Region Free Blu Ray players - Toshiba BDX3200KY 3D Blu-ray Player - mini review

-
Region Free Blu Ray players - Toshiba BDX3200KY 3D Blu-ray Player - mini review
There is a sparse selection of Region Free Blu Ray players out there.
Apart from the Oppo series (80, 83, 93 and 95), some other companies make mod boards for Panasonic and other mainstream players, but you will either need to send your player to them or buy a modified player from them.
Dune is another alternative, which has a simple firmware which allows this.
Sonic, Sherwood, and other lesser known brands, also make limited runs of players that allow you to change the region code via a few key presses on the remote.
Apart that these few players, you basically had to restrict your purchases to the regions or follow those forums which share the region coding of the discs like: 
However, there is a new player in the region free world – Toshiba. From the BDX 1200 to the 3100 and now the newer 3D capable BDX 3200.
Some links to reviews:
This player is available in Australia and UK mainly.
To change the region code, you need to go to set up and enter 8520 then change to A B or C. No firmware needed. For DVDs it is already set for region 0 ie region free.
Some specifications off their website:
Features:
1080p 3D Full HD: Enjoy 1080p Full HD playback of both 3D and 2D Blu-ray discs for exceptionally clear and crisp picture quality with vivid colours


HD Audio: BDX3200 supports Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio Essential via HDMI. Both audio technologies deliver 100% lossless transmission ensuring that the output is identical to the original studio recording.

BD-Live™ Profile 2.0 Support: BD-Live™ gives access to interactive features enabled on selected Blu-ray discs and Bonus View support for picture-in-picture capabilities. BD live extends your movie watching experience with access to additional and interactive content and bonus features from the Internet via the Ethernet port and USD drive. You can access bonus features and exclusive downloads such as alternative endings, extra scenes and trailers, live transations to purchase products featured in the movie, online chat and trivia games.
Playable Disc Types & Formats
3D Blu-ray Disc Video, Blu-ray Disc Video, BD-R/RE2.0, BDAV DVD, DVD-Video/DVD-R/+R /DVD-RW/+RW/SVCD/CD-R/CD-RW/CD-Audio AVCHD, AVCREC disc
This is a wee piece of a player, weighing 1.5 kg, and not a lot of metal to it. The remote is a standard job, and responsive enough. There is pretty fast playback, the time taken for the drawer to emerge from a switched off position is impressive and the whole player feels spritely, especially if you come to the older 1.3 HDMI players of just a year back. Certainly on par with the Oppo and other major brands like Sony and Panasonic.
This is a HDMI 1.4 capable player, so it does 3D and plays most major formats except SACD and DVD-A. Owners of VCDs will be glad to know that this player supports them, a feature which other players usually leave out.
There is even a USB port for USB media playback. This is a basic player, and if you need wi fi, apps, DNLA or other functions, it is not for you.
It also leaves out 2D to 3D conversion. And there is no 7.1 channel analogue output either.
What it does well and simply is playback Blu Ray. And in terms of picture quality and sound for Blu Ray playback, if you are using a small screen, i.e. 50" and under, you won't feel like you have lost out much to the more expensive alternatives.
However if upscaling of DVDs and usage of larger screens is needed, or you really look for details, you will still be better off with the higher end ones. This is not surprising, as an earlier shootout indicated that the modern BR player has very similar outputs when playing BR discs.
Music playback is fair, so this player is not going to scare the audiophile orientated brands or replace that CD player of yours, but via HDMI it is reasonable since the sound quality will be more reliant on the DACs in the AV amp.
The market is crowded with basic players, so what sets aside this player is the magical Region Free Playback capability, via a few simple key presses.
This player is available in Australia and UK mainly.
To change the region code, you need to go to set up and enter 8520 then change to A B or C. No firmware needed. For DVDs it is already set for region 0 ie region free.
At Aus 180 or about UK GBP 130, this player is a nice little bargain and now you can go online and shop to your heart's delight, without worrying about region coding.
 So the bottom line is, get this if you are interested in a simple region free capable BR player for not a lot of money.

Footnote:
The firmware for region free play can be found here (only for this model):
http://de-aacs.com/bdx3200ky-region-free.php

Comments

  1. Unknown22 January 2014 at 20:44

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KEF LS 50 Meta review and comparison with the LS50

-
Image
The original KEF LS50 was one of those landmark speakers, a pocket rocket which performed at a much higher level than what it’s price tag might indicate. The original LS50 has been widely reviewed, and is well regarded by audiophiles everywhere.  However it does have some bite in the treble and lacks some deep bass, and works better for music which does not go too deep or with a sub to reinforce the bass. But what it does have is fabulous imaging, which allows you to how off great soundstaging, depth, and definition. If you are into details, you’ll love them. The coaxial design is also wonderful for those who sit a bit off axis. The construction is a marvel in itself and with a modern design, a beautiful gloss finish and a quality build. No wonder it’s loved by music lovers the world over. Now recently KEF has introduced the new KEF Meta. This is an updated version of the original and whilst it can look deceivingly the same, there are significant differences. First a link to the offici
Read more

Dynaudio Heritage Special Speaker Review

-
Image
Dynaudio is a company that has been in the speaker business for more than forty years and prides itself on making most of its components in house, especially the drivers and most of the cabinetry. Through the years they have developed many beloved components for their top end products and have also distilled them down to the masses whenever they launch a special edition. So they have adopted a similar format and take some of their finest drivers, an Esotar 3 tweeter and a woofer derived from the Evidence range and placed them into a more traditional walnut veneer speaker for us to sample.  Thus the Heritage Special (HS) was born. The catch ? Well there are two.. firstly it’s by no means cheap, even though it uses choice components. Second there are only 2500 pairs so if you’re waiting to get one, don’t ! And that’s the sum of my review if you may. If you’re a Dynaudio afficiando, just plonk down the deposit that had planned for the annual summer holiday and get this instead. Now reader
Read more

Setting Up A Mesh Network In Your Home - tips and links

-
Image
If you buy an older place, you need to check if the fibre cable is still working, and you also need to brush up on certain terms: FTP   (first termination point) ONT  (Optical Network Terminal -  also called the modem) connects to the First Termination Point (TP) https://support.myrepublic.com.sg/hc/en-us/articles/115003469974-Basic-ONT-Modem-Information-and-Troubleshooting OpenNet is the local company assigned to install the FTP, now they are called Netlink Trust. Intially they have gotten a bad rep simply because they were overwhelmed. Everyone was going into fibre a few years bad.  You need to call them to do the FTP setup. But first, find out if your home has already been reached by optical fibre. Then check if the line still works. Eg, if your builder has cut the line, then you might be in trouble. Now those chaps will charge you $160 for apartments or $288 for landed properties. You need to give them 2 weeks notice and select from a menu of dates. Then they will su
Read more