Sharp DV-NC200X DVD/VHS combo, Region Hack?

[gordon_s1942]

I have had a look at the known sites for any info on this model but it is not even mentioned so far.
The closest I have seen is a DV-NC100 so at a guess this NC200X is a later version?
The unit is set for Region 4 naturaly and isnt any inconvenience if it has to stay that way as it plays back most of the current disc formats.
Seems an interesting machine with another 'We do it this way' set of instructions.
It only took me about 15 minutes to get the Timer set up but over an hour to get it to 'Lock' and display the TIMER set icon.


YES!!!!, I can program the Video Timer.

[Debby]

Hi Gordan,

I have also been looking for a code to make this player zone free.
If you come across one let me know.

Thanks Debby.

[gordon_s1942]

Debby, I really didnt expect any responce to the 'hack' request as Sharp dont intend their equipment to do any thing other that what they built it to do.

[Debby]

Hi Gordon, thought you might like to hear this piece of news.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) do not approve of new players being sold in the Australian market that are fixed to region 4 (Australia only)

The ACCC issued a ruling some time ago (2001) stating it is a restriction of trade to limit any DVD player to play only Region 4 disks - - Same applies to the Sony Play Station (Sony appealed to the High Court and lost and had to pay the ACCC legal costs of over $200,000 )

Australia is just about the only country where you can import DVD's from a different region and be able to play them in a DVD player sold for the Australian market.

The decision by the ACCC was made so anyone can import a DVD movie and that keeps the prices down and reduces illegal copying.

ACCC site: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/142
use the ACCC search box for DVD Region Free - the search will provide additional information

[andw]

Hi Debby, not attacking here, can you point to which article in particular states this as the search function pulled up a stack of hits for me.
My understanding was that Sony couldn't stop anyone from chipping their player to play multi region.
Not that it was illegal (my word, can't think of a better one) for Sony to sell a player restricted to region 4.
But I'm open to other information.

[jokiin]

The ruling does not over ride the DVD consortium rules that say that DVD players must be region locked when they leave the factory, retailers however are not liable to prosecution for selling region free players, the change from region free has to occur after the player ships from the factory to allow our loophole, no manufacturer has any requirement to supply or make their players region free in our market, the reality is though that if they don't consumers are reluctant to purchase.

Interesting to note that info on the ACCC site talks about the region coding defeat with Sony allowing consumers to play their imported and copied games, seems they aren't even aware of the rules http://www.accc.gov.au/content/item....press%2011.pdf

[gordon_s1942]

its a major can of worms with the region free.
While you can follow the ACCC idea of restrictive trade, so do the manufactures have a right to lock them.
But regretably locking does lead to price fixing/availabilty restrictions by both the DVD player maker and the DVD (content).
This is in some ways a 'closed' shop as companies like Sony have a foot in both so its in their best interests to be restrictive.
But at the same time, these same companies sell blanks and burners and region free players and wonder why people do what they do.
I have always been of the opinion that most recorded DVD's and CD's have been excessivly priced on our market.
This is most evident at this time of year to see DVD's being sold for as much as 50% lower that a few weeks ago for the xmas market.
You will never convince me that these retailers are selling for less than they buy them for.
It might be Xmas and the season of Good Will but company profits come first long before Santa.
I did think in some cases the DVD player was originaly made region free so that if the market fell in one place (region) but boomed in another, it would be a simple matter to be for it to be 'Region Reset' without the need of technical expertise.
Thanks Debbie and all for the comments.
But we still dont have a 'Region Free' hack do we????

[Debby]

NO We don't !!