DVD buh?

El_Presidente

As I said in an earlier post I'm planning on getting a DVD player.

I went into Peats today and they said that you cant get multi region DVD players because and I quote...

"They change the firmware every month or so..."

Is this true or just utter crap?

TwoShedsJackson

That is what is known as utter crap. Sometimes a player has a problem with a certain disk or something and they update the firmware, this is v rare.

I've not seen a multi-region player on a shelf in Dublin, you might need to buy it online - no doubt Gandalf will correct me if I'm wrong, he has a multiregion player I think - mine is R2 only.

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El_Presidente

OK so, could someone point me in the direction of a multi region player I can buy on-line. Because I'll be damned if I'm getting stuck with a region 2 only player.

gandalf

Well as CT said what that moron in Peats was talking was ****e. Certain players had problems initially with disks like The Matrix and had to have a firmware upgrade to fix it. You would only need to have the firmware upgraded if a problem occured.

Some DVD Players can be hacked to multiregion. The one I have falls into that catagory its the Samsung 709(no longer available) and can be hacked multiregion with an Aiwa remote or via its own remote. The Wharfdale 750S can also be hacked via its remote and is available via Tesco's for around £199 and seems to be an OK player to start off with.

You could also go for a Region2 DVD player and get it chipped. Afaik Richer Sounds http://www.richersounds.ie have a Pioneer at a very good price and they will recommend someone to chip it for you (normally costs around £100) but you will invalidate your warranty from the manufacturer.

Check out newsgroups like uk.media.dvd or websites like www.dvdtimes.co.uk for details on specific models. I would advise you to do some homework before you go into any of the electrical retailers as they really do not have a clue. Infact I have only found Richer Sounds to be honest and knowledgable, go into Dixons and ask them if their TV's can handle NTSC and look at the panic rushing across there faces

Good luck and let us know how ya get on.

Gandalf.

_CreeD_

PC drive or standalone-set top?

Richersounds do the Multi-region version of the Pionerr DVD-717. Excellent player, European DVD of the year for 2000. And since they will sell you the Multi-region version direct your warranty stays intact.

For PCs. Some Drives are hardware region locked (Pioneer are), but others aren't (Eg. Toshiba). If you have your heart set on a pioneer try http://www.overclockers.co.uk, they have the firmware hacked. Otherwise grab a Toshiba, a good software player and download DVD-Genie (It will allow you to switch regions on all the major Soft-players)

Yossarian

Is there a workaround for RCE encoded DVD's?

The prospect of most new DVD's having RCE is what put me off buying a chipped DVD player.

Unfortunitly with Richer Sounds you may be showered with bull****. They tried to charge a friend of mine 25 quid for the software unlock code. They said only they could input it into the DVD player, for legal reasons.

Stephen.

gandalf

RCE works by pretending that the disk is a Region 0 and the software then actually checks if the player has a region setting, some of the earlier chipped players changed region automatically when the disk started playing and these are the ones that seem to be getting caught out by RCE.

Chipped players that allow you to manually choose the Region before you put a disk in the drive do not seem to be effeced by RCE.

My Samsung 709 which is hacked to multiregion with a remote control & one of my mates Wharfdale 750s are not effected by RCE so far either(Well on The Region1 copy of The Patriot).

Colombia Tristar at the moment seem to be the only distributor using RCE although I have heard rumours of Warner using it as well.

Gandalf