That price for the Oppo does not even include the region mod kit, which runs another US$50. Can you get an Oppo cheaper from Amazon.com? That's where I got my BPD-93, I got the mod kit from eBay.
I saw this comment on the sellers listing:"It should be automatically region free. But to set the Blu-ray region to A, B or C, please do the following:"That implies you don't have to select the region, but he goes on to explain how to make the region selection. I've never seen a mod that didn't require a manual selection. What do you think?This guy only has 196 ratings but does have a high rating.
From what I read, it has the same remote control procedure that my mod kit has. The DVD region code is automatically region 0, and the player is PAL-capable out of the box. The blu-ray A/B/C region settings require the remote control. I am pretty sure this is the same mod kit that I bought, although it is $20 cheaper.
I wired Ethernet directly so I could stop using the wifi dongle, and installed on the outside since I had the spare USB port. The player is still under warranty, so I decided not to open it up. But the internal install looks really simple.
Thanks to all for your responses. I've arranged to have a look at the 103 locally and I will decide then whether it is worth the $$. The HTF review would seem to recommend the unit for the quality of the video and sound processing alone so I will most probably spring for it. I suppose that this isn't the correct area of the forum to ask but... Being an "old codger" , I'm having the expected difficulty with conversational tones (dialog). My Yamaha RX-A1020 receiver allows a tweak setting but it really doesn't help that much. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated I
Peter check 220 Electronics I previously purchased Toshiba and LG Region-Free Blu-ray players and they work great will play any DVD/Blu-Ray regardless of the Region-Code. They sell a wide variety of players at very reasonable prices. Neither of mine plays 3D because I have no use for the feature never will. I am strictly into Blu-Ray. 220 has an LG for $209 a Sharp for $239 and a Pioneer for $284 that all play 3D. Good luck.
I just got a Region free BR.DVD plaver from 220 Electronics in Chicago and it so far works fine. I bought from them a modified LG BP325W. For BR I must with the remote push 1, 2,3 for A B C respectively with the player off. It works for A only and B only cases and I have a AB only case and many ABC cases. I am able to determine what codes work with some of my BR. For example I got from the US the "Mad Mad World" and the box states "A" but it is really ABC. In one funny case I received a BR from England that was B only of Kind Hearts & Coronerts and got an error message that I should use a "B" player. All my other B only discs worked. I called Chicago and was told how to correct it and now everything works. All my region 1 and 2 DVDs work fine My TV is not 3 D but I believe my player is. The picture quality is fine on my 31" LCD Loewe TV.