Thomson Multi-Region Blu-Ray Player (HK Import)

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 31 May 2009, 18:49

http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_deta ... uctID=9720

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 31 May 2009, 19:44

Not a bad price

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 31 May 2009, 23:08

It's okay, for that you can get a UK model at Multiregion Magic. No offence Mark but I'd ignore the Asian imports, you're just asking for trouble.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 01 Jun 2009, 11:47

The Thomson is multi-region out of the box though, no modding required. Can you get a multi-region player anywhere in the UK for less than £242? The reason I'd avoid an Asian import (actually any import) is because of the VAT you'll get hit for. An additional 15% plus handling puts another £36+ on top. If you factor in the VAT charges and it still works out as good value then that's different... Also Thomson are a famous company and were involved with BD from the beginning.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 01 Jun 2009, 13:33

LG and Samsung are even better makes than Thomson, it doesn't mean they can manage to make a flawless BD player.

BD Players, DVD Recorders and to a lesser extent DVD Players aren't like say TVs, they're much more complicated pieces of kit. Meaning the margin for ever is much higher. Samsung make excellent TVs but I wouldn't touch their DVD Recorders with a bargepole.

The same goes for cheapo makes of BD Players. Personally I'd wait until you can get a Panasonic, Sony, Pioneer or similar. The rest still all seem to have problems. Although I've not kept abreast of the current Samsung range.

It seems you're right about the price though. Mrmdvd.com definitely used to sell a Panasonic BD MR for under £300 (Profile 1.1, like this). There has been several articles to say electronic prices would be going up. I guess this is prove of it.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 01 Jun 2009, 16:31

bradavon wrote:Samsung make excellent TVs but I wouldn't touch their DVD Recorders with a bargepole.

You've got that right. We have a Samsung DVD Recorder bought on sale and it's a bit shit frankly.

There has been several articles to say electronic prices would be going up. I guess this is prove of it.

Blu-Ray will never take off like DVD has. It's the new Laserdisc. And current prices ensure it will stay that way.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 01 Jun 2009, 18:44

When I say Samsung DVD Recorders, I also include their HDD/DVD Recorder Combo range (which stupidly all manufacturers still call DVD Recorders), they're even more flaky. They get nothing but shat on at AVForums.

Only a fool (of which I'm not including you here), would ever have thought BD will take off or even replace DVD. It always was going to be a niche market. Downloads or Streaming will be the next truly big thing.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 02 Jun 2009, 17:07

No interest in downloads or streaming as any kind or replacement for discs.

I like an original hard copy to hold in my hand.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 02 Jun 2009, 18:32

I was talking about what's likely to replace DVD, not what you like ;-).

Seriously both have their place. I too am a hard copy man but the idea of also having a wealth of content at my finger tips (like BBC iPlayer) is intriguing to put it likely.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 02 Jun 2009, 18:56

bradavon wrote:Only a fool (of which I'm not including you here), would ever have thought BD will take off or even replace DVD. It always was going to be a niche market. Downloads or Streaming will be the next truly big thing.

Niche as in selling millions and making shitloads of cash.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 02 Jun 2009, 19:13

I think BD *may8* supercede and replace DVD eventually but not for quite a while.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 02 Jun 2009, 22:00

romerojpg wrote:Niche as in selling millions and making shitloads of cash.

It's still something like less than 10% market share. Millions means shit.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 03 Jun 2009, 12:44

bradavon wrote:I was talking about what's likely to replace DVD, not what you like ;-).

I know. I wasn't having a go. Just stating my own position.

Seriously both have their place. I too am a hard copy man but the idea of also having a wealth of content at my finger tips (like BBC iPlayer) is intriguing to put it likely.

True. It's the idea of replacement that concerns me not the additional options.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 21 Jun 2009, 14:40

My usa ps3 has developed the yellow ring of death,if i can't fix it i may get a multi-region BD...prices are outrageous though.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 21 Jun 2009, 16:38

Shite, how old's your PS3?

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 21 Jun 2009, 23:24

gasteropod wrote:Shite, how old's your PS3?

about 27 months old.my son reckons he can fix it,we'll see!

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Jun 2009, 04:14

Yellow ring of death? Sounds like a toilet seat.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Jun 2009, 20:29

How can he fix it?

Sorry to hear that Salty. It sounds like a known fault.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 22 Jun 2009, 20:41

Sony may well put problems into their machines, just because they know the majority of people with just get another PS3

I know I would.

Or toss it down the stairs and claim on insurance

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Jun 2009, 20:48

Can you get MR PS3s now?

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 29 Jun 2009, 17:48

bradavon wrote:How can he fix it?

My son fixed my ps3 with equipment costing a total of £16

console repairers were wanting upwards of £70+ to do the work.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 29 Jun 2009, 17:50

What needed to be done to it?

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 29 Jun 2009, 19:59

bradavon wrote:Can you get MR PS3s now?

I still cannot see it ever happening, becuase you need the latest firmware to play the latest games and discs, without the up to date stuff you cannot even load some discs.
So any hack will nearly always be overwritten somehow by the new firmware. Well in theory

until some boffin makes an amazing piece of code which can also be updated with every new official Sony firmware update.

Still you never know it may be around the corner, we aint in the hackin world, they keep these things close to their sweaty bodies until the word go

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Jun 2009, 21:18

Thanks Romero.

I'm sure the Panasonic BD MR Players are hardware soldered and not firmware related, so you never know. They handle BD just as well as the PS3 does. That said, it's VERY likely if it was possible, it would've been done by now.

If I were to buy one today I'd get a Panasonic or maybe Sony (I don't know much about those), no contest. MR all the way!

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 30 Jun 2009, 08:09

Yup, Panasonics are done via harware mod & can still be firmware updated.

Anything is possible, so I can see the same happening to the PS3 one day.