Region A vs Region B
Posted by: SC on 04 July 2009
Any of you into their Bluray have any opinions and experiences on this ?
I know there's a good amount of titles released by the studios un-coded, but on those that are region coded is there anything technically different about them, apart from having to have a region matched player ?
Is there anything else to look out for ? Do region A discs tend to be better in anyway - extra content, packaging, audio-codecs ? (for instance, the Bladerunner BD set I bought, although region free, was the full 5 disc set only available in the US, whereas the UK version was 3 disc).
The reason I ask is that I have the opportunity to buy the new high-end universal playing Denon player at a superb price. The UK selling price I have seen online is £4,495. I can get the same player from a Denon dealer in Singapore for just over £2.1k (and I would get 7% tax back) - so the difference is staggering to say the least ! The downside, is that although DVD playback is multi-region, the BD would be Region A, which is what S.E Asia is. As it stands, I can get both A and B region discs in this part of the world but my concern is bringing the playing to the UK, should I likely migrate back to the UK...
So trying to weigh up if having a region A player in a region B part of the world is worth the hassle ? Obviously I can order discs online, but any other drawbacks ?
Appreciate your thoughts, Steve.
I know there's a good amount of titles released by the studios un-coded, but on those that are region coded is there anything technically different about them, apart from having to have a region matched player ?
Is there anything else to look out for ? Do region A discs tend to be better in anyway - extra content, packaging, audio-codecs ? (for instance, the Bladerunner BD set I bought, although region free, was the full 5 disc set only available in the US, whereas the UK version was 3 disc).
The reason I ask is that I have the opportunity to buy the new high-end universal playing Denon player at a superb price. The UK selling price I have seen online is £4,495. I can get the same player from a Denon dealer in Singapore for just over £2.1k (and I would get 7% tax back) - so the difference is staggering to say the least ! The downside, is that although DVD playback is multi-region, the BD would be Region A, which is what S.E Asia is. As it stands, I can get both A and B region discs in this part of the world but my concern is bringing the playing to the UK, should I likely migrate back to the UK...
So trying to weigh up if having a region A player in a region B part of the world is worth the hassle ? Obviously I can order discs online, but any other drawbacks ?
Appreciate your thoughts, Steve.
quote:Originally posted by SC:
... I bet the analogue audio outputs are not a match for the Denon or even LX91 Pioneer....
Steve
Oh, I bet they are!
Don't know about the Denon but the Pioneer suffers from not allowing the analogues to be properly configured, either for distance delay or channel levels (can't remember which). The real deciding factor with HD sound quality is how well the disc itself has been mastered of course.
Going through my AV2's analogue inputs gives excellent results even on my humble Panasonic player, and my old Oppo DVD player was very good indeed.
The Oppo player from CRT is a modified US model - not sure what you mean by not "Officially" available, the US model's been freely available for a good couple of months now, and at least a month in the UK.
Regarding picture quality, there really ain't no substitoot for feeding the native format into a good video processor that has been professionally calibrated along with your display.The various flavours of video processing you get in players and sound processors, no matter how grandly they're described, bear no comparison. Another advantage of the Oppo is it can send said native resolution out without messing with it.
And another thing! Have you ever tried to contact Denon for customer service!?
(PS, I don't work for Oppo, I'm just a big fan.)
Hi Steve, you're so right re. the AV2! I confess in an effort to reduce my "black boxes with the green logo" count I've been looking half-seriously at a sodding great big AV amp., Pioneer or whatever. That way I can ditch AV2, two NAP150s and a NAP145, be able to use HDMI, lots of flexibility, etc. etc.
BUT...there's this nagging little doubt about the resultant sound quality, 'cos the AV2 is an excellent bit of kit, isn't it?
Anyway, on the video front I've got a Lumagen HDQ processor which produces a lovely picture but is probably the most user-unfriendly bit of kit it's ever been my misfortune to use! Hence I recently got a properly qualified chappie in to calibrate everything. Took him three hours or so but the difference made it very worthwhile.
Again, it would be far simpler to just whack everything through a big AV monster but then it just wouldn't be as good.
Do we sacrifice a bit of quality for a lot of convenience and simplicity?
Dunno. Answers on a postcard please to :_ Confused and Indecisive, Suffolk.
BUT...there's this nagging little doubt about the resultant sound quality, 'cos the AV2 is an excellent bit of kit, isn't it?
Anyway, on the video front I've got a Lumagen HDQ processor which produces a lovely picture but is probably the most user-unfriendly bit of kit it's ever been my misfortune to use! Hence I recently got a properly qualified chappie in to calibrate everything. Took him three hours or so but the difference made it very worthwhile.
Again, it would be far simpler to just whack everything through a big AV monster but then it just wouldn't be as good.
Do we sacrifice a bit of quality for a lot of convenience and simplicity?
Dunno. Answers on a postcard please to :_ Confused and Indecisive, Suffolk.
Just had a good read on the Oppo BDP-83 here.
Have to admit Tony, it's a very appealing player - especially at the price. When you consider it just for the US market, at $499, it's mad !
Have a read through (if you haven't already). With regards to my concerns re analogue vs HDMI output, it's clear HDMI is the preferred method - damn that AV2 !
Also, it is this particular set of graphs that illustrate the difference in the digital to analog conversion of a $500 player, vs. the conversion when performed by the DACs in a $7,500 SSP. Bottom line: This is a fantastic player, but use the HDMI output if possible. The DACs in the BDP-83 are there if you must use analog outputs (they are essentially a token), but this is really a player designed to deliver everything in digital format, and it is the digital circuits where the money has been spent.
Overall, in conclusion -
In a system with HDMI connections, the OPPO BDP-83 is an extremely desirable player to have because it's a fantastic Blu-ray player with a beautiful picture and speedy operation. Standard DVD processing is top notch as well and the player features high quality audio output for all the latest HI Def sound codecs as well as additional media types such as DVD-Audio and SACD in both bitstream and PCM output... However, with the BDP-83's HDMI capabilities, its performance on the bench, the exceptional build quality, their continued support to their product line, and the inclusion of features such as BD-Live and additional media playback, OPPO has an out-of-the-ballpark grand slam home run. Highly Recommended.
Hmmmmmmm....!! 
* - Must say, it's damn ugly though. Would have to go in a cupboard if it's going to live with me !
Have to admit Tony, it's a very appealing player - especially at the price. When you consider it just for the US market, at $499, it's mad !
Have a read through (if you haven't already). With regards to my concerns re analogue vs HDMI output, it's clear HDMI is the preferred method - damn that AV2 !
Also, it is this particular set of graphs that illustrate the difference in the digital to analog conversion of a $500 player, vs. the conversion when performed by the DACs in a $7,500 SSP. Bottom line: This is a fantastic player, but use the HDMI output if possible. The DACs in the BDP-83 are there if you must use analog outputs (they are essentially a token), but this is really a player designed to deliver everything in digital format, and it is the digital circuits where the money has been spent.
Overall, in conclusion -
In a system with HDMI connections, the OPPO BDP-83 is an extremely desirable player to have because it's a fantastic Blu-ray player with a beautiful picture and speedy operation. Standard DVD processing is top notch as well and the player features high quality audio output for all the latest HI Def sound codecs as well as additional media types such as DVD-Audio and SACD in both bitstream and PCM output... However, with the BDP-83's HDMI capabilities, its performance on the bench, the exceptional build quality, their continued support to their product line, and the inclusion of features such as BD-Live and additional media playback, OPPO has an out-of-the-ballpark grand slam home run. Highly Recommended.
Hmmmmmmm....!!
* - Must say, it's damn ugly though. Would have to go in a cupboard if it's going to live with me !
Mine's coming next week! 
If you really want one Steve, send a message to Henry at CRT and he'll reserve you one from the next batch.
Or, you can buy mine off me for £1K, saving yourself £1K on the Denon price! You know it makes sense!!
If you really want one Steve, send a message to Henry at CRT and he'll reserve you one from the next batch.
Or, you can buy mine off me for £1K, saving yourself £1K on the Denon price! You know it makes sense!!
Hey, make it £1200, what's a couple of hundred quid between friends hey !?
To be honest, on the whole subject I'm slightly hanging for a bit (unless a total bargain or moment of clarity comes my way)...I probably have an apartment (& country) move coming up and with the AV market in something of flux a month or few may even benefit......Who knows, Naim may even pull a AV3 out of the hat !!!! HaHaHaHa
To be honest, on the whole subject I'm slightly hanging for a bit (unless a total bargain or moment of clarity comes my way)...I probably have an apartment (& country) move coming up and with the AV market in something of flux a month or few may even benefit......Who knows, Naim may even pull a AV3 out of the hat !!!! HaHaHaHa