Region Free Reccomendations

I thought Hanukkah Harry only brought socks.

The two disk import version of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is pretty awesome, if you can find it.

The "Spaced" DVD set is something I have wanted for a while, but I don't have a region free player. You should buy that so I can live vicariously through you.

*edit* I didn't see the end of your post where you mentioned "Spaced"

Not for every player. Furthermore, not every player that can be made region-free can convert from PAL to NTSC (to watch something like the UK Spaced discs) and not every one of the players that can do the conversion can do it properly or well.

Any sort of list to see if my specific player can play other region disks?

www.videohelp.com is your best source for info.

UK region 2 of Takeshi Kitano's Brother is the best.

Or "uncensored chopsticks up the nose FTW!", as the kids would say these days.

I'm assuming that your all region player can convert PAL to NTSC.

Region 3 KUNG FU HUSTLE - uncensored, as opposed to uncut, because the versions are the same length with the US and Mainland China versions being digitally de-blooded and de-shitted in places. This is NTSC.

Region 2 UK DEATH RIDES A HORSE - As MGM continues to let everyone and their mom bootleg the hell out of this classic Spaghetti Western in the US, Great Britain MGM releases a nice, anamorphic widescreen transfer. Homaged in the KILL BILL VOL. 1 anime sequence, and in the KILL BILL musical score. PAL.

Region 2 UK SPACED - if you can't wait for the R1 release Edgar Wright has said is on the way. PAL.

Region 3 HK ARMY OF DARKNESS - This Deltamac release of MGM's transfer of the Director's Cut version of the film smokes Anchor Bay's version. Keep the Anchor Bay for the special features, though. NTSC.

Region 3 HK SPACE TRAVELERS - never picked up for R1 release due to some expensive music rights issues involving a Queen song over the opening and closing credits, this is a really good bank heist movie from Japan's ROBOT production house (BAYSIDE SHAKEDOWN, RETURNER) that's absolutely worth seeking out. The title refers to an fictional anime, which inspired an actual anime, which was released as a tie-in to the film and DID make it to R1. NTSC.

Region 3 Korea VOLCANO HIGH - fully uncut, with real (if not particularly good) subtitles and the original DTS 6.1 audio, this is the way to go if you're a fan of the movie. NTSC.

Region 3 Korea BREAK OUT (aka SPARK THE LIGHTER) - that rarest of creatures, a Korean film with a completely upbeat ending, this action/comedy flick about a guy trying to get his 25 cent lighter back from the gang leader who took it is fun stuff that improves with repeat viewings. They chose to call it BREAK OUT in English, but it's a really shit title that has absolutely nothing to do with the movie. SPARK THE LIGHTER is the literal translation of the Korean title, and it is a hell of a lot better and more relevant. NTSC.

R3 HK - Celestial Pictures/Shaw Brothers Remastered DVDs. Shaw Brothers. 'Nuff said. Just make sure there's not a better version out in R1, as there are for 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN, KING BOXER, and a handful of others. Beware, some of the R1s are worse, and some are better, use the Google to find out more about a given title. NTSC.

TAXI/TAXI 2 Region 3 HK - Luc Besson's action-comedies that never made it over here, and never will thanks to the shitty remake of TAXI that Tim Story used to show Fox that he was their man to direct FANTASTIC FOUR. It goes without saying that the originals are much better. TAXI 3 is debatable, and TAXI 4 is just shit. The first two are worthy, though, and dirt cheap in HK. NTSC.

For the morbidly curious, there's a color version of THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE in a few non-American regions.

Which player did you get?

I guess Xploitedcinema.com works great for most of you but they fucked me over BIG TIME. I bought the Hellraiser 4 Disc Cube and when I recieved them they were all horribly scratched to shit. I cantacted him and at first he was great. He told me to send them back and he would replace them, so I did. A fucking month goes by and I email him and he tells me that he was waiting for Anchor Bay UK to send replacements. Another month goes by and he says he was still waiting. Finally I emailed him again and..........no repsonse. I emailed him about 10 more times and got nothing back. It's been about 3 months since my last email and nothing. Basically the guy robbed me. So just keep that in mind when ordering from Xploited cinema.

Ok, we recently purchased the Samsung HT-WX70 5.1 system because it had wireless rear speakers and my own reciever had blown up JUST as out house was being invaded for a weekend long NY party...we had to run out to Sam's and grab something. It's a great little system...with a 5disc DVD player.

Anyone know if it can be made region free? My region free player died, and the HD player we bought doesn't have codes for the regular dvd side.

Trying to research this myself gives 3 million sites selling Samsung region free players, and no helpful articles.

I'm thinking about getting myself a region free player, anyone got a recommendation on a good player?

Oppo DV-980H

I got two Helios Region Free players for review purposes, and gave them both good reviews, but after a few months both went all buggy. They're cheaper then the Oppo, but the Oppo is a better value. Helios is still a very young company, so maybe their next player will be worth it for the long run.

Region free is the reason I'm rooting for HD DVD over Blu-Ray right now.