So when will we start seeing region-free blu-ray players?

polksda
polksda Posts: 716
edited February 2008 in Electronics
As much as I enjoy my PS3, I also enjoy the fact that I can (and do) import HD-DVDs from anywhere and not worry that I can play them.

Not so much with Blu-Ray.

It's the one aspect of Blu-Ray that has kept me championing HD-DVD. I want to be able to import and watch what I want, not what big brother says I should be permitted to watch.

Are any of the current crop of BR standalones region defeatable? If not, are there any players on the horizon that are touted to be?

I know that with standard DVD players, the "big name" brand players released here in the U.S. (Sony, Pioneer, Toshiba, Panasonic, etc.) for the most part have been region locked. It's been the Asian "off-brand" players that have had easily-accessible region defeats, either through remote codes or firmware hacks.

The whole "region lockdown" thing seems to be much bigger here in the U.S. (because of the MPAA I'm sure). If you browse through UK audiophile magazines, region-free DVD players are ubiquitous and can openly be ordered from most vendors.

Whereas we in the U.S. get hosed.

So what's out there for those of us who like importing titles?
Post edited by polksda on
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Comments

  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited February 2008
    I have both HD-DVD and P3, neither one actually play PAL DVD's, no region codes on these, which is why I have to keep another player in the rack. HD-DVD, BD and regular DVD. Too much, although it looks like I can convert the HD-DVD into HTPC pretty soon.

    I sure hope we'll get region free, PAL enabled BR players soon, but knowing how Sony is the worst brand when it comes to these things I doubt it's going to happen anytime soon. (yes, I know Sony does not equal BD, but they do play a major role).
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  • polksda
    polksda Posts: 716
    edited February 2008
    Actually the Toshiba HD-A3 and the XA2 can be made region free and to play PAL DVDs. It just takes some firmware hacking.
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  • Rike255
    Rike255 Posts: 131
    edited February 2008
    Most titles on Blu-ray ARE region free so far. We'll start seeing more region coded discs in the future but for now a great majority of them are region free (especially catalog titles).

    I doubt we'll be seeing region free players for a long time. Modded players are going to be few and far between because of the players built-in security system. If it recognizes an attack the whole system bricks making it completely unusable.

    I'm actually for region coding because I don't import movies ever and region coding allows for new releases to come out earlier for certain people (usually North America. We get the movie to buy while it's still in theaters in other countries)
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited February 2008
    The problem for me is I watch movies that are not made in Hollywood. Trying to get them in US region, forget about it, I can only get them in PAL w/ no region coding. The good and bad thing is, these movies aren't likely to come out in HD anytime soon so it's a minor concern at this point. But when they start, I need to get a HD player that plays them, just like now I have to get a DVD player that plays PAL.
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  • devani
    devani Posts: 1,497
    edited February 2008
    they(government) don't want china made DVDs to flood american market....their aggresive pricing can kill US movie industry....or it could be the toxic material in them...
    there are several region-free players within reach but not many people go for it....
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