Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK How do I get into its hidden setup menu (Service Menu)

[RS456]

I have a Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK (US version R1) and I am wondering how I get into its secret setup menu (Service Menu). I read that it you can change the region code there and even enable some features which disabled by default on your player but are enabled on the overseas version of the same player. Old method for getting into Panasonic DVD secret menu (Service Menu) (for the ES Dvd models) was hold timeskip, stop, and dvd open/close buttons simultateously for 5 seconds which does not seem to work on this model. I am guessing whatever it is should be the same as what it is for the EZ485 and EZ48V.

[hech54]

I am guessing whatever it is should be the same as what it is for the EZ485 and EZ48V.

There are no hacks listed here for the 48V:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/panasonic-dmr-ez48v/9209

[RS456]

It is not a hack. It is a secret menu built into all dvd players which is used by most authorized service technicians to easily fix certain issues that may arrise over time when a player comes in for repair. How it is accessed differs from brand to brand. There is a chance all EZ models are accessed the same way.

[hech54]

It is not a hack.

A code or series of buttons that you press on the remote or player that allows the use access to a hidden portion of the player's menu in order to change the region codes of the player is a "hack". The vast majority of hackable players are "hacked" this way....a few others(very few) require a file resembling firmware to be either burned to a disc or copied to a USB stick in order to change the region code.
Having said this....not all players are hackable....especially the big-name ones(the exception being Philips). Players are becoming less and less hackable by the minute. They are now few and far-between especially since Blu-Ray players are EXTREMELY difficult to hack. There are only a few hackable Blu-Ray players and even that hack usually only applies to DVD playback....not Blu-Ray playback.

Good enough for you or shall I continue?
Many people who finally get this through their heads usually then wait a few days then come back here to say that they found a super-secret mystery solution to their problem, then decline to share it.....meaning they are lying.
Please don't be that guy. I really hope you find a hack for your player....but the odds are stacked against you. You are between 3 and 5 years too late.

[RS456]

Actually that service menu exists was confirmed by both Panasonic and Samsung when I asked them but they are not revealing how to access it saying only service technicians can only access it. In that service menu from what I read I found you can easily switch from NTSC to Pal or Pal to NTSC and even change region codes but how to access it by trial and error is the difficult part. Methods to access it is like the the method I mentioned above which is very hard to guess by trial and error.

[usually_quiet]

Service technicians probably don't use a combination of buttons to access the service menu. They most likely have a service remote that allows them to do that. There may or may not be a combination of buttons that someone without a service remote can use to access the same menu.

[oldfart13]

Some TVs also have the service menu. I had a hell of a time getting a Diamondvison (Mitsubishi) back to it's default settings so watch it if you do go down this route. Not for the faint of heart. Many of the service remote codes are available if you go look but you need a Harmony remote or a Palm Pilot or other way of inputting them without getting that expesive remote. Why do people seem to feel a NEED to hack the region codes instead of getting a player that is cheaper and already is hacked? I can see if the machine is broken perhaps and you are a tech and know what you are doing but amateurs shouldn't be playing around. You break it...maybe it can't be put back together. Then what? Come here and complain?

[jjeff]

All Panasonic DVDRs have service menus but changing regions or even format(PAL/NTSC) isn't one of the things that can be done in the service mode. Note getting into the service mode isn't something that should be done unless you know what your doing, you can brick your machine by inadvertently doing the wrong thing.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17527631#post17527631

[RS456]

Actually I just want to enable VCD playback and enable pal disk playback. It seems capable because it is immediately loading disks it said to play and when I pop in a vcd I immediately get a message unsupported format like it was not allowed to play the disk. I dont really care about the region free as most of dvds are either region free or region 1. I just want VCD play back with pal disk playback like JVC DR-MV150b. My other players tried to play the disk first before saying it is unable to play the disk.

After reading those posts I might want to wait on messing with my Panasonic player and try it on my already brokendown player. Any tips on how to get into the service mode for Samsung DVD-VR357.

[usually_quiet]

Many people choose not use their DVD recorder for playing discs, other than the ones it recorded. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that unlike DVD recorders, DVD players are relatively inexpensive and more easily replaced once the laser is worn out.

Another reason is that DVD recorders often provide fewer features for disc playback than DVD players. The space available for storing firmware is finite, and is used for programming the units recording features as well as its playback features. The firmware for your DVD recorder may not support VCD playback, regardless of what you do with the service menu.

[RS456]

I wonder about that because the overseas version of this player supports vcd playback and when my Samsung Dvd recorder was working I wanted to get vcd playback on that so I experimented and installed the Austrailian firmware of the player becase Austrailian version played VCDs while US version did not and suddenly it was playing all vcds but problem is it made it all PAL so I had to reset it because anything NTSC did not play anymore.

This is just telling me you can but you are not allowed too plus I never heard of DVD recorder lens not being able to read VCD.

[jjeff]

Major brand(Sony, Panasonic, etc.) U.S. market DVD players or DVDRs are generally somewhat restricted on what formats they can play. While your true their should be no reason they couldn't playback things like Divx or even VCD I believe the software arm is driving the hardware side of the bigger brands in the US. Case in point Sony DVD players for the US market, they DON'T play Divx format DVDs, the same model made for the Canadian market can play Divx just fine
I think the major mfgs. are thinking people that play Divx or maybe even VCD are playing bootlegged movies and they don't want them to be able to do this in the large US market. Select Panasonic DVDRs(I believe the EZ-48v is one) allow Divx but I've never really experimented on which if any allow VCD playback.
Edit: I just tried a VCD disc in my ES-25 and EH-55 and it played just fine(NTSC format) but I don't have a EZ-48v to try it on.

[usually_quiet]

I downloaded the manual for the Australian version from here: http://panasonic.com.au/Products/DVD+and+Blu-ray/DVD+-+Players+and+Recorders/DMR-EZ48V/Downloads

VCD is listed as supported format. It also says region 4 or all-region PAL and NTSC DVDs are supported. However this does not mean that you can enable these features through a menu setting.

It is quite possible that Australia's or another PAL country's firmware needs to be loaded in order to use those kinds of discs. Also, the recorder doesn't convert PAL to NTSC for output, so in the USA, PAL discs will require a PAL or multi-system TV for sucessfull playback. In addition, the Austalian firmware is meant for use with a PAL and DVB-T tuner, not an NTSC and ATSC tuner.

[RS456]

I already learned that the hard way. Just installing the firmware messes with the whole system including its video input/output signals. It will definately work but how it is for that region. I am pretty sure they just locked it on the US version the MPAA probably don't like VCDs and have some kind of understanding with big brands like Sony and Panasonic to not play that format because from what I seen nearly all US DVD players/recoders today do not support VCD playback but their overseas versions still do. No company in their right mind will make two completely different players for two different countries when they are supposed to be the same player. Instead they will take the easy way andmake a standard model and set settings accordingly depending on where it is going.

After reading the Austrailian reviews of this player I think the random hangups on the US version is due to all the locks. I never saw a review on it freezing occasionally on the Austrailian version but is very common in the reviews on the US version. Knowing the MPAA they probably enforced a few more things causing occasional freezeups.

[usually_quiet]

I already learned that the hard way. Just installing the firmware messes with the whole system including its video input/output signals. It will definately work but how it is for that region. I am pretty sure they just locked it on the US version the MPAA probably don't like VCDs and have some kind of understanding with big brands like Sony and Panasonic to not play that format because from what I seen nearly all US DVD players/recoders today do not support VCD playback but their overseas versions still do. No company in their right mind will make two completely different players for two different countries when they are supposed to be the same player. Instead they will take the easy way andmake a standard model and set settings accordingly depending on where it is going.

They could still decide to use different firmware based on country or region, and it will never be possible to activate features that have not been implimented in that firmware by using a menu setting.

They don't have to make a completely different player, but the tuners and video connections installed in the player may vary. SCART connectors are rarely found anywhere but Europe, and ATSC tuners are not likely to be found outside N. America or Korea.

[RS456]

Those are slight alterations where they swap this for that when they are going to certain countries because that country needs that connection more than this. Everthing else inside will be the same. It is like a computer being sold in different countries the stuff that will different will be with the the PCU one is for 220V other is 110V and one is flat prong other is angled prong.

[usually_quiet]

Those are slight alterations where they swap this for that when they are going to certain countries because that country needs that connection more than this. Everthing else inside will be the same. It is like a computer being sold in different countries the stuff that will different will be with the the PCU one is for 220V other is 110V and one is flat prong other is angled prong.

I don't know about SCART, but tuners would have to interact with the recorder's firmware. They might not use the same hybrid tuner and firmware in every model if it was cheaper to use different tuners and different firmware based on the broadcast system in individual countries.

As far as anyone can tell, the only known way to do what you want is with different firmware. No multi-button hack to access service menu settings is available. You could wait forever and not find it. Just get a good region-free DVD player that can play VCDs and output NTSC when playing PAL discs and get on with your life.

[jjeff]

Interesting, on page 75 of the US manual it specifically says VCD is not supported but Divx is
Like I said, my older ES/EH Panasonics don't have issues playing VCD but Divx is only supported on a Few Panasonics, usually the top of the line models.
Since audio CDs are a supported playback format that means the laser is capable of reading CDs(including VCDs) but for whatever reason they seem to have blocked VCDs from at least the US versions. If it were me I wouldn't mess with foreign firmware and just do as UQ suggested, purchase a cheap DVD player that does it all, including converting PAL to NTSC.
My EZ-28 is also listed as not supporting VCD(page 63 of the manual) when I get a chance I'll have to try my VCD test CD to see what happens. Another reason to not like these EZ models

[usually_quiet]

I'm sure a general lack of interest in VCDs amongst the US population is part of the reason for the lack of VCD playback in this model. The percentage of the US population that even knows what a VCD is is rather small. VCD never caught on in the US.

[Edit]To be clear, I'm not in favor of using different firmware either. It's too likely to cause more problems than it solves. I just wanted to list the features available in Australia's version of this unit, as well as point out that the unit can't perform PAL to NTSC conversion during playback. The lack of conversion is important. It means that unless the OP has a PAL or multisystem TV handy, sucessfully hacking his recorder to play PAL discs still won't allow him to watch them here.

Going back to VCD playback... Since the format never caught on in N. America, VCDs are usually PAL video, and since no version of this recorder plays PAL video in a way that is going to be useful to someone with a N. American TV, does it really make sense to include VCD playback?

[usually_quiet]

After reading the Austrailian reviews of this player I think the random hangups on the US version is due to all the locks. I never saw a review on it freezing occasionally on the Austrailian version but is very common in the reviews on the US version. Knowing the MPAA they probably enforced a few more things causing occasional freezeups.

Based on what I remember members here who have one of these say, the problems are more likely due to difficulty with NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuning or burning cheap discs. [Edit]Panasonic's "Quck Start" feature was also though to be a source of problems.

[RS456]

Mine tuned fine without issues but unfortunately my Cable provider decided to not make the digital versions of my standard cable channels Clear Qam. For recording I have not run into an issue yet as it is easily recording on the cheap disks just as good as the branded disks. I only expirience occasional freezups when I am going in and out of the player settings. The reason why I am expiriencing few issues could be because my player was manufactured on August 2011 with alot of the issues fixed. If I remeber correctly the ones with the complaints were manufactured on January 2011 according to reviews.