DVD regions

[anuraagster]

Hi,
I have a good old cyberhome dvd player with me which plays dvds and vcd;s that I have bought abroad too (specifically South Asia). I bought a new samsung dvdv4600 dvd-vcr combo (dvdv4600)

However I couldnt get it to play any of the dvd's I had got from abroad. The label on the back panel of the dvd player says region 1. I am assuming that there is an issue with the regions.

I am planning to return this piece and buy something which plays my dvd's. What labels should I look on the box to make sure that what I am buying will work.

What about VCD's. I couldnt get the samsung to play VCD's either. I dont think VCD's are encoded by region. DOes it have something to do with NTSC/PAL. My dvd player is only NTSC compatible.

Any help would be welcome. This was meant as a gift for my better half and I am getting quiet a cold shoulder nowadays at home.

Any recommended brands which are available at circuit city (I have a gift card I want to use). I am either looking to buy a dvd player or a combo.

 

[Goi]

The majority of DVD players sold in USA are region 1 only. You might be able to crack them to accept all regions, but only some would work, notably the cheaper, Asian brands. Philips players are also particularly region unlock friendly.

 

[yukichigai]

All DVD players manufactured for sale in the USA are required to be Region 1, if I remember correctly. However, that's Region 1 "out of the box". As Goi mentioned, certain companies like Philips make their players easy to "unlock", i.e. change the region setting. They just aren't allowed to tell you how to do it.

Region settings only affect DVDs, not VCDs. If you look for a DVD player that supports VCDs and SVCDs and Multisystem (PAL<->NTSC) support you'll be able to play any (S)VCDs, regardless of where they came from.

I suggest you check Videohelp.com's DVD Player list and DVD Hack list. You should be able to find a player which meets your needs quite easily. For example, the CyberHome CH-300S can be found at most electronics stores, like Best Buy or Circuit City, and goes for about $40. It handles pretty much everything; the only problem it has is that it "squashes" Anamorphic (16:9) video on PAL DVDs, (from Europe, Asia, etc) at least if you're watching it on a 4:3 TV. A problem, true, but most stores are almost literally infested with them. If it comes down to it, get a CH-300S.