All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

Discuss internationally-released DVDs and Blu-rays or other international DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
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D50
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:00 am
Location: USA

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1101 Post by D50 » Sun Aug 16, 2015 10:14 am

Is there a multi-region player that can play Blu-ray and dvd discs?

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Drucker
Your Future our Drucker
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 9:37 am

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1102 Post by Drucker » Sun Aug 16, 2015 10:46 am

All blu-ray players can play DVDs. Not sure of your question.

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cdnchris
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Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1103 Post by cdnchris » Sun Aug 16, 2015 12:08 pm

I think they're asking about players that play both blu rays and dvds region free (so to speak).

I'm pretty sure that if the player allows you to switch between regions for blu ray it will also have a setting for DVD. Mine allows me to set DVD to region 0 (all).

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swo17
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Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
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Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1104 Post by swo17 » Sun Aug 16, 2015 12:14 pm

Yes, but there's technically no way to make a BD player similarly region-free, only region switchable.

charal
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:36 pm
Location: ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1105 Post by charal » Sun Aug 16, 2015 8:07 pm

Thank you Lemon Curry. I have a Panasonic DMP-BD77 player and cannot play the two region A discs I have (Criterion dual format editions). I put PERSONA in the player let the player read it and when the screen turned black, before the play mode began, I pressed STOP then TOP MENU. The Criterion logo came up and the disc worked. On subsequent tries the player stayed in a black screen 'stop' mode. If this happened I pressed TOP MENU again and the disc worked. If anyone tries this note that if pressing TOP MENU brings up the top menu functions of the player (not the disc) it will fail. It must be a black screen.

In summary:
Insert disc
When disc is loading / reading (black screen before play function starts) press STOP
Quickly press TOP MENU
if disc doesn't load and screen is black (stop mode) press TOP MENU again
It should work. If not eject disc and keep trying, it is all about timing.

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My Man Godfrey
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:47 pm
Location: Austin

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1106 Post by My Man Godfrey » Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:02 pm

Thanks to everyone above (h/t StevenJ0001) for recommending the insanely cheap Seiki player. I can't believe how good it is for the money. I haven't had the problems others have mentioned with image distortion.

For 10+ years, I'd been happily using my formerly-top-end Oppo region-free player. I never expected that regular PAL DVDs would look so much better on the bargain-basement Seiki; I just bought it to play region B Blu-rays. It's insane how much better PAL DVDs look on this thing.

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StevenJ0001
Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 12:02 pm
Location: Los Angeles

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1107 Post by StevenJ0001 » Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:24 pm

My Man Godfrey wrote:Thanks to everyone above (h/t StevenJ0001) for recommending the insanely cheap Seiki player. I can't believe how good it is for the money. I haven't had the problems others have mentioned with image distortion.

For 10+ years, I'd been happily using my formerly-top-end Oppo region-free player. I never expected that regular PAL DVDs would look so much better on the bargain-basement Seiki; I just bought it to play region B Blu-rays. It's insane how much better PAL DVDs look on this thing.
Glad you're enjoying yours--it's such a terrific little player for the money!

Raymond Marble
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:48 pm

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1108 Post by Raymond Marble » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:06 am

Yeah, I bought a Seiki too based on the recommendations in this thread, and am also happy with it (though I am getting the image distortion on 1.33:1 DVDs, as some mention above).

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Telstar
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:35 pm

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1109 Post by Telstar » Sat Oct 31, 2015 10:49 am

Has anyone purchased a Seiki player recently? I'd decided to buy a second one as a back-up but when I searched for Seiki on Sears website (where I bought my first player) I found absolutely nothing.

Raymond Marble
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:48 pm

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1110 Post by Raymond Marble » Sat Oct 31, 2015 2:11 pm

Telstar wrote:Has anyone purchased a Seiki player recently? I'd decided to buy a second one as a back-up but when I searched for Seiki on Sears website (where I bought my first player) I found absolutely nothing.
I bought mine pretty recently. Maybe two or possibly three months ago?

wattsup32
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:00 pm

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1111 Post by wattsup32 » Sun Nov 01, 2015 10:24 am

It is here: http://www.sears.com/seiki-sr4kp1-up-co ... ockType=G2. Crazy expensive for some reason.

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sir_luke
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:55 pm

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1112 Post by sir_luke » Sun Nov 01, 2015 10:48 am

It's also at Amazon for $69.99.

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Telstar
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:35 pm

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1113 Post by Telstar » Sun Nov 01, 2015 12:01 pm

wattsup32 wrote:It is here: http://www.sears.com/seiki-sr4kp1-up-co ... ockType=G2. Crazy expensive for some reason.
Thanks. Looks like this is a marketplace seller item and Sears no longer stocks these players, which is probably why the price has more than doubled. (That and the online review posted by some well-meaning soul on sears' site specifically pointing out the player's "secret" all-region capabilities.)

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Petty Bourgeoisie
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:17 am

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1114 Post by Petty Bourgeoisie » Mon Nov 02, 2015 4:03 am

Which region free blu-ray player has the best transport? Some of my discs have an adhesive sticker as it's label and my current players all freeze someways into the movie. But strip off the sticker and they play fine. Very frustrating.

Noiradelic
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:45 am

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1115 Post by Noiradelic » Mon Nov 02, 2015 5:57 am

Telstar wrote:
wattsup32 wrote:It is here: http://www.sears.com/seiki-sr4kp1-up-co ... ockType=G2. Crazy expensive for some reason.
Thanks. Looks like this is a marketplace seller item and Sears no longer stocks these players, which is probably why the price has more than doubled.
I can vouch that Sears still had the Seiki for sale online till at least 2 weeks ago. It was ~$67. Kmart, the other major retailer that carried it (not counting Amazon) had it 2 weeks ago and it looks like they no longer carry it either.

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der_Artur
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 2:13 am
Location: freedomcage

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1116 Post by der_Artur » Thu Nov 26, 2015 8:25 am

Does anyone here (especially the european users) have experience with this shop: http://www.multisystem-electronics.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ?
They sell their multi-region players via amazon and since I don't have a bluray player at all I think one of these machines is the most comfortale way to go for me.
So, is that shop to trust with?

George Drooly
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:09 pm

220-Electronics

#1117 Post by George Drooly » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:32 am

I'm assuming the region-free Blu players at 220-Electronics are modded by them... my question is, do these players generally need the various input codes to play various discs, or once a device is physically modded is it simply "plug & play"?

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FrauBlucher
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:28 pm
Location: Greenwich Village

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1118 Post by FrauBlucher » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:57 am

The code usually doesn't stick once player gets turned off, so I input code before I turn on player.

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jindianajonz
Jindiana Jonz Abrams
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:11 pm

Re: 220-Electronics

#1119 Post by jindianajonz » Mon Nov 30, 2015 8:54 am

George Drooly wrote:I'm assuming the region-free Blu players at 220-Electronics are modded by them... my question is, do these players generally need the various input codes to play various discs, or once a device is physically modded is it simply "plug & play"?
Dvds are plug and play, but as far as I know ALL region free Blu-ray always requires a code to be entered to change regions, due to the way Blu-ray region locking works. I have two players from 220 electronics. My Sony is by far the easier one to change; you simply power the machine off and hold down the button of the region you want to play (i.e. 2 for region B) and it boots up on its own in the right mode. The OPPO is a bit trickier, as you need to power up, eject any disc, enter a sequence of 5 buttons, and manually reboot. I often misenter the input (or possibly go to fast ) and often have to try two or three times to get it to take, which is annoying when you have to start a disc and wait for it to load before realizing you did it wrong.

George Drooly
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:09 pm

Re: 220-Electronics

#1120 Post by George Drooly » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:13 am

jindianajonz wrote:
George Drooly wrote:I'm assuming the region-free Blu players at 220-Electronics are modded by them... my question is, do these players generally need the various input codes to play various discs, or once a device is physically modded is it simply "plug & play"?
Dvds are plug and play, but as far as I know ALL region free Blu-ray always requires a code to be entered to change regions, due to the way Blu-ray region locking works. I have two players from 220 electronics. My Sony is by far the easier one to change; you simply power the machine off and hold down the button of the region you want to play (i.e. 2 for region B) and it boots up on its own in the right mode. The OPPO is a bit trickier, as you need to power up, eject any disc, enter a sequence of 5 buttons, and manually reboot. I often misenter the input (or possibly go to fast ) and often have to try two or three times to get it to take, which is annoying when you have to start a disc and wait for it to load before realizing you did it wrong.
Thank you, I just ordered a Sony from them.

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JSC
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 9:17 am

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1121 Post by JSC » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:23 am

With the OPPO I've found the following steps ensure that the player changes region
codes without issue.

1.) When switching on the player wait for the 'no disc' message to appear at the top.
2.) Enter the code.
3.) Switch off the player. Wait a few seconds.
4.) Switch on the player.
5.) Wait for the 'no disc' message to appear again. Then open the drive and insert
a disc.

I haven't had any issues with the player since.

wllm995
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:45 am
Location: Canada

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1122 Post by wllm995 » Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:10 pm

I bought a cheap Seiki Blu-ray player from Walmart (C$49.00) a few years ago.
It is set up for Region B Blu-rays - and plays them perfectly.
My regular Samsung Blu-ray player plays all of my Region A Blu-rays perfectly.
Having never run into a Region C Blu-ray (like ever) - I have never worried about it.

C$99.00 takes care of all of my Blu-ray viewing needs.

YMMV

:)

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jedgeco
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:28 am

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1123 Post by jedgeco » Thu Dec 03, 2015 4:08 pm

Seiki owners -- does this player have a "zoom out" feature? (I can't seem to find the manual online anywhere.)

My monitor has a lot of overscan, so this would be a big selling point for me.

Zot!
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 12:09 am

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1124 Post by Zot! » Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:31 am

It does zoom out, but I think it's pretty dramatic and useless for fine tuning overscan. You will see everything heavily windowboxed

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My Man Godfrey
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:47 pm
Location: Austin

Re: All-Region DVD and Blu-ray Player Advice

#1125 Post by My Man Godfrey » Sun Jan 17, 2016 10:40 am

Well, my cheapo Seiki just bit the dust after about six months of use. Little star, you burned bright during your short life! The thing was inexpensive enough that I can't be too irritated.

Currently following the herd to that Sony all-region player...

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