Bob

because all the parts are standard parts that have been flogged in other machines like the rom chips and decoders etc...

Bob

http://www.dvdregionmaster.com/ software to by-pass the region protection of a dvd drive...

Another one, DVD Decrypter, that's good, but the website's down right now..

jamjar

Well thankyou all for the great info. Will go check if there's an easy hack for the JVC. My $40 memorex just went Kaput so I think I will get the cyberhome one to replace it. You can't beat $20 for a DVD player.

basementwaj

or.... go download dvd shrink for free.... All you do then is use this to backup one of your dvd's and it will make a perfect copy in region free format!

I have backed up all my brit dvd's so they will work everywhere in the us!

of course you will need a pc with a dvd write drive

fatbrit

And either the software Bob mentioned or a hacked ROM for your DVD drives if you are using DVDs from different regions on a single PC. Of course, once you've removed the region coding, it will then play anywhere.

neil

Not entirely true that. If you don't have a relatively modern TV, or a DVD player with a built in PAL/NTSC converter then you will have a problem. This is because of the different number of lines in the two different systems. We had an older TV (about 5 or 6 years old) and when connecting my portable DVD player from the UK to it, the picture was black and white and the picture was not aligned properly, with part of the picture cut off.

Big D

Yes but if you buy the US Cyberhome its out put signal is NTSC just playing the UK discs - this works as i have an older TV that did not take my PAL output signal on a DVD player until i changed the out put.

basementwaj

i know what you mean about the black and white screen..... but all tvs made in the last 3-4 years are pretty much compatible with pal and ntsc inputs. i guess the big players in tv production are making a standard unit and shipping it worldwide, just putting different plugs on em

Circus-of-Power

I get mine from .... Bombay Electronics They are in Chicago.
I also purchased a multiregion TV from there as well ... My latest purchase was the Coby DVD player ... it plays any DVD on any TV. and cost $45. Its no bigger than a paperback book so its portable as well.

http://www.bombayelectronics.com/

Chorlton

Is there a popular Mac version for this stuff? I've been messing with VLC and some other stuff (a bit cautious about f**king with firmware).

Bob

didn't read the spec then? it has multi out put, which makes it a great gift for the UK as it outputs a PAL signal as well as a NTSC one...

Bob

For getting around the region code? Wouldn't have a clue...is region coding a problem with macs? I know they ain't with Linux, but that's a whole new story I guess...

VLC is a good player, and for dvd's it ain't to bad, but if your OS and DVD drive are region coded/locked, VLC wont' do much for you...and if there isn't a mac software hack, that does leave the firmware hack, but your right, best avoid that is possible because it'll void warranty as well as risk killing the drive if it goes wrong...

neil

Now, why would I bother reading everything? I was just pointing out that even if something says it's multi region it might not help if you don't have the right sort of TV. If this one outputs both then you're good to go, so I stand corrected.

Bob

The Coby is the default player of recommendation around here, mainly because it's cheap, has decent sound/video, really easy to hack with the remote, it's multi output and multi voltage, small, so makes a great present...i generally wouldn't be recommending a lemon

Circus-of-Power

Thats why I pointed the above out ..... it works on all the Tv's we have in the house .. the multi region one ... and all the NTSC ones. Don't ask me for all the tecnical doin's all I know if that I can finally watch all my UK DVD's (not to mention vcd's )

I finally got to show the kids Father Ted