Region 2 Picture format USA Help!

[UKintheUS]

When i moved to the US i brought many of my Region 2 DVDs with me. My wifes DVD player a Mintek DVD-1600 she had already hacked.

But when i play them back on our 4:3 ratio TV none of the picture formats come out right. I have checked the options it is set to 4:3 Letterbox.

If i play a region 1 disc all is fine, the wide screen is widescreen the 16:9 is 16:9. But play a region 2 disc, widescreen comes out 16:9, and 16:9 comes out 4:3 so all are stretched.

Does anyone else have this problem or know how to sort it?

[TBoneit]

NTSC vs PAL format maybe? All the UK DVDs I've seen are PAL, most region 1 I've seen are NTSC...

Does your player handle multiformat ?
Does your TV handle Multiformat?

That is the reason I have a region free player that also can output either NTSC & PAL as PAL or NTSC & PAL as NTSC.

Don't forget that region free isn't the same as format conversion.

[UKintheUS]

Well the DVD has Auto/NTSC/Pal. If i put it on Auto or PAL the TV will not take the feed but on NTSC its fine, So what you are saying is i need to get a TV that will also take PAL?

If thats ther case anyone in the US know of good model.

[junkmalle]

There's nothing wrong with your TV. Get a DVD player that performs the PAL to NTSC conversion properly.

[UKintheUS]

There's nothing wrong with your TV. Get a DVD player that performs the PAL to NTSC conversion properly.

Cool anyone know any good brand that does this?

[junkmalle]

The Philips DVP-642 is inexpensive, popular, can be made region free (via a few button presses), and can convert PAL/NTSC. It doesn't have the best picture quality though.

[FulciLives]

The Philips does shit PAL to NTSC. The only reason to buy that model Philips player is for DivX and Xvid playback.

For quality PAL to NTSC I suggest you go with a pre-modified JVC (just about any model will do here even the cheapest one) or a pre-modified Pioneer (but only a more recent model like the DV-588 which is a killer quality DVD player that also does DivX and Xvid).

Some websites to check out:

http://www.220-electronics.com/
http://www.hkflix.com/

HK FLIX has the OPPO model which is a most excellent high-end DVD player but it might be more than you need, depending on the type of TV you have.

If you don't have a TV that can work with the capabilites of the OPPO (i.e., a non HDTV) then go with JVC if you are on a "budget" or the Pioneer DV-588 if you don't mind the higher price.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Noahtuck]

What he said 8)

I picked up a brand new Pioneer DV-578A Multi Zone for around $113.00 shipped in aug., play's pretty much everything, DVD-Audio, SACD, MP3, WMA but i'm not sure about DivX and Xvid as i don't use those formats anyways, & looks killer!!
I tried a philips once about a year ago for about 2 day's, packed it up and sent it back :P It did the same thing you are talking about.

[FulciLives]

What he said 8)

I picked up a brand new Pioneer DV-578A Multi Zone for around $113.00 shipped in aug., play's pretty much everything, DVD-Audio, SACD, MP3, WMA but i'm not sure about DivX and Xvid as i don't use those formats anyways, & looks killer!!
I tried a philips once about a year ago for about 2 day's, packed it up and sent it back :P It did the same thing you are talking about.

My understanding is that the 578 and 588 are pretty much identical. My next DVD player will probably be the 588 although the OPPO looks very tempting but there really is no need for it unless you have a HDTV.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman