Availability of multi region dvd player in the Philippines

[loster]

I plan on giving a few commercial region 1 dvd to relatives in the Philippines. How likely are they to have a multi region dvd player that will play them? I know that it is common in some areas to have these players but I'm not sure about the Philippines. I think that the Philippines uses NTSC but I'm not sure.

[turk690]

The Philippines, as in most of SE Asia, is flooded with cheap Chinese-made DVD players that will play most anything you throw at them, region 1 and all, PAL, NTSC, and a raft of odd-resolutioned and framerated DiVx clips on a USB thumbdrive inserted in the same. If you want brand-names (LG, Sony, etc), even though the Philippines is officially DVD region 3, most such players are all-region out of the box. Your relatives can take that region 1 DVD to test it against a potential purchase.
The Philippines is swimming in a sea of pirated stuff that spill off down from the sidewalks up to the tony malls. The quality of these is the absolute pits but people there mostly don't care. That is why, for example, stereo TV sound has been the norm in other countries in the world since the mid-80s, but that one big network ABS-CBN absolutely resolutely refuses to broadcast in stereo. Why should they when people don't give a damn either way? NTSC-M as a broadcast system is now officially dead, at least where the USA is concerned. It could live on as a dinosaur in places like the Philippines, where, I bet a finger ABS-CBN will also never see the point of broadcasting in any form of HD (which would surely mean, gasp!, that they HAVE to have stereo sound now LMAO)...
So, my friend, don't fret about whether there are region 1-capable DVD players in the Philippines or not. The Philippines will remain a dumping ground for grindingly cheap Chinese DVD players for a long time to come, to play those horrible NTSC DVDs with, original or otherwise. The powers-that-be (and I suppose the vast majority of the populace, sadly) will never embrace HD in their lifetimes.

[loster]

Thanks for the information.

[joy]

The Philippines will remain a dumping ground for grindingly cheap Chinese DVD players for a long time to come, to play those horrible NTSC DVDs with, original or otherwise. The powers-that-be (and I suppose the vast majority of the populace, sadly) will never embrace HD in their lifetimes.

It's not only in the Philippines that the Chinese are dumping their cheap DVD players and not only players, "EVERYTHING". Look at all the products displayed on the shelves in the stores here in the US. I bet you 90 something percent of all those you see are "Chinese made".

[redwudz]

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Moderator redwudz