Re: [Videolib] multi-zone players

Matthew Ballard (mballard@otis.edu)
Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:04:09 -0800

--=====================_43104625==.ALT
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

At 10:13 AM 1/4/2006, you wrote:
>Has anyone out there had good/bad experiences with multi zone DVD players?=
=20
>This may be an elementary question, but will a disc from Region 2 play=20
>through the multi-zone player and onto our NTSC monitors?

We have one, and it seems to work fine, although we rarely use it for that=
=20
purpose much. As long as the player is designed to output in NTSC, it will=
=20
work fine, which for region 2, requires that the player does a conversion=20
from PAL to NTSC first.

Region encoding is only used to define where it can be played, PAL vs. NTSC=
=20
etc is an issue that has been around as long as TV has been popular,=20
although I believe basic conversions with DVDs are easier (since it is a=20
digital signal). Even a lot of relatively cheap players can do a basic=20
conversion.

>Also, I=92ve noticed the disclaimer that =92this item was not meant fro=
sale=20
>in the US, so the warranty may not be valid=92 How does that work? Is this=
=20
>a black market DVD player? I saw this on the J&R website, so I wouldn=92t=
=20
>have thought that it fell off a truck=85

Probably only black market in the sense that the manufacturer didn't intend=
=20
to sell it in the US, such as some of the region free ones since that is=20
not really legal (AFAIK). They probably just imported it from a reseller,=
=20
and it's up to the manufacturer whether they would honor the warranty in a=
=20
country outside of the intended sale.

Matthew Ballard
Library Systems Specialist
Otis College of Art and Design Library
mballard@otis.edu=20
--=====================_43104625==.ALT
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

At 10:13 AM 1/4/2006, you wrote:

Has anyone out there had good/bad experiences with multi zone DVD players? This may be an elementary question, but will a disc from Region 2 play through the  multi-zone player and onto our NTSC monitors?

We have one, and it seems to work fine, although we rarely use it for that purpose much.  As long as the player is designed to output in NTSC, it will work fine, which for region 2, requires that the player does a conversion from PAL to NTSC first.

Region encoding is only used to define where it can be played, PAL vs. NTSC etc is an issue that has been around as long as TV has been popular, although I believe basic conversions with DVDs are easier (since it is a digital signal).  Even a lot of relatively cheap players can do a basic conversion.

Also, I=92ve noticed the disclaimer that =92this item was not meant fro sale in th= e US, so the warranty may not be valid=92  How does that work? Is this a black market DVD player? I saw this on the J&R website, so I wouldn=92t have thought that it fell off a truck=85

Probably only black market in the sense that the manufacturer didn't intend to sell it in the US, such as some of the region free ones since that is not really legal (AFAIK).  They probably just imported it from a reseller, and it's up to the manufacturer whether they would honor the warranty in a country outside of the intended sale.

Matthew Ballard
Library Systems Specialist
Otis College of Art and Design Library
mballard@otis.edu

--=====================_43104625==.ALT--