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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

DVD tech mumbling

18:00 / 15.11.03

So bascially I don't know anything..

Are DVDs compatible with any TV set, or only some?

Can you have both a VHS and a DVD player and alternate between them (as in: one plugged in at a time) without too much messing about or retuning?

How easy are multi-region DVD players to find? are they considerably more expensive?

Which brands / models are particularly shitty or to be avoided?

and so on.

19:10 / 15.11.03

Yeah, you'll be able to plug a DVD player into any TV using the RF connection, but ideally you'll want a TV with a Scart. Check the back of your telly for a rectangular socket with 21 holes in it. You might have two in fact, which will mean you will be able to connect your VHS and DVD without having to alternate.

Multi-region players are easy to find but they tend to be a little more expensive. And why pay more when you can get a region 2 player and convert it yourself using one of the cheat codes that are widely availible on the net?

As for brands and models I'm not really up-to-date enough to suggest anything in particular, but the usual rules apply. I'd recommend a trip to Richer Sounds.

Hope that's some kind of help, Rizla. I'm really not the most technical of Barbeloids, but none of them seems to be around.

20:33 / 15.11.03

Thing you cannot do:

you cannot plug a DVD player via scart into a video recorder, and then plug the video into the tv by an RF (aerial) lead. The DVD will come out green. This is because video recorders have anti-copying technology in them. So ideally, you need a scart socket on the back of your TV. Scart is dead easy to set up - put one end in the DVD, other in the telly, set the telly to a scart in channel and you're done.

Multi-regions are dirt cheap, now; I believe Amazon do one for around £50 or so - they DEFINITELY have an R2 DVD player for £40 now.

"Particularly shitty" - well, up to a point, all are much of a muchness as they all use the same componentry. Cheap Pioneers are well-regarded, but really, if you're only going to plug it into a cheapo mono-sound 14" telly, then any old one will do. Around £100 will get you a pretty decent (Toshiba, Pioneer) one, and maybe multi-region if you're lucky. It's ages since I've checked Richer Sounds prices, but they're very good.

Alternating between VHS and DVD: not too hard. The video goes in via RF, so comes on a channel on your telly that you've tuned it to. To get to the DVD, you push "AV in" or its equivalent on the telly, and the DVD goes through the scart. Simple. No retuning, just the addition of the DVD player.

23:34 / 15.11.03

Some TVs automatically switch to their Scart/AV channel as soon as you turn the DVD player on, so you might not even need to worry about which button to press on the remote.

07:30 / 16.11.03

Naahhh, just get yourself a DVD ROM drive for your PC. The resolution will be better, and it's easier to control.

08:55 / 16.11.03

Um, it's not easier to control. Sorry. Give me a remote control over a mouse any day. And seeing as the question is about DVDs to go under a telly, it's not a very helpful answer. Also, I don't think Rizla wants to get into flashing firmware to make it multi-region.

Mister Six, whom all the girls

14:55 / 16.11.03

I highly recommend getting an APEX AD-1500 DVD player. It'll cost you about $50 and you can download firmware to turn it into a Multi region player. If you decide to go this route, I urge you to pay attention to the model. Oh and stay away from VHS/DVD players. All the ones I've seen are crap. Avoid paying over $80 in any case.

12:59 / 29.12.03

So I've finally got myself a nice DVD player for Xmas. Hurrah.

I've got my doubts as to whether it's actually multi-region though.. the receipt says 'Multi-Region', there's a big sticker on the box saying 'Multi-Region', but the instruction manual makes no reference to multi-region-ness and the back of the actual player gives a rather unencouraging 'Region 2'..

What's up here? Amazon selling standard DVDs as multi-region ones for some baffling reason (as presumably everyone who buys one is gonna find out and complain at some point)? Or, alternatively, am I just being dumb?

Warrington Minge

18:04 / 01.01.04

What make is it Rizla?

16:40 / 02.01.04

Pioneer.

What I figure is that maybe they've altered the player to make it multi-region before selling it, hence the sticker on the box. Somebody's volunteered to lend me an American DVD so I can try it out anyway..

Warrington Minge

22:24 / 02.01.04

I think a fair few of Pioneer Dvd players are indeed multi region. Normally the way it works in the uk is that the cheaper the player the more likely it is to be multi region. I can recall seeing NTSC/PAL Pioneer Dvd palyers around in many UK electrical shops. The american Dvd your friend is lending you should play automatically as soon as you put it in your player. Good luck.