PAL Playback on US DVD Players

[Sefy]

I want to send a friend of mine, a DVD i've made (not region protected) but in PAL standard, I want to make sure it plays on most US DVD Players, is it possible ? or do you guys have issues when playing PAL DVD Movies ?

[hech54]

My family still lives in the U.S.....I am here in Germany. I send them PAL/Region Free DVD's all of the time. I would still call it "Hit or Miss" as far as your friend being able to play it though. Alot of DVD players can read PAL DVD's nowadays in America....but the TV's are another story.
I'd ask for his make and model number on his DVD Player and check here in the DVD Players/compatibility section....that should give you a start at least.

[FulciLives]

In the USA most mainstream brands of DVD players cannot properly play back PAL DVD discs ... even if the DVD is region free.

There are a number of DVD players that will play PAL DVD discs and even convert to NTSC (which we need since 99.9% of USA televisions are NTSC only) but this is on very few mainstream make/models.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[mariop]

The Toshiba 4900 at Bestbuy.com sells for under $100. It has built in PAL to NTSC converter. I have one and it works great.

[scopophilia]

is this stil on the site? i can't seem to find it and really want this player. my local store no longer carries it, it's no longer in production.

The Toshiba 4900 at Bestbuy.com sells for under $100. It has built in PAL to NTSC converter. I have one and it works great.

[FulciLives]

The Cyberhome CH-DVD 500 is a great progressive scan DVD player that can be made region free with a simple remote control code. You can also disable copy protection with it (both Macrovision and CGMS/A).

It will convert PAL to NTSC and does a damn good job of it!

You can order it direct from the CYBERHOME website for $79.95 USD

Of all the DVD players that do PAL to NTSC this is really one of the best ... don't let the low price fool you.

I have had one for well over a year now and I absolutely love it.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Gazorgan]

My $40 Apex and my $60 Opterite both convert PAL to NTSC on the fly just fine (and the other way as well). Of course I bought them because they do that (and support CVD/xSVCD/xVCD/etc). However, you probably have a 1/3 chance of it working. The newer and cheaper the player, the better the odds. A $200 RCA won't play squat :P

[Omat]

Hi John,

For the Cyberhome CH-DVD500, is it easy to turn off Macrovision? In the sense that I can do it using the remote or simply pushing some buttons? If I buy the player, where can I find this info?

Thanks,
OMAT

[FulciLives]

Hi John,

For the Cyberhome CH-DVD500, is it easy to turn off Macrovision? In the sense that I can do it using the remote or simply pushing some buttons? If I buy the player, where can I find this info?

Thanks,
OMAT

It's easy enough to do but depending on the DVD being played it might not "stick".

1.) You have to do it everytime a DVD is inserted.
2.) Some DVD discs reset the Macro to on when you change menu or go from menu to movie. In that case you have to start the movie ... immediately stop it ... do the macro trick ... then restart the movie.

It's not the best way since many other DVD players can turn the macro off all the time but it is the only DVD player I am aware of that does proper PAL to NTSC while allowing the macro and CGMS/A to be turned off. Most other converting type DVD players have NO WAY to turn off the copy protection. So the Cyberhome CH-DVD 500 is unique in this way eventhough it can be a bit of a pain with some discs.

The hack for the region code is easy though ... do it once never need to do it again. And the PAL to NTSC option is already built-in no code is needed for that.

Check out the Cyberhome forum on the NERD-OUT website for the region free and copy protection hacks.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman