PLEASE: Need Good Advice on Buying Region-Free DVD/Video Combo!

Please *answer* this if you can, because I really need your help so that I am not screwed
over when I make a purchase!

I've see messages on Usenet and heard from people I know about getting burned when they
purchased what I want to buy: a Region-Free DVD/Video Combo.

I do NOT want to get something which is going to be a nightmare to set-up. I can deal
with maybe buying a few special plugs if that is what is needed to get it to work with my
6-year old United-States NTSC television set.

What I do NOT want to get is something that is going to need another $100+ piece of
electronics to get it to work or something that turns out to need a multi-system TV for
it to even show a picture.

I've read here and elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good products. But I'd
would really welcome advice on something which would not only be a good buy -- but WORKS.

As I said, my TV is about 6 years old. It works fine, but all it has for an impute is a
coaxial impute plug, so I am going to be able to need the combo to work with that.

I'm looking for something between $200-$250. I might be able to go up to $275 but that
would be the extend of the money I have for this -- unless the combo being suggested is
really, really easy to set0up and make work with my TV.

If special instructions are needed to set-up, beyond what is in the manual, I want to be
SURE they are included when I buy the unit.

If you can give information on where I might purchase this item online, a place you KNOW
honest and very helpful to their customers, that would be great and really helpful to me.

I'm willing to pay perhaps more if I can get a good unit which offers quality it what it
shows, that isn't a nightmare to set-up, and that it ABOVE ALL ELSE -- **works** with my
TV!

I just cannot take the stress and frustration of getting a piece of junk which won't work
for my TV.

Thank you!

-- Franklin Hummel in Boston, Massachusetts

Franklin Hummel

"Tom Alaerts" <> wrote in message
news:433ebf63$0$10964$...
>> I've read here and elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good products. But I'd
>> would really welcome advice on something which would not only be a good buy -- but
>> WORKS. I've read here and elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good products.
>> But I'd would really welcome advice on something which would not only be a good buy --
>> but WORKS.
>
> I bought a Samsung DVD player because these (a) are cheap, (b) are beter sounding than
> the cheap white brand devices, (c) can be made region-free by a simple code to be
> entered on your remote.
> Very important, first google the web for "the player you intend to buy" and "region
> hack" and read the comments.
> You can also visit http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks
> I hope this helps.


Thank you, but it doesn't.

I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO HACKING. I don't want to take the risk I might not be able to
do it or it won't work for me and I am then stuck with a piece of electronics that is not
what I wanted.

As I said, I want something that WORKS. I want a VCR/DVD combo that is region-free,
which I can just reasonability easily hook-up to my TV set -- and that is about all I
have to do.

-- Franklin Hummel in Boston, Massachusetts

"Franklin Hummel" <> wrote in message
news:dhmg36$cg4$
> "Tom Alaerts" <> wrote in message
> news:433ebf63$0$10964$...
>>> I've read here and elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good
>>> products. But I'd would really welcome advice on something which
>>> would not only be a good buy -- but WORKS. I've read here and
>>> elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good products. But I'd
>>> would really welcome advice on something which would not only be a
>>> good buy -- but WORKS.
>>
>> I bought a Samsung DVD player because these (a) are cheap, (b) are
>> beter sounding than the cheap white brand devices, (c) can be made
>> region-free by a simple code to be entered on your remote.
>> Very important, first google the web for "the player you intend to
>> buy" and "region hack" and read the comments.
>> You can also visit http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks
>> I hope this helps.
>
>
> Thank you, but it doesn't.
>
> I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO HACKING. I don't want to take the risk I
> might not be able to do it or it won't work for me and I am then
> stuck with a piece of electronics that is not what I wanted.
>
> As I said, I want something that WORKS. I want a VCR/DVD combo that
> is region-free, which I can just reasonability easily hook-up to my
> TV set -- and that is about all I have to do.
>
> -- Franklin Hummel in Boston, Massachusetts

You can pay a premium for a player that's been hacked by someone else if
you insist. There's eBay, and places like this:
http://www.regioncodefreedvd.com/dvdvcdcombo.html
--
The alt.video.dvd faq is located at:
http://aww-faq.org/dvdfaq.html

On 2005-10-01 19:13:12 +0200, "Franklin Hummel" <> said:

>
> "Tom Alaerts" <> wrote in message
> news:433ebf63$0$10964$...
>>> I've read here and elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good
>>> products. But I'd would really welcome advice on something which would
>>> not only be a good buy -- but WORKS. I've read here and elsewhere about
>>> such problems -- as well as good products. But I'd would really welcome
>>> advice on something which would not only be a good buy -- but WORKS.
>>
>> I bought a Samsung DVD player because these (a) are cheap, (b) are
>> beter sounding than the cheap white brand devices, (c) can be made
>> region-free by a simple code to be entered on your remote.
>> Very important, first google the web for "the player you intend to buy"
>> and "region hack" and read the comments.
>> You can also visit http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks
>> I hope this helps.
>
>
> Thank you, but it doesn't.
>
> I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO HACKING. I don't want to take the risk I
> might not be able to do it or it won't work for me and I am then stuck
> with a piece of electronics that is not what I wanted.
>
> As I said, I want something that WORKS. I want a VCR/DVD combo that is
> region-free, which I can just reasonability easily hook-up to my TV set
> -- and that is about all I have to do.
>
> -- Franklin Hummel in Boston, Massachusetts

Well, not wanting to sound arrogant, I believe it does !

I mean, when a hack is simply entering a code on a remote control, how
much easier does it have to be?

Tom

On Sat, 1 Oct 2005 12:25:05 -0400, "Franklin Hummel"
<> wrote:

>Please *answer* this if you can, because I really need your help so that I am not screwed
>over when I make a purchase!

**Hi Franklin. Here's the problem with a combo set: You can rarely
find a multisystem VCR that *won't* need a PAL/NTSC converter between
it and your TV set. I've never seen a combo that will do it all
without a converter. I've purchased a multisystem VCR and a converter
myself, works very well. I use a Magnavox 458 for PAL DVDs, it doesn't
need a converter. However, here's a website that sells the kind of
stuff you're looking for:

http://www.world-import.com/

Dual multisystem DVD/VHS combos:

http://www.world-import.com/302.htm

I know that you don't want any converters but you can use the site for
reference or whatnot. I've purchased from them (Jan 2005) with no
problems.

kaboomie

In article <dhmg36$cg4$>,
Franklin Hummel <> wrote:
>
>"Tom Alaerts" <> wrote in message
>news:433ebf63$0$10964$.. .
>>> I've read here and elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good products. But I'd
>>> would really welcome advice on something which would not only be a good buy -- but
>>> WORKS. I've read here and elsewhere about such problems -- as well as good products.
>>> But I'd would really welcome advice on something which would not only be a good buy --
>>> but WORKS.
>>
>> I bought a Samsung DVD player because these (a) are cheap, (b) are beter sounding than
>> the cheap white brand devices, (c) can be made region-free by a simple code to be
>> entered on your remote.
>> Very important, first google the web for "the player you intend to buy" and "region
>> hack" and read the comments.
>> You can also visit http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks
>> I hope this helps.
>
>
>Thank you, but it doesn't.

>I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO HACKING. I don't want to take the risk
>I might not be able to do it or it won't work for me and I am
>then stuck with a piece of electronics that is not what I wanted.

There are some that I really don't consider 'hacking' which require
nothing more than pressing a couple of keys on the remote control.
You can't screw those up. The ones that require software
downloads, making a CD, and then installing that in the machine are
the ones that can cause pain if something goes wrong.

>As I said, I want something that WORKS. I want a VCR/DVD combo
>that is region-free, which I can just reasonability easily
>hook-up to my TV set -- and that is about all I have to do.

You might be far better off finding a DVD player that is easily
made region free and using a separate VCR.


--
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com

"FAQmeister" <> wrote in message news:dhmta5$9ci$...
> "Franklin Hummel" <> wrote in message
>>
>> I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO HACKING. I don't want to take the risk I
>> might not be able to do it or it won't work for me and I am then
>> stuck with a piece of electronics that is not what I wanted.
>> As I said, I want something that WORKS. I want a VCR/DVD combo that
>> is region-free, which I can just reasonability easily hook-up to my
>> TV set -- and that is about all I have to do.
>
> You can pay a premium for a player that's been hacked by someone else if you insist.
> There's eBay, and places like this:
> http://www.regioncodefreedvd.com/dvdvcdcombo.html


I bought one on eBay and it wouldn't work with my TV. Called the dealer and he was an
major asshole about the whole thing, claiming he had one and it worked fine. When I told
him my problem and asked him how he got his to work (I suspect he had LOTS of extra and
new equipment on his), he would never answer me.

Sorry, I don't want to go through eBay again. I'm trying to figure out what to do with
that combo now. I am thinking of selling it on eBay, with a more detailed and honest one
that the original dealer had in his listing. I'm going to lose a fair amount of the
money I spent doing that, even thought the thing was only "used" for about 5 hours when I
tried to set it up and could never get it to work.

As for the URL provided above, I don't trust them in the ****ing slightest. Originally I
was going to buy from them, I had placed an order, and when I didn't hear anything back
after 5-6 days, I called and was told that unit was "out of stock" and they were waiting
to see what they would be getting instead, at which time they would contact me.

So I searched and found another website with a similar deal on the combo I was looking
at, called them about placing an order, only to find they were "out of stock" and were
waiting to see what they would be getting to replace it.

I recognized the voice and it was the same person I had spoken to when I called the first
website!

I searched on the Internet and found they were running at least *4* different websites,
all under different names and using different phone numbers -- but the street and city
address were the same for all of them. And ALL of them were advertising the same special
on the DVD/VCR combo on their front pages -- even though the one place running all these
different websites were "out-of-stock".

To me, the multiple websites, pretending to be different, unconnected ones (even the
design style of each of them are different!) and each prominently advertising the same
device on special sale when they were actually "out of stock" reminded me way too much of
a "bait-and-switch" con. The person I spoke to was none too nice to me when I mentioned
I had found these multiple site all pushing the same combo unit they did not have. I
cancelled my order as quick as I could!

No thank you, I don't trust those folks in the slightest.

(If folks want the names of these websites, I will post them here.)

That is why I asked originally for particular and detailed advice on what to buy when I
started this thread. I've been taken once and almost taken a second time. I don't want
to chance that again, if I can avoid it.

> The alt.video.dvd faq is located at:
> http://aww-faq.org/dvdfaq.html


Thanks, I will look at this. I hope it is of help to me.

-- Franklin Hummel in Boston, Massachusetts

"kaboom" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sat, 1 Oct 2005 12:25:05 -0400, "Franklin Hummel"
> <> wrote:
>
>>Please *answer* this if you can, because I really need your help so that I am not
>>screwed
>>over when I make a purchase!
>
> **Hi Franklin. Here's the problem with a combo set: You can rarely
> find a multisystem VCR that *won't* need a PAL/NTSC converter between
> it and your TV set. I've never seen a combo that will do it all
> without a converter. I've purchased a multisystem VCR and a converter
> myself, works very well. I use a Magnavox 458 for PAL DVDs, it doesn't
> need a converter. However, here's a website that sells the kind of
> stuff you're looking for:
>
> http://www.world-import.com/
>
> Dual multisystem DVD/VHS combos:
>
> http://www.world-import.com/302.htm
>
> I know that you don't want any converters but you can use the site for
> reference or whatnot. I've purchased from them (Jan 2005) with no
> problems.


Thanks for the info. It might come to this for me, sadly. I barely have enough for what
the combos are priced at. I don't know what I am going to do.

-- Franklin Hummel in Boston, Massachusetts

"Tom Alaerts" <> wrote in message
news:433f07a8$0$16637$...
> On 2005-10-01 19:13:12 +0200, "Franklin Hummel" <> said:
>> "Tom Alaerts" <> wrote in message
>> news:433ebf63$0$10964$...
>>>
>>> I bought a Samsung DVD player because these (a) are cheap, (b) are beter sounding
>>> than the cheap white brand devices, (c) can be made region-free by a simple code to
>>> be entered on your remote.
>>> Very important, first google the web for "the player you intend to buy" and "region
>>> hack" and read the comments.
>>> You can also visit http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks
>>> I hope this helps.
>>
>> I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO HACKING. I don't want to take the risk I might not be able
>> to do it or it won't work for me and I am then stuck with a piece of electronics that
>> is not what I wanted.
>> As I said, I want something that WORKS. I want a VCR/DVD combo that is region-free,
>> which I can just reasonability easily hook-up to my TV set -- and that is about all I
>> have to do.
>>
>
> Well, not wanting to sound arrogant, I believe it does !
> I mean, when a hack is simply entering a code on a remote control, how much easier does
> it have to be?


Is there a DVD/VCR combo with a remote control hack? I just want the DVD Region-Free on
it; I really don't care that much about playing PAL videos. And will it play PAL DVDs
after the hack?

And since I am not very trusting now, how can I be sure this hack will WORK for me?

-- Franklin Hummel in Boston, Massachusetts

"Franklin Hummel" <> wrote in message
news:dhnatn$pg5$...

> Thanks for the info. It might come to this for me, sadly. I barely have
> enough for what the combos are priced at. I don't know what I am going to
> do.

Ironically some of the $40 DVD players I see in Canada imply that they will
play any region DVD in any format on any TV including NTSC.

N