Budget-priced Multi-region Blu Ray player in Australia.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:46

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php ... ;7091;pt;1

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2009, 20:38

Are you sure it's not a 1980s VCR? It sure looks like one

. It's a good sign but I'd be wary about buying a "budget make" when it comes to BD Players.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 05 Feb 2009, 07:14

I think it's only sold IN Australia anyways...

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 05 Feb 2009, 09:12

Doesn't exactly look asthetically pleasing....

eon · Post by **eon** » 08 Feb 2009, 10:57

We've actually got another blu-ray player here that is region free as well:

It's from another cheap brand here (like Kogan):

http://www.soniqav.com/Qplay.php?mdm=79 ... e05ecae40e

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2009, 13:19

That one looks a whole lot better. Does it do on-board DTS-HD MA decoding? Even if it doesn't it still looks very good indeed. What is disc compatibility like?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 08 Feb 2009, 22:18

I've seen a lot worse looking machines. And the specs appear on the surface to be pretty good. Any reviews? I've never heard of the company so have no idea if their hardware is well regarded or not. Nice to see the voltage is compatable with the UK. Probably tough to import though?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 08 Feb 2009, 22:33

Here's a thread about the Soniq.

http://www.dtvforum.info/lofiversion/in ... 72974.html

Clearly it's no dud. Excellent BD image quality (no so great with DVD but as we have another player for that so no biggie).

Profile 1.1 too (don't care about 2.0 myself).

The only niggle is that the you have to use a code EVERY time you want to watch a disc from another region. (I presume this means the automatic setting is Reg B/4)

I wonder if this can be ordered in the UK? Mind you shipping would be effing outrageous... and then there's customs....

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2009, 23:27

Markgway wrote:Nice to see the voltage is compatable with the UK

That was a given

. Australia has always used the same voltage as us. AFAIK it's really on The Americas who differ.

Markgway wrote:no so great with DVD but as we have another player for that so no biggie

I imagine it's perfectly acceptable. My LG HD Combo isn't as good as my old Pioneer DVD Player but frankly it's still perfectly fine.

Markgway wrote:The only niggle is that the you have to use a code EVERY time you want to watch a disc from another region. (I presume this means the automatic setting is Reg B/4)

Again a given. There is no such thing as BD Region Free. Every single MR Player you've had to switch regions. If you mean it's locked to SD DVD R4 then that is unusual.

Seriously you aren't going to fine BD Region Free, it doesn't exist. As most BDs are Region Free anyway, it's really no big deal. It would be worse for SD DVD.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 08 Feb 2009, 23:49

As most blu discs are region free anyways the region changing shit would only be an occasional issue anytime you need to watch a Region A film. But what's great is that you at least have that option.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 09 Feb 2009, 10:20

Markgway wrote:As most blu discs are region free anyways the region changing shit would only be an occasional issue anytime you need to watch a Region A film. But what's great is that you at least have that option.

That is so true. I've got a multi-region Panasonic DMP-BD50 which I paid quite a lot extra for, but I've yet to change the region (using the remote when it is in standby) because I haven't even bought any Region A discs yet!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 09 Feb 2009, 12:47

Damn. Appears you can only buy this machine in AU. Sold exclusively thru one company and they don't ship internationally. Why don't we have a British equivilent???

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 09 Feb 2009, 13:46

I've changed mine a few times but mostly it stays on RA.

I own My Blueberry Nights, There will be Blood (USA is Region Free), Leon and House of Flying Daggers all Region B. I think that's it, the rest are Region Free + the odd Region A. You just know, as soon as you buy a locked player, the best BD ever will be released

.

I like the idea I can play all regions of Blu-ray plus HD-DVD. I did pay much more than you would though Mark

.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 09 Feb 2009, 15:45

bradavon wrote:You just know, as soon as you buy a locked player, the best BD ever will be released .

I half expect that.

I like the idea I can play all regions of Blu-ray plus HD-DVD. I did pay much more than you would though Mark .

Yeah, I mean obviously it is great to have all the options like you do. But you paid waaaay more than I ever would for the privilage. I guess the individual has to decide how much it's worth to them.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 09 Feb 2009, 18:50

You don't have to pay what I did today and prices will keep falling. I paid £500 as I wanted a specific (impossible to get in this country) player but you can get them for £270 now (obviously without HD-DVD) which is a good price.

Prices will only continue to fall. Personally I'd wait until prices fall to a level you're happy with. Back when I bought mine I'd have gone for a locked player as MR was virtually non-existent (I was lucky a hack was found for mine) but today I'd only buy MR, no contest. The selection is much bigger than it was.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 10 Feb 2009, 00:04

I'm in the process of trying to get my Sony S350 chipped for Region A+B, but fuck me the people out there offering this service are a right bunch of half arsed jokers. Already had to force a return of my player + refund from one place, now I'm on my 2nd place and it took them almost a week just to pick my feckin player up from the depot after they weren't around to recieve the package on the day it was delivered. Now they've not got back in touch with me or anything (i've yet to pay them) so fingers crossed!