The Quest for a Region-Free Blu-Ray Player

[manoj.p]

The best way right now for region free bluray player is buying Pioneer BDP 140/150/62/450 and then installing custom firmware on it. Google it, there is a thread at avsforum.

One note - load only 4.0.x version and not 5.x. If you go with 5.x then you will have to pay activation fee (around $150) to Chinese engineers who made the firmware.

 

[just4kix]

Some insights and horror stories:

Panasonic DVD players region free hack now available | AVForums
Panasonic DVD players region free hack - Part 2 | AVForums

Long threads but I would advise everyone to go thru the entire threads.

 

[just4kix]

Another one: Panasonic DVD players region free hack - Part 2 | Page 4 | AVForums

 

[asmoah]

Just now I bought the blueray player of Panasonic BD-79.As I bought this bcoz it can read vcd n dvds(specially pirated one).hyeah: Totally hassle free work.But after reading this thread I have a doubt that whether my player is region free or not?The back side of box contains a note
"This unit plays BD-video marked with labels containing the region code C" and another one is "This unit plays DVD-video marked with labels containing the region no.5 or ALL"
What does it mean? Do I need any firmware update to this player if I want to play any Region Blueray or dvd(specially purchased from outside India). Right now I don't have any blue ray.But in future if i ordered it from US, then can i able to play it on this player?

 

[asmoah]

Another thing I forgot. Can I able to play any blueray bought online from flipkart or similar websites from India?

 

[just4kix]

Just now I bought the blueray player of Panasonic BD-79.As I bought this bcoz it can read vcd n dvds(specially pirated one).hyeah: Totally hassle free work.But after reading this thread I have a doubt that whether my player is region free or not?The back side of box contains a note
"This unit plays BD-video marked with labels containing the region code C" and another one is "This unit plays DVD-video marked with labels containing the region no.5 or ALL"
What does it mean? Do I need any firmware update to this player if I want to play any Region Blueray or dvd(specially purchased from outside India). Right now I don't have any blue ray.But in future if i ordered it from US, then can i able to play it on this player?

I thought the message is write clear. Your BDP will play all region free discs (BDs as well as DVDs). It will also play BDs from region C and DVDs marked region 5. Nothing else.

If you wish to purchase BDs from USA later make sure that they are region free.

 

[just4kix]

Another thing I forgot. Can I able to play any blueray bought online from flipkart or similar websites from India?

All BDs marketed and sold in India, by Indian retailers, are region free (99.9%) or region C. So they will play on your player.

 

[akd]

Just ordered Pioneer BDP 450 (region A) from ebay.in, once it reaches me will try the firmware update to make it BD region free, I am slightly worried - "will it work", if does not then will go for a region B player (Sony S4100) from amazon UK

will come back with a review, stay tuned

 

[himanita]

Just ordered Pioneer BDP 450 (region A) from ebay.in, once it reaches me will try the firmware update to make it BD region free, I am slightly worried - "will it work", if does not then will go for a region B player (Sony S4100) from amazon UK

will come back with a review, stay tuned

hi
i purchase marantz bd 5005 from hifi mart online delivered well and qick
and unlocked from marantz badra service center
works good

 

[just4kix]

hi
i purchase marantz bd 5005 from hifi mart online delivered well and qick
and unlocked from marantz badra service center
works good

Unlocked/region free for blu-ray as well? If yes, what was done by the service centre? Please share. Thanks.

 

[docd]

hi
i purchase marantz bd 5005 from hifi mart online delivered well and qick
and unlocked from marantz badra service center
works good

I doubt if it is region free for BD. Are you sure? Marantz requires a hardware mod to make it BD region free. Did they do it free of cost or charge you for it. If charged, how much? Please share the details.

 

[akd]

I have purchased Pioneer BDP 450, it has reached me, after intial tests here are my initial impression

1. The player is not sleek, though not heavy
2. It has twin HDMI, digital coaxial, 2 USB,RJ-45 ports, no Wi-Fi
3.it has a front display which is convenient and enough for viewing pleasure
4.Remote feels like a cheap one, its not as responsive as one would expect from a BDP costing more than 10K.
5.user interface is for minimalist, no frills, no way its brilliant, but as I said enough
6.It played both MKV and MP4 fine, it does support both merged SRT and external SRT
7.disc loading time is same as my older LG BD 550
8.disc scanning and REW/FFW for video files are faster than BD 550.
9.on 720p videos Qdeo video processing seems a hair better than the LG BD 550, yet to test on a 540p DVD video.
10.Blu-ray play back is as expected, crisp,detailed
11.It has zooming capability

12. The most important of all "region hack" - The model I bought from ebay.in

Pioneer BDP-450 Blu-ray 3D Player | eBay

has firmware version 2.09. I tried for flashing the FW and installing version 4.04 as suggested in avsforum (post # 77)

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1390589/the-pioneer-bdp-62fd-150-450-2012-blu-ray-player-thread/60

The player didn't recognize the firmware provided in the link over there. I tried USB stick, HDD at least 5 times with many file combination and single file, it just does not work. Read post # 87 which clearly says if you have a 450 with FW 2.09 you can't flash it at all. In this regard if someone has done it successfully can explain.

So as it appears now I have to go for a region B player. Hope I helped some of you

 

[just4kix]

12. The most important of all "region hack" - The model I bought from ebay.in

Pioneer BDP-450 Blu-ray 3D Player | eBay

has firmware version 2.09. I tried for flashing the FW and installing version 4.04 as suggested in avsforum (post # 77)

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1390589/the-pioneer-bdp-62fd-150-450-2012-blu-ray-player-thread/60

The player didn't recognize the firmware provided in the link over there. I tried USB stick, HDD at least 5 times with many file combination and single file, it just does not work. Read post # 87 which clearly says if you have a 450 with FW 2.09 you can't flash it at all. In this regard if someone has done it successfully can explain.

So as it appears now I have to go for a region B player. Hope I helped some of you

As you said that with version 2.09, the firmware does not update (for whatever reasons).

But try the following options and maybe (just maybe) it may work.

1. Put the unzipped firmware file (.FRM or whatever) on a USB stick in root directory. Let there be nothing else on the USB. Connect the USB stick before powering on the BDP. I found this out with my TV. TV's firmware would not update over network because of slow connection. So I downloaded the firmware and put it on USB but TV would not recognize the file. When I powered off the TV and powered it on again, the firmware file was recognized.

2. Burn the firmware file on a CD/DVD-ROM and pop it into the player.

 

[akd]

will try both, the firmware is a .bin file, will get back with the result

 

[Dushie]

I have purchased Pioneer BDP 450, it has reached me, after intial tests here are my initial impression

1. The player is not sleek, though not heavy
2. It has twin HDMI, digital coaxial, 2 USB,RJ-45 ports, no Wi-Fi
3.it has a front display which is convenient and enough for viewing pleasure
4.Remote feels like a cheap one, its not as responsive as one would expect from a BDP costing more than 10K.
5.user interface is for minimalist, no frills, no way its brilliant, but as I said enough
6.It played both MKV and MP4 fine, it does support both merged SRT and external SRT
7.disc loading time is same as my older LG BD 550
8.disc scanning and REW/FFW for video files are faster than BD 550.
9.on 720p videos Qdeo video processing seems a hair better than the LG BD 550, yet to test on a 540p DVD video.
10.Blu-ray play back is as expected, crisp,detailed
11.It has zooming capability

12. The most important of all "region hack" - The model I bought from ebay.in

Pioneer BDP-450 Blu-ray 3D Player | eBay

has firmware version 2.09. I tried for flashing the FW and installing version 4.04 as suggested in avsforum (post # 77)

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1390589/the-pioneer-bdp-62fd-150-450-2012-blu-ray-player-thread/60

The player didn't recognize the firmware provided in the link over there. I tried USB stick, HDD at least 5 times with many file combination and single file, it just does not work. Read post # 87 which clearly says if you have a 450 with FW 2.09 you can't flash it at all. In this regard if someone has done it successfully can explain.

So as it appears now I have to go for a region B player. Hope I helped some of you

I think the solution would be to just downgrade the firmware to a lower version. Then upgrade to the region free firmware. Google it up or check on avs forums i am sure, there would be some solution for the same all you need to do is google it up. Other option is to upgrade to ver 5 firmware, but you need to pay for the same to get the key.

 

[just4kix]

I think the solution would be to just downgrade the firmware to a lower version. Then upgrade to the region free firmware. Google it up or check on avs forums i am sure, there would be some solution for the same all you need to do is google it up. Other option is to upgrade to ver 5 firmware, but you need to pay for the same to get the key.

I don't think downgrading firmware is possible by "normal" means. If the firmware on the device (target) is same version or higher version, then the device does not upgrade the from the source.

 

[manoj.p]

I do not have access to the page at avs, but you need to install cfw 5.x first. Then load 4.0.4.

 

[Dushie]

I do not have access to the page at avs, but you need to install cfw 5.x first. Then load 4.0.4.

So its the other way round, you upgrade to the 5.x and then downgrade to the 4.x firmware. But for 5.x to work the activation key would be needed. Confirmation is needed if without the key one can upgrade and downgrade to 4.04.

 

[manoj.p]

That's the procedure for 2.0.9 firmware, yes. The activation is needed if you want to be on 5.x. But it would let you downgrade. There is more info on the russian forum talking about this. You can find the link to it on avs forum.

 

[Dushie]

i was planning to buy a region free blu ray player for occasionally watching Blu ray. Getting very difficult to decide what to buy. I even messaged the 450 seller on ebay to check and let me know the firmware on the player. Any suggestions which is the best 3D blu ray player out there, which is region free for DVD and plays all regions Blu ray disks.