Multi Reigion DVD Players

[rhiza77]

How cant you tell of your DVD player is multi reigion????? I've been to a few websites and to be honest I'm at a loss!!..I want to buy some DVD's that are only availible in America but don't want to fork out a load of cash if they won't play!!!

Any help would be greately appriciated

Thanx Rx

[Buenchico]

(2-part post):

If you look through something like the Argos catalogue, you'll find dozens of DVD players and not one of them mentions 'multi-region' in the specification. (Similarly, it's very unlikely that you'll see a DVD player with 'multi-region' on the front of it). This isn't because Argos don't want to sell mult-region DVD players. It's because, officially, they can't do so. Licensing agreements mean that manufacturers are obliged to ensure that their products are coded so that they'll only work in the region in which they're purchased. i.e. every (unmodified) DVD player sold in this country should (officially) be encoded so that it will only work in Region 2.

However, most manufacturers don't actually make different models for different regions. They make all of their DVD player in a single mult-region version and then add on the coding for each region at the final stage of the production process.

[Buenchico]

It's usually very easy to remove this coding but 'official' sources (e.g. retailers or manufacturers websites) won't tell you how to do it. (It normally involves something as simple as opening the disc drawer and keying in a short number via the handset). So, unless you bought your DVD player from someone who 'broke the rules' by removing the code prior to purchase, you'll have to use a 'hack' to remove the region coding yourself.

To search for the relevant hack for your DVD player, try here:
http://www.dvd365.net/?hacks/hacklist.htm
If your player is not listed, Google the make and model of your player together with 'multi-region'.

If you're still confused, you could always consider buying a new DVD player from Richer Sounds. They've got branches in many parts of the country (and they sell online). Unlike most other retailers, they sell multi-region players. (This usually just means that the details of the 'hack' are stuck to the side of the box). Their cheapest multi-region model is �19.95:
http://www.richersounds.co.uk/showproduct.php? cda=showproduct&pid=ELTA-DVD150
(However, you'd have to check whether it's in stock at your nearest store. It's currently out of stock online).

Chris

[rhiza77]

TA Very Much!!!! Your answer is a massive help!!!! Hurraaahhhh. Think I'll just go ahead and buy a new one, my current player is old and what an excuse to buy
one anyways!!!!

Cheers your a Gem!!!
Rhix