Customer Reviews

PHILIPS DVP 5990- MULTI REGION UPCONVERTING 1080p REGION FREE WITH HDMI USB 2.0 AND DIVX ULTRA. PLAYS DVDS FROM ANY COUNTRY

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a very good DVD palyer, with a USb input to view photos. I am trying to see if this port can play avi, wma Dvix moveis.

I view many foreign movies, this is the only one that does not give me problem. Philips DVD is the only brand I buy becasue of the region-free feature.

I recently purchased a refurbished DVP5992/37B Philips DVD player solely to be able to play DVDs from other countries. The majority of USA DVD players will only play Region 1 coded DVDs and will not accept any DVDs coded to other regions. This player has many features (USB, DivX, WMV format playing capabilities, etc.) that might come in handy in the future should I wish to use them. The player normally is not set to region zero which allows you to play any DVD from any other country besides the USA. If it is not preset, you have to modify it through a menu screen setting (other reviews provide this information). This information is not in the manual and is not supported by the manufacturer (there is even a note on their website that changing it voids the warranty). I updated my model and it plays all region coded DVDs unlike my other players. Remote control was improved and now includes a separate eject button. You can also change the auto standby function to your liking (including turning it off). Very lightweight model and uses very little electricity. It has the most common hookups for DVD players (composite, S-video, component, and HDMI). Mine only cost under $30.

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.]

I purchased this DVD player just for one thing. Playing my David Attenborough DVD's in PAL format. It does just that and I am very happy. It is NOT my primary player. I have another for all other uses. This Phillips has minimal input ports in the back. Just 1 Line in, RCA RGB ports. No HDMI, no S-Video ports. There is 1 USB port in the front, but I don't know what that's for yet. I really don't care. The control panel is adequate for any requirements.

CONs: While advertising that this is an ALL-REGION player, it comes to you as only Region 1 compatible. NO manual came with this. Only a 1-sheet page setup guide. Even at that, it was only a xerox copy of the original. Now, if you are technically challenged, you may be yelling and screaming about this deficit. But, just calm down and email the seller and they will promptly reply with instructions on how to reconfigure it to ALL-REGION compatibility. You can also search the internet for this information too. You can also search the internet and find the manual in PDF format. So, these problems can be fixed.

PROs: The price. And it plays all regions. That's all I wanted.

I wanted a DVD player that could play any kind of DivX and XviD and that had an USB connection so I could easily browse through my movies and pictures on my external hard-drive without having to burn them on discs... Well, not only did I get that, I also got a region-free DVD player that can play movies from any country. Adding the low price to that makes this one of my best buys in 2009.

The only negative thing is that if you are streaming a movie from an external hard-drive and leave it in pause for too long the DVD might stop responding. That has happened twice in two months (we use it daily), but since the player supports fast-forwarding up to x32, you'll find your scene in less then 30 seconds.

This is a good quality player with tons of features and is way underpriced. Lucky us!

Very fast shipping with 3 days, Just got it. Opened the box, everything plays well, no problem at all. I have DVD from China,I think its region 6 (not so sure) No need any set up at all. Very good picture! But after play few days I have few problem with this player, I can not turn off the player, its only standby, and the DVD tray will open itself. also I can not put this player stack with others cause the DVD tray will open I think the player is so sensitive , and some time the player will turn on itself if I didn't unplug the power. Cant believe the player this cheap, but I only happy its plays all my DVD.

the unit is terrible, the color is bad and trying to work the menu is a job in itself. I would NOT suggest anybody buy this unit.

After much research i decided to give this device a try, that was over a year ago. Needless to say I'm very please with its performance and function. I've never had one problem, clitch or malfuntion with the player and I'm going the stick with Philips from now on.

The package was shipped with a huge dent in the DivX player. With only a 15 day return policy it was too late return. The return policy is too much of a hassel had I been able to turn it around that fast.

Setup was quick & easy (plug & play). The DVR automatically recognizes the DVD's region and has played without any problems. The design is sleek - all buttons (except power & open) are on the remote only. I LOVE this DVR - I can now play videos from Australia on my television instead of my PC. I'm super thrilled with this purchase!!