Good DVD Player w/ region hack & PAL -> NTSC?

[Slickone]

Are there any higher end progressive scan players, besides the lower cost units, that are region code hackable and will convert PAL to NTSC?

 

[Slickone]

^

 

[PCTweaker5]

What is all that region crap for anyway? What does it do and what does it mean?

 

[Matthias99]

It's the DVD Consortium and MPAA's way of trying to control the market. They often release movies on DVD in the US while they're still playing in theaters overseas (since they have to do translation, etc. before they can release them in other countries), so they don't want you exporting US DVDs to other areas. However, with the widespread piracy network (both online and in the real world; visit Chinatown in NYC or SF sometime...), it basically just makes everybody's lives miserable now. Isn't copyright law great?

To answer your question: I don't know of any name-brand, good-quality ones that are region-free (or can be easily made that way). Try an AV forum (such as www.hometheaterspot.com)?

 

[Childs]

Go to http://www.dvdrhelp.com and look around....I myself have the Phillips DVD 727 which was $79 at Frys and plays everyhting, even raw mpeg1/2 on cdr/dvdr.

 

[Slickone]

The Phillips DVD 727 looks pretty good. Anywhere to get it cheaper? Does Wal Mart still carry it?

Any others?

 

[Pauli]

Another vote for the Philips 727 -- plays German DVDs no problem after a very easy region hack. I got it at Amazon.

 

[Childs]

The 727 is $69 at Frys Wed/Thurs, maybe over the weekend as well. The 726 is usually cheaper by $10, though you'll have to look around for it. No real difference between the two, the 727 has a more chrome faceplate look and a pause button on front. As Pauli said, region free is easy, and its NTSC/PAL.

 

[Slickone]

Originally posted by: Childs
The 727 is $69 at Frys Wed/Thurs, maybe over the weekend as well. The 726 is usually cheaper by $10, though you'll have to look around for it. No real difference between the two, the 727 has a more chrome faceplate look and a pause button on front. As Pauli said, region free is easy, and its NTSC/PAL.

Any other differences? I don't care much for chrome anyway (and don't really love all the silver components these days).
BTW, there are no Fry's in this area (TN).

 

[Childs]

Well you can try any of these. Apparently walmart.com used to be where most people got them from, but they have been OOS.

 

[dgerard]

Bought a cheapy one, AWD S99 at CircuitCity ($35) a few months ago. The unit can easily be changed to region free. Outputs NTSC, PAL, PAL60. Plays anything (DVD-R, DVD+RW, VCD, MP3, CD with Mpeg on it, you name it). So far I'm extreme happy with it. Picture quality is near perfect in PAL60.

 

[Slickone]

Any other differences in the 726 and 727?

 

[Slickone]

^

 

[HerrHeinrich]

Does that Philip DVD player convert PAL to NTSC, so i can watch PAL discs on my NTSC TV?

 

[Slickone]

Bump.

And HerrHeinrich, yes, it does, but I know nothing about it or how well it's conversion process is (it does vary from different players).

 

[stephbu]

These guys do a slew of DVD players with region-free and PAL->NTSC/NTSC->PAL decoders onboard...

http://www.world-import.com/dvd.htm

We bought a great looking JVC from them a while back... Service was really quick

 

[Tab]

Whatever happen to all the hype over Liteon's DVD Player?

 

[Slickone]

Looks like the Philips differences are:

726:
# 27mhz/12 bit Video D/A Converter
# 96 kHz/24-bit Audio D/A Converter with frequency response of 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
# Multi-Language On-Screen Display - English, Spanish, French

727:
# 54mhz/12 bit Video D/A Converter
# 192 kHz/24-bit Audio D/A Converter with frequency response of 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
# 4 Level virtual surround sound
Digital Optical out

Also it looks like the Toshiba SD-4900 supports video conversion and has a software region hack.

And it's possible with the Pioneer DV-363-K and DV-563A, but the region hack is a hardware hack and thus must be purchased. 563A
I like the 563A since it has DVD-A and SACD support, which I want. The hack hardware kit is $64 from here.
Or the player can be purchased pre-modded for $270 from the site stephbu mentioned, and also from here.
This site also says (about the 563):
Unlike many DVD players with a built in converter, this DVD player will not stretch PAL widescreen DVD movies when playing on an NTSC TV.

Any other places to buy these?
Thoughts?

 

[HerrHeinrich]

With the region hack on the Phillips, how do you apply the hack to it? Is it a hardware or software hack? and does the hack have to be applied to play different regions?

 

[Slickone]

Looking for suggestions/feedback bump.

 

[Slickone]

^

 

[Childs]

The hack on the Phillips is done by using the remote. Takes about 30 seconds. You can watch PAL DVDs on an NTSC TV...I only have one PAL DVD and it worked without any problems (The reason I bought a new DVD player) whereas it wouldnt play in my Sony.

For what its worth, I have no complaints about the Phillips 727. Aside from a Macrovision hack (which is done on my PC), this thing does it all.

BTW, if there is a Best Buy near you, check out the Cyberhome that they have on sale for like $35 every other week. Looks kinda cheap but plays everything as well. There is also a Pioneer at Walmart which people at DVDRhelp seem to like.

 

[Slickone]

Originally posted by: Childs
The hack on the Phillips is done by using the remote. Takes about 30 seconds. You can watch PAL DVDs on an NTSC TV...I only have one PAL DVD and it worked without any problems (The reason I bought a new DVD player) whereas it wouldnt play in my Sony.

For what its worth, I have no complaints about the Phillips 727. Aside from a Macrovision hack (which is done on my PC), this thing does it all.

BTW, if there is a Best Buy near you, check out the Cyberhome that they have on sale for like $35 every other week. Looks kinda cheap but plays everything as well. There is also a Pioneer at Walmart which people at DVDRhelp seem to like.

Do you know which Pioneer? I specifically asked about Pioneers in my post above, 03/07/2004 2:29 PM. I'd really like to get the 563A for DVDA, but it has no software hack.

As for the Cyberhome, as per my OP, I'm trying to find a good brand. I have an older Toshiba SD1200, and an Apex AD1500 for PAL & other regions, but wanted a better quality than the Apex, and was hoping to only have one player for everything, and maybe get DVDAudio (and prog. scan), killing a bunch of birds with one stone.

 

[Slickone]

^

 

[Slickone]

^