Multi-Region Panasonic Blu-Ray?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 29 Dec 2008, 21:00

http://www.webelectricals.co.uk/eStore/ ... 20CE00F%7D

Great price if it's genuine.

They don't say HOW but I presume it's been chipped in some way.

Anyone heard anything about this?

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 29 Dec 2008, 21:14

Are you sure it doesn't just mean it's multiregion for DVD? they advertise sony's as multi-region as well but i bet they mean dvd

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Dec 2008, 22:20

I bet that's what they mean. It's DVD MR but not BD MR for £219 from Multiregion Magic. Add BD MR and it sky rockets to £349:

http://www.mrmdvd.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_98

TBH I'd pick up the BD30 for £269.

The BD35 is Profile 2.0 whereas the BD30 is Profile 1.1 but big deal. The BD30 does have 5.1 analogue outputs in it's favour (dropped on the BD35), meaning lossless audio on legacy amps. If that floats your boat.

The premium BD50 and BD55 are both Profile 2.0 (5.1 analogue on the BD50 and 7.1 on the BD55). It's a rip off but the price difference must mean (to an extent anyway) it's a fair amount of work to alter.

p.s - If it is true, it's an incredible price. Pop them an e-mail Mark.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 29 Dec 2008, 23:36

It is undoubtedly just M/R for DVD, just look at their other listings:

http://www.webelectricals.co.uk/eStore/ ... B04C55A3B2}

Although they do further stipulate in the product page that they're DVD M/R, I assume they just forgot to do that with the Panny.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 30 Dec 2008, 00:04

Bah!!!

If you guys are right then that's false advertising.

"Panasonic DMP-BD35 Multiregion Blu-ray Player"

To me that means MULTIREGION BLU RAY.

There's no mention of DVD at all.

I bet you're right... bloody chancers.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 30 Dec 2008, 00:42

bradavon wrote:The BD30 does have 5.1 analogue outputs in it's favour (dropped on the BD35), meaning lossless audio on legacy amps. If that floats your boat.

The DMP-BD30 only internally decodes Dolby Digital and DTS signals to pump through the analogue outputs. HD codecs are only available via bitstream through the HDMI interface.

The DMP-BD50 internally decodes all the HD audio formats for use with the analogue outputs.

All Panasonic BD players require a chip soldered onto the board to become multi-region for Blu-ray Discs. For multi-region DVD playback, they can all be hacked via remote control.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 30 Dec 2008, 01:09

A guy who either runs or works for one of the Multiregion DVD/Blu-Ray Player etailers says he's convinced that the Panasonic players can be made M/R via a remote hack, just no one has figured it out yet. Would be nice if true.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 30 Dec 2008, 01:46

IronMonkey wrote:The DMP-BD30 only internally decodes Dolby Digital and DTS signals to pump through the analogue outputs. HD codecs are only available via bitstream through the HDMI interface.

I didn't know that, thanks. What a crock of shit. Analogue outputs on a BD Player but not supporting HD Audio, pathetic! And largely a complete waste of time (in 2008). Who doesn't have Optical on their Amp?

Even my LG BH200 can on-board decode everything (except DTS-HD) but it lacks Analogue outputs. The Samsung BD-UP5000 also on-board decodes like the LG but does have 5.1 Analogue outputs.

Does the BD35 onboard decode then sent over HDMI or is this the Premium models only?

IronMonkey wrote:The DMP-BD50 internally decodes all the HD audio formats for use with the analogue outputs.

Good to hear.

How does the BD55 differ? Except 7.1 vs. 5.1.

Shingster wrote:A guy who either runs or works for one of the Multiregion DVD/Blu-Ray Player etailers says he's convinced that the Panasonic players can be made M/R via a remote hack, just no one has figured it out yet. Would be nice if true.

I bet it's possible.

No one thought it was possible with the LG BH200 until that hack was discovered. That said, even some Panasonic and Sony DVD Players to this day need hardware hacks.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 30 Dec 2008, 12:23

bradavon wrote:I didn't know that, thanks. What a crock of shit. Analogue outputs on a BD Player but not supporting HD Audio, pathetic! And largely a complete waste of time (in 2008). Who doesn't have Optical on their Amp?

Some people still use amps that don't have optical but do have 6 channel analogues. The reason they didn't put HD decoding on the DMP-BD30 is so that they would have a reason to bring out the DMP-BD50.

bradavon wrote:Does the BD35 onboard decode then sent over HDMI or is this the Premium models only?

The DMP-BD35 can onboard decode and bitstream, whichever the amp needs to function.

bradavon wrote:How does the BD55 differ? Except 7.1 vs. 5.1.

On the audio side, the only difference is 7.1 analog output on the DMP-BD55 as opposed to 5.1 output on the DMP-BD50.

This doesn't make any difference to me as I can't fit the extra 2 speakers in my room and my amp only has 5.1 analog input anyway. Besides, how many BDs do you see that actually carry a 7.1 channel soundtrack? I haven't seen many.

Shingster wrote:A guy who either runs or works for one of the Multiregion DVD/Blu-Ray Player etailers says he's convinced that the Panasonic players can be made M/R via a remote hack, just no one has figured it out yet. Would be nice if true.

I would be surprised if that wasn't true. But remember, it took years for Panasonic's DVD multi-region code to be leaked, so it may take a while for the BD one to be leaked too.

bradavon wrote:That said, even some Panasonic and Sony DVD Players to this day need hardware hacks.

Only the older models need hardware hacks. The region code remote hack doesn't work on a lot of the older players. My first Panasonic (DVD-RV60) needed a mod chip. My second (DVD-S75) just needed a remote hack.

My DMP-BD50 is fitted with a mod chip to enable multi-region for BDs, and is also remote-hacked to enable multi-region DVD playback.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 30 Dec 2008, 18:25

IronMonkey wrote:Some people still use amps that don't have optical but do have 6 channel analogues.

True, I know. It must be relatively low though, especially when we're discussing BD not DVD Players.

IronMonkey wrote:The reason they didn't put HD decoding on the DMP-BD30 is so that they would have a reason to bring out the DMP-BD50.

Yep it just seems like a cheap skate thing to do, given that Analogue Outputs are specifically there for on-board decoding to legacy amps. I cannot imagine many will use them, if they only carry PCM from DD5.1/DTS.

IronMonkey wrote:The DMP-BD35 can onboard decode and bitstream, whichever the amp needs to function.

That is impressive then, on-board decode DTS-HD/TrueHD and Profile 2.0.

Especially given that you really need to use on-board decoding to be able to listen to lossless audio and PIP Commentaries.

bradavon wrote:On the audio side, the only difference is 7.1 analog output on the DMP-BD55 as opposed to 5.1 output on the DMP-BD50.

Any other differences? Thanks

IronMonkey wrote:This doesn't make any difference to me as I can't fit the extra 2 speakers in my room

Me either. I am suspicious over how much better it can sound. It's not like the jump from Dolby Surround to DD5.1 which was technically only 1 extra sub but meant you got a discrete sub channel, rear stereo and 5 discrete audio channels.

6.1 and 7.1 just add 1-2 extra speakers. Like you really don't have the room or frankly inclination for yet more speakers. It can start to get silly very quickly.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 31 Dec 2008, 16:12

I mailed Web Electricals...

Their response: "The bd35 blu ray is multiregion dvd only and will not play american blu ray discs."

So basically a big fat fucking lie.

Must be against trading standards to advertise a multiregion blu-ray player that isn't multiregion for blu-ray.

Nowhere in the ad does it mention multiregion for DVD.

It says "multiregion Blu Ray".

That's pretty clear to me.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 31 Dec 2008, 18:20

Yeah, they'll be having to give a few refunds methinks, very misleading.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 31 Dec 2008, 18:26

Report them then!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 01 Jan 2009, 22:10

I would if I had bought it!

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 01 Jan 2009, 23:47

Can't you report them anyway? Isn't the e-mail evidence enough?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 02 Jan 2009, 16:32

What's the fucking point?

They didn't lie to me personally.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 02 Jan 2009, 19:38

There's no point, it wouldn't get you a free player would it. You did the right thing to ask, agreed it sucks but move on.

Granted it's not pocket change and I appreciate you want to buy a BD Player but for only £57 more (you're already spending over £200) you can have what you're after. Either that or wait a wee while longer I bet the drop prices will drop further.