Region 1 only vcds/dvds

I want to get some old tv shows from Amazon.com but it seems that they are all region 1 only.

How can I watch this stuff here? On my TV?

I beg for mercy from the gee…I mean well informed people in this forum, such as Miltownkid, asI know how he feels now to go into the IP forum.

Don’t hurt me. :slight_smile:

You need a region free (or region 1, I suppose) DVD player. Your TV will be fine, since the US and Taiwan are both NTSC. I believe VCDs don’t have regions, but someone else will know.

I have managed to buy region-free DVD players at both 3C and Dai-ichi, although you may need to ask them to “unlock” it for you. With some models it is possible to DIY with help from the net, but asking is the easier option :slight_smile:

Now here’s a perfect example of someone who wants to legally buy DVDs and watch them on his legally bought TV and DVD player. What’s more, the same DVDs CANNOT be bought in his local region. Seems fair enough, right?

Feckin DVD region Nazis!!

You need to have a look at this thread, jdsmith.

[url]Multi-region DVD Player

[quote=“jdsmith”]I want to get some old tv shows from Amazon.com but it seems that they are all region 1 only.

How can I watch this stuff here? On my TV?

I beg for mercy from the gee…I mean well informed people in this forum, such as Miltownkid, asI know how he feels now to go into the IP forum.

Don’t hurt me. :slight_smile:[/quote]
A regionfree or mult-region DVD player would be the best option. Usually the cheap ones that sell at department stores and 3C shops are multiregion out of the box, branded ones need to be modified which is often hassle and may come at an extra charge. And not all shops will do that for you.

As daasgrrl pointed out there should be no compability issue since the US and Taiwan use both NTSC. I can also confirm that VCDs do not have region coding though VCD picture quality is mediocre at best (IMHO), hence I would prefer DVDs.

This I get.

[quote]
branded ones need to be modified which is often hassle and may come at an extra charge.[/quote]

This I do not get. Branded? What? Is it a steer?

But thank you all. I’ll check out 3C for mutli-regional dvd players.

Peace

He means “name brand” eg Pioneer, Sony. While the ones with prestigious names like DVDinfo (one of which I bought) can be multi-region straight out of the box. Interestingly, the instruction booklet claimed it was single-region (possibly for legal reasons), but the staff knew it wasn’t.

I got a Sampo for around 3,000NT and they took off the region block for me in the store. (Actually, there isn’t much to add, but I thought I should say something sense I was mentioned in the original post :slight_smile: .)

I also think mine was the more expensive of the two Sampo models they had (it had a mic jack for KTV that I though I’d use and never have).

[quote=“jdsmith”]I want to get some old tv shows from Amazon.com but it seems that they are all region 1 only.

How can I watch this stuff here? On my TV?

I beg for mercy from the gee…I mean well informed people in this forum, such as Miltownkid, asI know how he feels now to go into the IP forum.

Don’t hurt me. :slight_smile:[/quote]

What old TV shows are you thinking of buying?

[quote]
What old TV shows are you thinking of buying?[/quote]

Well, they’re more for my son, so…

The Brady Bunch
Little House on the Prarie

Haven’t really gone through amazon in detail yet.

I was just in the USA last week and saw the Brady Bunch DVD set but opted for Green Acres instead for my kids. Unfortunately they are still too young to appreciate it. Also picked up Hogans Heroes for my self.

Most DVD players I’ve seen in Taiwan are region free and if they arn’t they can remove the restrictions for you. The process takes like 5 seconds, just chage the firmware.

There is a lot of good stuff in amazon.com

mash
SOAP! which I love
Fat Albert

hmmm.wheres my credit card?? :slight_smile:

All DVD players are unlockable as they are coded in the software and not with chips or in the hardware like computer DVD players are nowadays. As a result, you may be able to find (for free) the code to unlock your current player and make it whatever region you’d like it to be, Region ‘0’ being all region.

I’ve cracked players for dozens of friends; it’s very easy. Put the make and model into google, along with the words "region free’ or ‘crack’ and you’ll get pages that host these codes for doing it. It might take a few attempts, but it’s better than having to buy a new player.

[quote=“Mianbao”]All DVD players are unlockable as they are coded in the software and not with chips or in the hardware like computer DVD players are nowadays. As a result, you may be able to find (for free) the code to unlock your current player and make it whatever region you’d like it to be, Region ‘0’ being all region.

I’ve cracked players for dozens of friends; it’s very easy. Put the make and model into google, along with the words "region free’ or ‘crack’ and you’ll get pages that host these codes for doing it. It might take a few attempts, but it’s better than having to buy a new player.[/quote]

Nice…thanks a bunch.

I had no problems watching any DVD with VLC player (open source).
Get it at videolan.org

Post back if you need help.

sunpascal