BristolUK

I have seen apparent bargains advertised eg Sopranos complete for $85 - a fraction of the normal price.

The discs are advertised as "Region free - will play on any DVD player anywhere in the world."

Is this for real?

I have heard that the coding can be changed on individual machines so they can play any region disc, so what would be the point of a region free disc if the machine can be adjusted anyway?

Do region free discs really play on any DVD machine? Is the quality as good?

Steve Crook

Region free disks do exist, and the region coding, or the lack of it doesn't affect the quality.

But region free DVDs are usually only for older films when they aren't expecting to sell many. For something as recent as The Sopranos, and at a vastly reduced price, I would sat it's almost certainly a bootleg and so there is no guarantee as to quality, region coding or even that the DVDs actually contain The Sopranos

Caveat Emptor

Steve

Arthur Linden-Jones

I remember reading somewhere that there is no such thing as "region free". Region 0 disks are in fact "multi-region disks" allowing them to be played on all DVD players no matter what region the player was designed/set for.

A minor point of technicality ....

This is war Wilson, not Sainsburys!

David Brent

For the last few years all new DVD players sold in Australia have been region free.
Yet the commercial discs sold in stores are still all Region 4.

I have seen very few region free discs sold commercially but have purchased a couple of such titles from the States. Both were old titles but the quality was good.

Dave.

billy bentley

I can't help with region free discs, but I'm told my "Multi- Region" DVD player (purchased for $100 on ebay) is nothing more than a regular DVD player that's been "tweaked" in some way. Evidently the Region system has been added to the DVD player by the manufacturers, without it they would be like CD's - playable anywhere ! I have a pal who believes if you buy a very cheap no name brand DVd player it will be multi-region as the manufacturer will not have gone to the expense of installing the "region recognising" (?) programme.

Arthur Linden-Jones

Google is very friendly in this respect. There are numerous web sites that give instructions on how to change DVD players from region specific to Region 0, using pre-set codes built into the DVD player, which can be changed using a certain combination of commands from buttons on the remote control.

"Open the tray and remove the DVD. With the tray still open press the (xx) button on the remote control. ......" And so it goes on.

I would hazard a guess and suspect this is not an illegal process which infringes copyright because the copyright is vested in the DVD/media, not the player. Unlike pirate websites which offer free downloads of movies/music/etc and seem to disappear at the threat of legal action from the respective entertainment industries, these websites remain accessible simply by googling the product brand and model number.

This is war Wilson, not Sainsburys!

nobbywoods

Over here I only ever buy code-free machines and a site like 220-electronics.com has lots at less than $100. They also invariably include a built in PAL/NTSC decoder so that discs from anywhere in the world can be played. Don't you need a decoder in R2 toplay NTSC discs on a PAL system?

johng

All modern TV/DVD players are PAL/NTSC compatable.

This issue has been dealt with previously.

Practically all DVD players including cheap ones such as Curries Matsui sold in the UK are set to region 2. If you go to Curries site they will show you the code to change the setting to Region 0. Again Amazon were giving the codes for many of the Philips machines. Some machines such as Panasonic do not work this way and a different procedure is necessary to make them region free.

The basic problem is that most manufacturs will not release the code necessary to bring up the hidden menu and thus change the region.

Granted you can get the information for most well known makes apart from portables on the net but you have to pay £15 to £20 to get this information.

Very few if any of the high street multis will sell you a region free player and in fact if you raise with themabout getting the code to change the setting invariably they deny all knowledge of what you are talking about.

There are however plenty region free players/recorders on the internet from cheap to expensive ones so there really is no problem. Make sure the player you intend to buy is region free or can be reset and the problem goesaway.

CaptainWaggett

I'm on my third dvd player and I've never had a problem with getting a multiregional one and I've never had to mess around with codes. My method is to go to Richer Sounds and say 'I want your cheapest multiregional dvd player/recorder'. Works perfectly for me!

nobbywoods

Thanks for the info. johng but your statement that "all modern TV/DVD are PAL/NTSC compatible" is not true in the US. a converter is neccessary whether built in by the tweaker or outboard. I have a lot of PAL discs that my friends can't watch unless I lend them a player as well. So does that mean that the TV's you refer to have 2 types of tuner or do they have a built in converter?

Steve Crook

Or semantics
Calling the disk "region free" is usually taken to mean that it will play in all regions, even on players that check for region coding.

"region free" = "region 0" = "all-region"

Steve

Steve Crook

"all modern TV/DVD are PAL/NTSC compatible" - if they are bought in the PAL region

PAL is a higher standard (more lines on the screen) so PAL equipment can easily lower its standards slightly and play an NTSC tape or DVD. It usually has a built in converter.

But NTSC equipment finds it hard to raise its standards and play a PAL tape or DVD.

You can buy equipment in the States that handles both standards, but it does tend to be the more expensive, top of the range equipment.

However, although most PAL equipment can play NTSC tapes and DVDs, only the best of them can actually record in NTSC.

Steve

eric7885

Here in Canada,region free dvd players are for sale and easily obtained. Quite often you can change the region codes on your existing players. On the internet their is a web site title,dvd players hack list. This web site will give you detail instructions on how to change the region code on your dvd player. Their are some dvd players that you cannot do this too. If you own a philips dvd player it is quite easy. Most philips can be made region free. Cheers,Ronald Larkin.

Gazza

I bought the boxed set of Beckett on Film as Region 0. Channel 4 is a partner in that project but I believe it was produced in Canada.

johng

Steve, you beat me to the draw. Yes I agree with you that my remarks applied to equipment bought in the UK.

No doubt the answer is to make your request for a region free player to the shop before you purchase and this saves the trouble of messing around with codes etc.

The only problem but easily overcome is that most of the High Street multis who shall be nameless do not sell multi region players. So the motto is Go to someone who does! There is certainly no problem in buying a region free player/recorder but most people tend not to think about this until after the purchase has been made.