Jump to content

Multi-region Blu Ray player now at JB HiFi


Recommended Posts

Don't know how this came about but we received a shipment of these Laser BDPs today. Multi region for DVD and BluRay! On special now @ $79. don't know if they are crap or OK but it's the first multi region BDP I've seen at JB.

 

Not on the website yet it seems but here's a link.

 

Cheers

 

M

http://www.laserco.com.au/BLU-BD2000-bd2000-multi-region-blu-ray-and-media-player

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



I bought one of those several years ago from the Good Guys for around $75. Front panel on mine looks slightly different, but its probably the same inside. Pretty basic, probably not great quality, but works well enough. I only bought mine as a stop-gap so I could play blu-rays on my old CRT TV. Bought an OPPO 103 when I replaced the CRT with a panel TV, but it isn't multi-region, so I've kept the Laser for the odd time when I want to use that capability. I've set it up to play through the OPPO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a tad more to those $$$ BDP's than multi region capability though!!! :D

 

But I guess you can just throw it away and buy another one every 6 months or so.

 

Disposable BDP's.......... :confused:  :rolleyes:

 

I remember paying $1K for a Sony VCR........ :ohmy:

Edited by JohnL
Link to comment
Share on other sites



theyre a good basic unit, good to see them back in the market, something many used as a back up region free unit.

 

am not sure this is fully capable with regards 3D audio given its early player as most arent they can handle the cross referencing required, and is it 3D capable those early lasers were not.

 

but again for a cheapy player it is completely capable. and dont be fooled by what anyone says over hdmi they all will look exactly the same even the cheaper coles woolies players they have at the cigarette counters there and that cost a tad more than a "packet of smokes"

 

so if wanting a cheap basic player that is region free go for to !  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The question I'm interested in having answered is how can they (legally) provide region free included in the BDP when we have to pay extra on all our Oppos etc.

 

So why aren't all BDPs region free?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The question I'm interested in having answered is how can they (legally) provide region free included in the BDP when we have to pay extra on all our Oppos etc.

 

So why aren't all BDPs region free?

BDP spec/law? says they must be region coded.

But China well doesn't always follow the rules and perhaps just leaves out the region lock?

 

Or

 

Going the gouge!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The question I'm interested in having answered is how can they (legally) provide region free included in the BDP when we have to pay extra on all our Oppos etc.

 

So why aren't all BDPs region free?

Here is an article that goes into a little detail. Its a bit older but gives you an idea.

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/blog/gadgets-on-the-go/are-regionfree-dvd-players-legal-20120131-1qs42.html

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JB used to sell Soniq bd players that plays all regions too. Laser is just as good and works with same remote controller as the Soniq's. Sure it's a basic player great if you don't need all Bells & whistles which cost heaps more with other brands.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



JB also used to sell the Toshiba BDX3200KY, which while not BD region free out of the box, could easily be hacked.

 

I bought one of the last ones which also had a free HDMI cable and 3D disc about sharks.

 

:)

 

Any OPPO owners try this region free hack ?

 

http://www.blurayunlock.com/

Edited by michaelw
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
19 minutes ago, billyboyrm said:

The Panasonic one I have is region free.  And all the Panasonic PVRs were region free out of the box.

 

this is interesting ...

 

though I would suspect for DVD ? or is it for blu-ray as well ?

 

please if can confirm :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites



Correct, only for DVD however, since we are part of Region which includes Europe and a number of other countries, blu-ray discs can be purchased via Amazon UK.  Pointless getting US ones as Amazon UK is generally cheaper (for most DVD and blu-ray - such that I no longer buy in OZ) including post and for some strange reason gets here much quicker than anything from the USA.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Panasonic one I have is region free.  And all the Panasonic PVRs were region free out of the box.

They used to be but they stopped it a few years ago. I spoke to Panasonic around the time I realised this and they had a process in place for customers that wanted their pvr region free. They would take it to the service centre in port Melbourne and they would unlock it. Panasonic would wear the $65 cost. Haven't tried one in the past year or so re region free but I assume that situation still stands.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks for clarification...generally you could buy any dvd/blu-ray player on the aussie market and find it was region free with DVD. I am not sure what happened but about 2 ? years ago something changed. sony, panasonic, cambridge, pioneer, oppo all became region locked for DVD. for what real reason is beyond me. 

 

region free for blu-ray still to this day does not exist. best will get with a mod or hack is region selectable. its a pain and a nuisance. and a mockery particularly since the new latest format in uhd blu-ray by design is region free around the world.

 

why they persist wiht region locking discs and players now days is beyond me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The whole purpose of region locking in the first place was so that the movie companies could maximise their profits by staggering the release of movie titles in different parts of the world at different times. Of course, once the movie has been fully released in all regions, then the region coding is pointless. The whole idea seemed flawed from the outset, and is increasingly pointless these days. I guess they persist with it because they don't want to relinquish control.

 

Actually, one of the things that really annoys me more than region coding is the ability for individual discs to lock out functions in your player, such as the  FF or skip buttons. I don't think any of the manufacturers have built players that overcome this, but why not? If they can disable region coding, then why not function locking?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Uncle Mack,  the trick was to get the PVR and DVD/Blu-ray boxes which had a little sticker on them which said that the unit had been opened and checked by Panasonic Australia for quality control.  Those units were all  unlocked and repackaged prior to shipment.  The practice of region locking and lately geo-blocking is ultimately self defeating and will only harm the bottom lines of the content providers. I find the whole system distasteful and counterproductive.  As it is if I want to buy a disc from overseas - I can and/or download it (paid) and give myself a region free movie.  There are any number of software workarounds for this problem, a bit of a bother but nothing will stop the determined viewer.  After all why should we pay inflated prices for these things.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites



On 11/10/2016 at 4:45 PM, billyboyrm said:

Correct, only for DVD however, since we are part of Region which includes Europe and a number of other countries, blu-ray discs can be purchased via Amazon UK.  Pointless getting US ones as Amazon UK is generally cheaper (for most DVD and blu-ray - such that I no longer buy in OZ) including post and for some strange reason gets here much quicker than anything from the USA.  

 

addendum;

some us discs have superior content (eg. man of steel)

and many are multi-region (most warners like the above man of steel)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/10/2016 at 9:14 PM, :) al said:

thanks for clarification...generally you could buy any dvd/blu-ray player on the aussie market and find it was region free with DVD. I am not sure what happened but about 2 ? years ago something changed. sony, panasonic, cambridge, pioneer, oppo all became region locked for DVD. for what real reason is beyond me. 

 

region free for blu-ray still to this day does not exist. best will get with a mod or hack is region selectable. its a pain and a nuisance. and a mockery particularly since the new latest format in uhd blu-ray by design is region free around the world.

 

why they persist wiht region locking discs and players now days is beyond me.

 

iirc hd-dvd was region free too.

 

over here sony and panasonic lost their out-of-box dvd region free status, though panasonics could be converted for free by your local service agent if you did it within 12 months of purchase.

 

oppo and cambridge audio have been dvd region free otb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, michaelw said:

 

iirc hd-dvd was region free too.

 

over here sony and panasonic lost their out-of-box dvd region free status, though panasonics could be converted for free by your local service agent if you did it within 12 months of purchase.

 

oppo and cambridge audio have been dvd region free otb.

 

You are correct Michael re hd-DVD. Ps re oppo and Cambridge. Unfortunately not been able to get confirmation on oppo since our local importer took up things. I believe region locked and same with Cambridge since the 752 bd that got locked too ! All previous were unlocked

 

personally on the Australian landscape where the accc enshrined the right to bypass region coding as it was uncompetitive, I can't see any rhyme or reason why are local players have now started being sold locked for a few years now.

 

that uhd blu-ray is region unlocked as a format it re enforces the farce of previous formats 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

maybe nz distributors are handling their lines differently...

 

when i bought my oppo 103 (interdyn) it was dvd region free until the first fw update locked it, fixed with a dvd region free fw mod, then another main fw update.

 

i bought one of the nz cambridge distributer's (pq imports) last 752bds, dvd region free otb.

 

under nz copyright law region coding in software and hardware has no legal protection.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, michaelw said:

maybe nz distributors are handling their lines differently...

 

when i bought my oppo 103 (interdyn) it was dvd region free until the first fw update locked it, fixed with a dvd region free fw mod, then another main fw update.

 

i bought one of the nz cambridge distributer's (pq imports) last 752bds, dvd region free otb.

 

under nz copyright law region coding in software and hardware has no legal protection.

 

yes unfortunately the 751 and early oppos were the same... but were all forced locked with updates that came along ...

 

yes I dont believe aussie law has anything regarding region coding either. infact we have our ACCC on record saying there is also nothing wrong in bypassing and why region mods can be legally sold. in the us and europe I dont believe the same case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...
To Top