DAV-S880 Multi-region

[Chich]

Hi,

I've searched high and low all through the world of the internet, and cannot seem to find any way of making my Sony DAV-S880 DVD player multi region.

Although many sites around the world claim that these systems are multi region when they are created, this is simply untrue.

I have a region 4 DAV-S880, and have recently purchased region 1 & 3 DVDs, expecting these to play.

However, when I put them into the DVD player - it simply spits them back out to me and says that the DVD is locked due to region restrictions.

How do I go about switching the player to multi region?

Thanks.

[Chich]

It would appear that nobody is aware of any hacks for this particular model.

Can someone point me in the direction of any good websites where this kind of information may be?

Thanks.

[Chich]

OK - get ready for a long post...

I purchased this DVD Player/Surround Sound in Australia. It plays region 4 discs without a problem. After putting in a region 1 disc, I found that the DVD player is NOT multi region (I was told by the sales rep that it was multi region).
The player would only play region 4 discs.

I therefore proceeded to log a problem with Sony Australia about it, but they have done nothing about the problem.
I contacted the store who sold me the system (Megamart) and told them that it wasn't playing region 1 DVDs. He then put in a region 2 DVD (on the display model) and it played!
So I checked my region 1 DVDs in the display model, and they worked!
The problem obviously lied with my player.

After futher investigation I found that Sony Australia receive the players as Region 4 only players. They then convert them to Multi Region. However, the first shipment of these players to Australia DO NOT have Multi Region enabled..
The only way you can tell if the Multi Region capability has been enabled is by looking closely at the packaging. If Sony Australia have converted it to Multi Region, then there will be a square white sticker on the top of the cardboard packaging saying "This box has been opened by Sony Australia".
If your box doesn't have that sticker - then your player IS NOT multi region. Take it back to the store you purchased it from and get them to swap it over for one with the white sticker.

I hope that this helps any one who has had similiar troubles as me.

Enjoy!