentioned that they also did modification in the past to allow skipping over the copywrite warning message and also will disable the macrovision chip for 480I S-Video recording from optical discs.
http://www.bluraymods.com/
I always see DVD players on EBAY and even retail stores sometimes that are region free or region selectable and some disable the macrovision chip in the menu.
In the past the Motion Picture Association and Macrovision Corporation would take legal action against DVD player manufactories that offered region free and macrovision disabling in the menu. The advantage of owning a region free DVD player is that it allows a consumer to collect movies from around the world without needing to own 6 or 8 different standalone DVD players from each region. The reason for the region code is it is suppose allow the studios to restrict the watching of movies in another country. For example the studios do not want someone purchasing a movie on DVD from one country when that movie has not even been shown in the theater yet in the country that person is located in. There have been several movies that have been released on DVD in one country and the movie is still in the movie theater in another country. So one reason for region coding is to protect studio revenue. From a consumers point of view of course region free players are very popular.
Now offering the disabling of macrovision feature in the optical player for analog outputs sometimes improves the picture quality on older displays. The problem is some consumers use such features to make 480I recordings from the S-Video jack of the player.

gekke henkie · 10-16-2008, 05:47 AM

@HDTV1080P:
Thanks, I didn't know some things you mentioned.

I, being a traveler and visiting family in Europe regularly, liked HD-DVD for this very sole reason. With Blu-ray we just have to spend an extra $200 to make it region-free, but I can live with that.

By the way, the Blu-ray-recorder in my laptop was a lot more expensive (including a little help from SlySoft to make it region-free), but I can copy my BD-discs now with the region coding eliminated so I can watch them in both continents (and have a back-up as well).

gekke henkie · 10-16-2008, 04:23 PM

Has anybody seen this new BD-recorder yet?

http://www.amexdigital.com/Press_Rel...ti%20Drive.htm

Would be a nice and relatively cheap option to back-up all your Blu-ray discs (and make them region free while you're at it), wouldn't it?

Avivoni · 10-16-2008, 09:19 PM

Well, by the looking of it, I will have to buy a Pana with modifications on eBay...
No one has experience in making a BDP region free for DVDs via remote?
Thanks,
Alex.

InfectedStranger · 10-17-2008, 04:22 AM

Does that matter??? It's just a DVD, now if you were to say region free for Blu-Rays I would buy it right here and now.

gekke henkie · 10-17-2008, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfectedStranger

now if you were to say region free for Blu-Rays I would buy it right here and now.

So, what are you waiting for? Buy one here: www.BlurayMods.com
(or here: www.jvbdigital.com , or here: www.mrmdvd.com , or here: www.dvdirect.net , or here: www.stegen.com , etc)

(sorry, couldn't resist that one

)

welwynnick · 10-17-2008, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avivoni

Hi everybody,
I got a tip from a British member that the Sony BDP-S350 can be made region free for DVDs using a OneForAll remote in the UK. I would like to know if any of you has experience with this in the USA. I want to buy an american Sony BDP-S350 for Xmas (I'll be in the USA on vacation), but I need to e sure I'll be able to play my brazilian DVDs as well.
Thanks,
Alex.

I hear that it does work for European players at least.

The other important question though, is whether it works for US players.

Being region-free is not enough - it needs to be able to play NTSC as well as PAL, and that may be a sho stopper. Better check the specs in teh user-guide.

Nick

bhampton · 10-17-2008, 09:56 AM

Hi,

One thing is for sure... You can get DVD players that play both NTSC and PAL and can be made region free with the remote and then changed back to region 1 for certain titles that don't play on region free players. So,.. maybe that is an option.

I know that Walmart near me has nice $25 chinese players that do all that and come in 5 colors as well. If you want upconvertion then the sigma designs players used to be able to be region free.

(Didn't think of that the other day when you mentioned this.)

-Brian

Avivoni · 10-18-2008, 08:02 PM

Well guys, I really want a blu-ray player (Region A is OK, since it's the same in Brazil), but I want it to be able to play my Region 4 NTSC DVDs (Most of them, if not all, are NTSC as far as I know). A DVD player with upconvertion is not enough, because I want to go Blu on some important movies (I've already bought "Terminator" and I don't even have a player!) That's why I'm here, and have started some other threads. I will buy a Panasonic DMP BD-30 modified on eBay, like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=200256820600
I hope it will work fine. The feedback of the guy is OK.
Thanks everybody for the comments.
Regards,
Alex.
P.S. If anybody has specific info on this player, I would appreciate it.

Clark Kent · 10-19-2008, 10:34 PM

Another option for a region free dvd and Blu-ray player is certain models of the LG 200 and LG 300 players. I believe they can be made region free with a remote control command sequence. Check out AVS for more information.

Avivoni · 10-21-2008, 11:38 AM

Clark,
Thanks, but what is AVS?
Regards,
Alex.

gekke henkie · 10-21-2008, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avivoni

what is AVS?

Google?

(pssst, it's a forum)

ascotinmpls · 05-16-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avivoni

Hi everybody,
I got a tip from a British member that the Sony BDP-S350 can be made region free for DVDs using a OneForAll remote in the UK. I would like to know if any of you has experience with this in the USA. I want to buy an american Sony BDP-S350 for Xmas (I'll be in the USA on vacation), but I need to e sure I'll be able to play my brazilian DVDs as well.
Thanks,
Alex.

Anybody been able to make the BD-350 region free for DVD playback yet?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhampton

Not likely.

Some of the cheap Chinese electronics are made with region codes that can be changed via remote but Sony doesn't typically allow such things.

-Brian

Very likely. I have two Sony DVD players that were modified via remote control.

Blacklac · 05-16-2009, 11:37 PM

I don't think the US models can be hacked like the UK models. However, the Pioneer 51 and 05 US models can be remote hacked for DVD only. I hacked mine. Bluray remains Region A locked.

Shablap · 12-17-2010, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ascotinmpls

Anybody been able to make the BD-350 region free for DVD playback yet?

Very likely. I have two Sony DVD players that were modified via remote control.

Please share - I am on lock down with an injury and have much content from many travels that needs to be viewed over the next 2 months. I cannot find a good region free unlock remote method for a North American Sony 350 so far.

10-14-2008, 01:11 PM	#1
Avivoni Junior Member Member since:Jul 2008	To fellow Americans: how to make the Sony BDP-S350 region free for DVDs only? Hi everybody, I got a tip from a British member that the Sony BDP-S350 can be made region free for DVDs using a OneForAll remote in the UK. I would like to know if any of you has experience with this in the USA. I want to buy an american Sony BDP-S350 for Xmas (I'll be in the USA on vacation), but I need to e sure I'll be able to play my brazilian DVDs as well. Thanks, Alex.

10-14-2008, 04:42 PM	#3
gekke henkie Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2008	Region free (hardware, not software) The ony thing I know as that you can buy a (hardware) modification kit for 89 Euro (plus 19 for worldwide-shipping) to make the Sony S300 region free and I know they are working on the new ones (350/550 and Pana 35/55) right now. Would that work for you?

10-16-2008, 04:23 PM	#8
gekke henkie Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2008	New BD-recorder Has anybody seen this new BD-recorder yet? http://www.amexdigital.com/Press_Rel...ti%20Drive.htm Would be a nice and relatively cheap option to back-up all your Blu-ray discs (and make them region free while you're at it), wouldn't it?

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10-14-2008, 01:47 PM	#2
bhampton Blu-ray Count Member since:Aug 2007 4K collection:981 Blu-ray collection:2537 DVD collection:67 Blu-ray reviews: 6 Trading Score:18	Not likely. Some of the cheap Chinese electronics are made with region codes that can be changed via remote but Sony doesn't typically allow such things. -Brian

10-14-2008, 09:05 PM	#4
HDTV1080P Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Jan 2007 Blu-ray reviews: 205	Sony could issue a firmware update and possible disable the region free hardware mod feature for DVD’s if they did not want their players to be region free or region selectable.

10-16-2008, 05:47 AM	#7
gekke henkie Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2008	@HDTV1080P: Thanks, I didn't know some things you mentioned. I, being a traveler and visiting family in Europe regularly, liked HD-DVD for this very sole reason. With Blu-ray we just have to spend an extra $200 to make it region-free, but I can live with that. By the way, the Blu-ray-recorder in my laptop was a lot more expensive (including a little help from SlySoft to make it region-free), but I can copy my BD-discs now with the region coding eliminated so I can watch them in both continents (and have a back-up as well).

10-16-2008, 09:19 PM	#9
Avivoni Junior Member Member since:Jul 2008	Well, by the looking of it, I will have to buy a Pana with modifications on eBay... No one has experience in making a BDP region free for DVDs via remote? Thanks, Alex.

10-17-2008, 04:22 AM	#10
InfectedStranger Banned Member since:Oct 2008 Blu-ray collection:62	Does that matter??? It's just a DVD, now if you were to say region free for Blu-Rays I would buy it right here and now.

10-17-2008, 09:56 AM	#13
bhampton Blu-ray Count Member since:Aug 2007 4K collection:981 Blu-ray collection:2537 DVD collection:67 Blu-ray reviews: 6 Trading Score:18	Hi, One thing is for sure... You can get DVD players that play both NTSC and PAL and can be made region free with the remote and then changed back to region 1 for certain titles that don't play on region free players. So,.. maybe that is an option. I know that Walmart near me has nice $25 chinese players that do all that and come in 5 colors as well. If you want upconvertion then the sigma designs players used to be able to be region free. (Didn't think of that the other day when you mentioned this.) -Brian

10-18-2008, 08:02 PM	#14
Avivoni Junior Member Member since:Jul 2008	Well guys, I really want a blu-ray player (Region A is OK, since it's the same in Brazil), but I want it to be able to play my Region 4 NTSC DVDs (Most of them, if not all, are NTSC as far as I know). A DVD player with upconvertion is not enough, because I want to go Blu on some important movies (I've already bought "Terminator" and I don't even have a player!) That's why I'm here, and have started some other threads. I will buy a Panasonic DMP BD-30 modified on eBay, like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=200256820600 I hope it will work fine. The feedback of the guy is OK. Thanks everybody for the comments. Regards, Alex. P.S. If anybody has specific info on this player, I would appreciate it.

10-19-2008, 10:34 PM	#15
Clark Kent Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Oct 2007 Location:Metropolis Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:184	Another option for a region free dvd and Blu-ray player is certain models of the LG 200 and LG 300 players. I believe they can be made region free with a remote control command sequence. Check out AVS for more information.

10-21-2008, 11:38 AM	#16
Avivoni Junior Member Member since:Jul 2008	Clark, Thanks, but what is AVS? Regards, Alex.

05-16-2009, 11:37 PM	#19
Blacklac Active Member Member since:Feb 2009 Location:Michigan, USA	I don't think the US models can be hacked like the UK models. However, the Pioneer 51 and 05 US models can be remote hacked for DVD only. I hacked mine. Bluray remains Region A locked.

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