Blu Ray Player that plays VCDs also

Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Messages
36
Points
8
Location
Mumbai
Firstly, I have been reviewing all existing forum posts for the past few months while I procrastinated about which Blu Ray Disc Player to buy. So please bear with me as I have exercised due diligence before making this post as I still need help and inputs from you all.

Here are my requirements... I have a Samsung 40" LCD (NOT 3D) along with an Onkyo Home Theatre System. I now wish to buy a Blu Ray Disc Player (BDP) that can play the following:
(1) American Blu Ray Discs and DVDs if I rent from a local library. I also own USA's DVDs.
(2) India Blu Ray Disc and DVDs.
(3) VCDs of Gujarati Plays and Hindi Movies.
(4) Ethernet connection port (don't need Wi-Fi) that should play at least YouTube.com videos (and TED.com videos if possible).
(5) USB related media including JPEGs, MP3, etc. But I do NOT download too much stuff from the Internet so I don't know about different formats required and I am not too keen on that kind of stuff except legal YouTube.com and TED.com videos.
(6) Audio CDs.
(7) Sony Handycam recorded DVDs.
(8) Multi-channel HDMI output to give a true Home Theatre effect for my 5 channel Onkyo HT unit.
(9) I am definitely NOT looking for an expensive hi-fi piece and do NOT require 3D. My budget is under 10K.

Samsung BD-D5100 plays VCDs as stated on Samsung India website -
BD-D5100 - OVERVIEW | SAMSUNG India

But all India based brands being sold with bill and warranty are 'Region C' and so they will not play USA Blu Ray or DVDs.

Philips and Onida are Indian brands that may play multiple regions (I read somewhere that even LG has a model that plays other regions) but I am not sure about their quality and if they will compare / last for at least 4-5 years. I will appreciate your inputs / guidance about these above brands for my given requirements.

Apart from reading / researching online, I also went to a local store 'Alfa' in Irla area in Mumbai. The Alfa guy told me that any imported brand (Panasonic, Sony, etc.) will play both American Blu Rays and DVDs as well as Indian Blu Rays and DVDs. He was recommending imported Panasonic DMP-BD75GA-K that comes without a bill and warranty but he was confident that it will play all region (at least USA and India) Blu Rays and DVDs. The Outer BOX clearly stated Region A but he insisted that when it says "Region A" it plays Regions A & C. Same for the DVDs. I asked him if it will play my VCDs (I have Gujarati Plays VCDs) and he said it will play but I could notice that he was shaky. I am sure he will NOT take back the player if it does not play any of my above stuff.

I came home and searched on the Internet and realized that Panasonic was selling many variations of the same model number in different countries including in India. So there is a Region C India Panasonic DMP-BD75 and then there are different variations in USA and UK website apart from the imported Panasonic DMP-BD75GA-K in Alfa.

Does anyone have any experience with imported Panasonic DMP-BD75GA-K here in India and if it plays VCDs?

It will be great if you can share your experience and provide me guidance in making a decision. Thanks for your time in advance!
 
Eventhough India is region C, most of the Indian blu-ray and dvd disks are region free. So they will play in any BR player.

This was a major clarification for me. Now I get it why Alfa guy said that an imported player will play USA as well as Indian Blu Ray Discs and DVDs.

Thanks for that clarification!

Co-incidentally, I just read Canchi's posts indirectly clarifying the same.
 
:lol::lol:LG BD630 Blu ray player and LG DVD Player

Thanks arindamcc.

Are you saying that this will play / meet all my requirements above?

I checked on eBay but the ones that said region free were only in Dollars in USA and I am based in India. The ones that said that they can be shipped to India from USA where upwards of 15K. I am looking for under 10K.

Any further guidance about LG BD630 Blu ray player will be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Thanks arindamcc.

Are you saying that this will play / meet all my requirements above?

I checked on eBay but the ones that said region free were only in Dollars in USA and I am based in India. The ones that said that they can be shipped to India from USA where upwards of 15K. I am looking for under 10K.

Any further guidance about LG BD630 Blu ray player will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi

My suggestion would be get hold of the Toshiba 3200 blu-ray model either from UK or Germany and you can easily make it region free for both DVD's and BD's with the custom firm ware. I got mine thru a friend from Germany for 7k and he hand carried for me. I think I got this info from one of my FM krishnenduk. He got it from UK thru the borderlinx route. I think he got it for around the same amount. Try to ping him and get the details.
And I presume that every DVD/Blu-ray player is always backward compatible and hence playing of VCD's should not be a problem. But just cross check.

Thanks
 
Thanks manniraj.

Unfortunately, purchase and delivery through anyone outside of India is not feasible in my case. I was hoping to find the best way to get a BDP under 10K in Mumbai that meets all my requirements listed above.

At least one problem is solved in my mind. An imported player from USA (Region A) will play all USA Blu Ray Discs and DVDs. In addition to that since most Indian Blu Rays Discs and DVDs are Region ABC, they too will play. I get the Ethernet cable port for YouTube and USB port for downloaded stuff. Audio CDs and Pal / NSTC DVDs is also confirmed.

Now the main confirmation needed is which imported player (under 10k, 3D not required) can play VCDs. I do remember that years earlier when I used to live in USA, the Panasonic and Sony DVD players refused to recognize and play VCDs. I would have bought Panasonic DMP-BD75GA-K available in Alfa at Irla in Mumbai, but I have a big doubt that it may refuse to play VCDs.

If someone owns a BDP and confirms whether VCDs play in their BDP then that will resolve the final doubt and help me buy the Blu Ray Disc Player.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies.

My wife suggested that I go back to Alfa store with all the formats I wanted to try out (VCDs, Indian DVD, USA DVD, Handycam recorded DVD. I don't have a USA or Indian Blu Ray yet).

The guy tested them all on Panasonic DMP-BD75GA-K starting with the VCD and since the VCD played (!!!), rest was a cakewalk. I bought that imported Panasonic from Alfa.


So this Panasonic DMP-BD75GA-K non-3D Blu Ray Disc Player will play these formats -
(1) American Blu Ray Discs and DVDs.
(2) India Blu Ray Disc and DVDs.
(3) VCDs.
(4) Ethernet connection port (don't have Wi-Fi).
(5) USB related media including JPEGs, MP3, etc.
(6) Audio CDs.
(7) Sony Handycam recorded DVDs.

Again, thanks for all your help.
 
Order your Rega Turntables & Amplifiers from HiFiMART.com - India's reputed online dealer.
Back
Top