DVD Beaver

February 8, 2004 9:37 PM

Have a region free DVD player? Just love movies? DVD Beaver reviews DVDs and compares releases from different countries so you can be sure you're getting the best print/audio available.
posted by dobbs (10 comments total)

Yeah, this region-to-region crap has always stuck in my craw. I'm told the R1 versions of "Ragtime" deleted Elizabeth McGovern's brief nude scene (which was more humorous than erotic, iirc), but those scenes are on every other release. I also read that all the "Taco Bell" references in "Demolition Man" were changed to "Pizza Hut" in !R1 releases. Bizarre.

There has been more than one occassion that I have sought out an Asian bootleg on ebay, rather than buying the version of a given movie at BestBuy simply because I knew the official R1 was mangled.
posted by RavinDave at 10:20 PM on February 8, 2004

Very cool, thanks.
posted by kickingtheground at 10:30 PM on February 8, 2004

Well, I do think that about clinches it. I'm going to go pick up one of those Apex cheapies for my upcoming (as soon as we find a house) NOC room. That way I can chill and watch what I want during the quiet times...
posted by Samizdata at 11:01 PM on February 8, 2004

Apex may no longer be as cross functional as it once was. The Cyberhome CH-DVD 300 is taking its place, though, thank goodness. Radio Shack may have them, but they are a pop item. It is the next best thing to the late lamented Apex 1100W.

CD-R, CD-RW, audio CD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, SVCD, VCD, MP3, MPEG, JPEG. They're progressive scan with S-Video outputs, and DTS audio.

If you perform a little ritual detailed at regionfreedvd.net, they can supposedly play any DVD regardless of region code.

The best part, they are only $50-60.
posted by kablam at 7:07 AM on February 9, 2004

I originally found the site because I am going to get a Canadian Malata release and wanted to see what I was missing on the discs. The Malata are apparently pal/ntsc region free out of the box. Only C$80, which is about 60 american. Not sure if you can buy from outside Canada though.
posted by dobbs at 7:53 AM on February 9, 2004

Please tell me I'm not the only one who looked at the name of the site and initially thought it was about something else...

Yes, I am in seventh grade. ; )
posted by SisterHavana at 9:47 AM on February 9, 2004

My Sony DVD player is not region-free, but I think it can be by "unlocking" it somehow. Does anyone know of a good reference point with instructions to do this? (My assumption being that those who would click on this post might have some insight)
posted by adamms222 at 10:19 AM on February 9, 2004

adamms222, there was a link somewhere in Ask that led to a site that listed all hackable dvd players (you hack them with the remote). The url definitely had the word hack in it. I've searched Ask and Google but for the life of me could not find the site (it was an excellent resource and I can't believe I didn't bookmark it). I know the post was from before new years, but that's all I can remember. I have a Sony and my particular model (DVP-S550) is not hackable. Maybe you'll have better like finding it on Ask than I did. If you do, please post it here or email me.
posted by dobbs at 11:34 AM on February 9, 2004

adamms222, here's one list http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdhacks, although there might better lists out there.
posted by gluechunk at 12:50 PM on February 9, 2004

Thanks gluechunk and dobbs... The procedure, aside from requiring me to buy a PDA, seems really damn complicated. Props to Sony for not making it easy.... the bastards.
posted by adamms222 at 10:35 AM on February 10, 2004