Customer Reviews

ALL REGION CODEFREE - PHILIPS DVP 5990 HI-DEF 1080P UPCONVERTING DVD PLAYER. PLAYS DVDS FROM ANY COUNTRY ON AMERICAN TVS. REMOTE INCLUDED.

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am writing this short "review"--let's call it a Public Service Announcement--so you can make your Philips DVP5990 DVD player Region-Free. This works with either suffix (DVP5990/F7 or DVP5990/37) and probably any other variation; perhaps these denote what retail channel the box was sold through, or maybe it is simply a firmware reference. In any case, I will not elaborate on the technical aspects of this model, other than to say it is already a great value for the fifty to sixty dollars it usually sells for. I also cannot speak to the virtues of any particular vendor here, but whatever you do, DO NOT pay a premium to some company for a "Region-Free" DVP5990, because all they will be doing is what I tell you below. (Or, as at least one person has reported, you might pay more simply to get a piece of paper with the same instructions to do it yourself!)

This unit is HDMI-compatible and even includes a USB port on the front panel. It also plays just about everything and that's even before you make it region-free. Although the manufacturer will not admit it, the hardware in these DVD players is manufactured to play all regions, and a (very flimsy) layer of protection is then added depending on where the product will be sold. USA = Region 1, Europe = Region 2, etc.

Many DVD players can be easily returned to the default Region 0 (= PLAY ALL) setting simply by entering a hidden code on the remote, and this DVP5990 is no exception. I will make it super easy for you below. Make sure the DVD tray is empty before you start. And obviously you will need a non-Region 1 DVD to actually test that it works in the end.

(Step 0: Turn on the DVD player but make sure the tray is empty, i.e., don't put a disc in.)
1. Press "Setup" on the remote.
2. Using the right arrow (">") on the remote, move over to "Preference Page". You do not need to push "OK".
(Please note that if a disc is in, you will not be allowed to access the the "Preference" menu.)
3. Press 1,3,8,9,3,1 in that exact order on remote. (Again, you do not need to push "OK".)
4. Region Code screen will be displayed. (It will almost certainly show Region 1, unless someone has already made the change for you.) Press the up arrow ("^") once to select "0".
5. Press "Setup" on the remote.

I suggest to repeat Steps 1 through 3 to confirm region setting.

Congratulations, you now have a region-free player as it was designed in the Philips factory! You can now play discs from around the world, many of which are cheaper or quite simply available for sale when other versions are not. Wouldn't it be nice if everything in life were this easy?

P.S. Same code works for many models across the Philips range.

[DISCLAIMER: Whether or not you believe the scare tactics that this may void your warranty is up to you. And don't mess about with other settings unless you feel comfortable doing so.]

As an ardent fan of overseas Asian entertainment; I truly appreciated this easy-to-use and affordable player^^.
Shipping was extremely fast as well =)

It's a good product and works on the UK DVDs I want to see. Works great.

I purchased this just to watch Silent Witness and didn't expect to get much use out of it. However, the picture is beautiful and the upconversion alone is worth it. It is as good if not equal to HDDVD, which has a much better upconversion then the blu-ray players I've had. I find myself now purchasing movies through amazonuk. Now the price is a bit much for a dvd but I can't have my cake and cookies in this case. Great buy!

Before I start, let me say that every piece of media and software in my possession has been bought legitimately. I don't agree at all with piracy or so-called file-sharing. It's theft. But I HATE Digital Rights Management!!! My family move countries every few years, and I get really angry buying digital content in one country, to find that it won't play on hardware in the next we live in, all because of the greed and paranoia of the entertainment corporations. Sony's awful Blu-Ray encryption was recently cracked, and when I heard I cheered out loud.

Phew! Sorry about the rant, now for the review. This good value DVD player comes with instructions to convert it to "Region 0", i.e. will play DVDs purchased from anywhere in the world. Breathe out a big sigh of satisfaction and enjoy continuing to watch the media YOU HAVE PAID FOR. Companies that provide products like these deserve to prosper. My Philips DVP-5990 gives perfectly good picture and sound quality for the purposes I need. For genuine home theater quality, you'll need to spend a lot more. Obviously. I recommend pairing it with a Philips television, not because I'm a Philips fan-boy, but for the convenience of shared remote control functions.

You say it plays dvd's from any country!..I have dvd's from the UK and they won't play.One of them is a Universal Studios UK release "not really obscure"...and it wont play..Is there something I'm supposed to select or do after I put the disc in other than press play? I hope thats the case.Other wise its false advertiseing