Region Free Request for Pioneer UDP-LX500

[dped91]

I love the video AND audio quality of this player. AND it's the only high end BD player with fully functional zoom control; lots of fun to use. But mine is region A locked and won't play any of my region B BDs, which I purchased right around the time I got this player. I assumed one this costly would either play region B BDs or that a mod kit would be available for it. Neither proved true and I'm stuck with great stuff that I can't play. But it's not my fault that a well restored and mastered BD edition has yet to be available in North America. Fox has always screwed collectors. They often trashed the original audio masters of movies (e.g. the way record labels like Dunhill trashed master tapes of the mamas & papas) so only compressed and/or distorted copies were left to use to issue DVDs and BDs (e.g. "Flight of the Phoenix", "Inferno", "Women's World", "Modesty Blaise", et al) or by using pan and scan copies instead of the original widescreen prints (e.g. "Goodbye Charlie").

At least with this region B BD release, along with 1080p video there's lossless DTS MA audio and a bonus isolated score. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_73/the_flight_of_the_phoenix_blu-ray.htm

But the LX500 was too popular for supplies to last long-especially after AKM factory fire that supplied Pioneer with DAC chips and the COVID driven slowdown that also hit Pioneer. Thus, these higher priced region free models are gone for good. https://www.220-electronics.com/region-free-blu-ray-players/pioneer-elite-udp-lx500-re...ith-rs232.html

Please help, if possible.

[october262]

I love the video AND audio quality of this player. AND it's the only high end BD player with fully functional zoom control; lots of fun to use. But mine is region A locked and won't play any of my region B BDs, which I purchased right around the time I got this player. I assumed one this costly would either play region B BDs or that a mod kit would be available for it. Neither proved true and I'm stuck with great stuff that I can't play. But it's not my fault that a well restored and mastered BD edition has yet to be available in North America. Fox has always screwed collectors. They often trashed the original audio masters of movies (e.g. the way record labels like Dunhill trashed master tapes of the mamas & papas) so only compressed and/or distorted copies were left to use to issue DVDs and BDs (e.g. "Flight of the Phoenix", "Inferno", "Women's World", "Modesty Blaise", et al) or by using pan and scan copies instead of the original widescreen prints (e.g. "Goodbye Charlie").

At least with this region B BD release, along with 1080p video there's lossless DTS MA audio and a bonus isolated score. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_73/the_flight_of_the_phoenix_blu-ray.htm

But the LX500 was too popular for supplies to last long-especially after AKM factory fire that supplied Pioneer with DAC chips and the COVID driven slowdown that also hit Pioneer. Thus, these higher priced region free models are gone for good. https://www.220-electronics.com/region-free-blu-ray-players/pioneer-elite-udp-lx500-re...ith-rs232.html

Please help, if possible.

there are no region free hacks showing for this player -
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/pioneer-udp-lx500/12903
the only thing you might try is using a special transmitter remote - https://ionicindustries.com/mod-hack/pioneer-dvd-blu-ray-player-multi-region-free/

[dped91]

[QUOTE=october262;2635018]

There are no region free hacks showing for this player -
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/pioneer-udp-lx500/12903
the only thing you might try is using a special transmitter remote - https://ionicindustries.com/mod-hack/pioneer-dvd-blu-ray-player-multi-region-free/

What about this kit?
https://www.rattlebyte.com/Shop.php?lang=en&action=select_model&model_id=222 It was mentioned here too https://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks/pioneer-bdp-lx58/12471 If not for MarkHT here I may never have known of it. https://www.avforums.com/threads/pioneer-udp-lx500-owners-thread.2193659/page-24 However, I've yet to find anyone who's ever installed it.