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Choosing multiregion DVD/Blu-ray players for framerate purists in the US and ex-NTSC countries in the Americas

Allan Tépper
Blu-ray

Blu-ray

In several prior articles and reviews, I have emphasized the importance of choosing a monitor (or TV set) that is multistandard, or at least multi-framerate. In those prior articles, it was in the context of monitoring the video editing and/or grading project at its native rate (or an even multiple thereof) to see it at its native cadence, not at a different one forced by a monitor or TV set that is locked to a single refresh rate. The same virtue applies for general media consumption, i.e. if you live in an ex-NTSC region (23.976, 29.97 or 59.94 fps) but watch programs made for an ex-PAL/SECAM region at 25 or 50 fps, or vice versa. Perhaps one of the scenarios where this is most noticeable is when watching gaming or live sports (especially tennis, according to Alejandro Pérelman) and its cadence is forced to be converted on-the-fly from 50 fps to 59.94 fps or (yikes) even exact 60 fps. Now, let’s cross-coordinate the importance of maintaining the native rate/cadence (and choosing the best mult-frameirate monitor) with choosing matching multiregion DVD or Blu-ray players, where a completely different set of criteria arises. This complicates the selection more than most readers can imagine before reading this article.

Multiregion players, in a nutshell

Starting first with the DVD disc distribution situation, later with the Blu-ray disc distribution (and, to a lesser degree, with 4K UHD Blu-ray disc distribution), the industry has created zones, in an attempt to restrict free, worldwide consumption. In the case of DVD, they created Zones 1-8, followed by Zone 0 (unrestricted). In the case of Blu-ray, they are Zones A, B and C. By contracts, manufacturers of players are required to cooperate with these zones, manufacturing their devices to restrict playback within regions. A multizone/multiregion player is one that is modified by a third-party to allow free playback of any zone disc in it. Let freedom ring!

A strange situation in the US, and its consequences

Because many (not all) monitors and TV sets sold in the United States are «segregated» or locked into a single panel refresh rate like 60 Hz (with or without a tolerance to allow for 59.94 Hz too), most multiregion DVD players and multiregion Blu-ray players sold in the US have a built-in circuit that forces automatic real time conversion of 25 or 50 fps to 59.94 or (yikes) even exact 60 fps. The reason for this inclusion is to facilitate these players use in the United States, where many TV sets are «segregated». This is great for people who own a «segregated» monitor or TV (locked to 59.94/60 Hz, but terrible for the purists who have intentionally purchased a multistandard or multi-framerate monitor/TV. Sadly, many of the multiregion DVD and multiregion Blu-ray players sold in the United States offer no option to shut off the conversion. A few models do allow setting them to «match source» or «Match Frame Rate» as called by Apple in its AppleTV deep menu, as covered in this 2017 article. To make the situation worse, those few multiregion DVD and multiregion Blu-ray players offered in the United States don’t make that «match source» feature visible in sales material, which is the reason why I had to contact 220-electronics.com (a very reliable vendor located in the United States, both for multistandard TV sets and multiregion players, all of which work on either 110 or 220 volts, without any transformer required). Their response was that all the current Panasonic UHD 4K models they sell will allow this coveted option to activate or deactivate the conversion so that we can output as native to the disc being played or convert it to 59.94/60 Hz, as required by the user. As of publication time of this article, 220-electronics.com offers the following multiregion models with «match source», «match framerate» or «native» options available:

This is great if you are planning to purchase a multiregion UHD 4K Blu-ray player, but not if you are only looking to purchase a standard (non-UHD 4K and non-multiregion) Blu-ray or DVD player just to play European disks at their native cadence of 25/50 fps with your multi-framerate monitor/TV set. So, if you are in the United States and are only looking to purchase a Blu-ray (not 4K UHD) or DVD player to complement your existing segregated-for-US player with European DVD and/or Blu-ray disc options (and you have an extra HDMI input available on your multi-framerate monitor or TV), you can just buy a segregated-for-Europe player by purchasing it from any of Amazon’s European or UK stores, for shipment to your address in the US. Here are a couple of examples:

Shipping from Amazon’s European stores to the US is usually under two weeks. In fact, Amazon’s European or UK stores already have your shipping address and credit card numbers (if you have an active Amazon account in the US). I have used this many times for different reasons, usually related to Chromebooks or external keyboards. If you do order one of those players from Europe for use in the US, check the label carefully to determine whether its power supply is multivoltage or strictly 220-volt. If it’s the former, you’ll just need a plug adapter. If it’s the latter, you’ll need a transformer.

On the other hand, if you are planning to purchase a multiregion UHD 4K Blu-ray player for use in the United States, then it indeed makes total sense to purchase one of the very specific modified Panasonic units from 220-electronics.com using the options listed above. Check there for current pricing and availability. If you have a multi-framerate TV or monitor, be sure to set the capable unit purchased from 220-electronics.com to «match source», «match framerate», or «native» however it’s called in the menu. I am very thankful for their quick response regarding which models are compliant for this request. My only suggestion to 220-electronics.com is to add a search filter on their website to facilitate finding this coveted feature for framerate and cadence purists like us, to avoid having to write and ask about it, as I did. In fact, that would better complement their multistandard TV sets too.

Lee este artículo en buen castellano

Cómo elegir un reproductor DVD/Blu-ray multirregión para los puristas de la frecuencia de cuadros y cadencia en los Estados Unidos y otros países ex NTSC

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FTC disclosure

None of the listed individuals or companies mentioned above has paid for this article. Some of the manufacturers listed above have contracted Tépper and/or TecnoTur LLC to carry out consulting and/or translations/localizations/transcreations. So far, none of the manufacturers listed above is/are sponsors of the TecnoTur, BeyondPodcasting, CapicúaFM or TuSaludSecreta programs, although they are welcome to do so, and some are, may be (or may have been) sponsors of ProVideo Coalition magazine. Some links to third parties listed in this article and/or on this web page may indirectly benefit TecnoTur LLC via affiliate programs. Allan Tépper’s opinions are his own. Allan Tépper is not liable for misuse or misunderstanding of information he shares.

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