PS3 Forum - Playstation 3 Forums

EdRossignol · #1 03-24-2007, 12:31 AM

Can anyone confirm this?

My friend from Hong Kong said that it is possible with the 1.60 FW that PAL DVDs can be watch...

is it true??

EdRossignol · #2 03-24-2007, 12:33 AM

sorry bout that... i can confirm...

DVDs that are recorded in the PAL video broadcast standard can now be played.
Motion JPEG and AVCHD (.m2ts) have been added as playable formats.

However i guess that is only back-ups?

http://asia.playstation.com/hk/ps3/e...softupdate.htm

kvekid · #3 03-26-2007, 12:17 AM

Hi folks, I read your posts a few minutes ago and I have the HK version PS3. I have just tried them out and can confirm that the HK version now plays UK PAL original and backup DVD`s with v1.6 system update. Now all we need is for it to play my backlog of PAL PS2 games..........

EdRossignol · #4 03-26-2007, 12:31 AM

Nice, thanx for that... im waiting for my PS3 HK version,
Hopefully they will allow PAL PS2 game play back

we can only hope...

kvekid · #5 03-26-2007, 12:43 AM

Don`t believe it I have PAL and US NTSC PS2 games and it won`t play any of them. But you`re ok with the DVD`s now. at least some of them.

EdRossignol · #6 03-26-2007, 12:48 AM

thats not too bad, as i probably wont use it for my PS2 games, but the dvd was really important..

maybe they will update firmware later ^^
i'll just hope.

kvekid · #7 03-27-2007, 06:37 AM

Hi sorry I missed the post yesterday I have installed yellow dog linux on my ps3 which works nicely but for dvd and mp3 playback and i spent most of the day in dllhell trying to figure it out.I got dvd playback to work ok but can`t get mp3`s to play. Its not that much of a problem really as the ps3 plays them any way so I just used ogg vorbis format to save music in linux.
I`lll figure it out one day. I came across one strange thing though all the dvd`s I hav tried on ps3 work perfectly except one, I tried to play Pearl Harbour on it and it just kept coming up with the error `can`t play this region code` which seems strange as it`s a pal dvd same as the others, it must be something with that particular dvd though as it won`t play in linux either.

Ok got mp3`s to play now but some dvd`s just won`t play, out of a batch of about 50 I have tried about half played ok and the others came up with the old region code error, all are uk pal I have a feeling it may be to do with copy protection but I am not positive. I ripped one dvd with dvd decrypter and burned it with nero recode and it worked ok, it`s still a uk pal disk.

jehuty51 · #8 04-10-2007, 10:19 PM

hi

just read your posts, I'm in the UK and I have a HK PS3 and have put the v1.6 update into it, but absolutley none of my PAL dvd's work in to nor does any of my PAL ps2 games

am i doing something wrong?

derekrules · #9 04-10-2007, 10:59 PM

eh.... yeah, i tried watching a pal dvd today on my hk ps3 but it didnt work. says something about the region

you sure this information is correct?

kvekid · #10 04-11-2007, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jehuty51

hi

just read your posts, I'm in the UK and I have a HK PS3 and have put the v1.6 update into it, but absolutley none of my PAL dvd's work in to nor does any of my PAL ps2 games

am i doing something wrong?

Hi, no your not doing anything wrong. the 1.6 update is partly to let the HK PS3 play PAL dvd`s but don`t forget that HK uses a slightly different version of PAL to the UK. It`s just one of those weird things brought about by Sony to make more money or according to them to stop piracy, as if, funny they are at the moment appealing against a large fine imposed on them for using another companies product without permission....
anyway it`s strange but some UK PAL dvd`s seem to play ok but others come up with the region code error and I have no idea why unless as Ive said before its maybe to do with the type of copy protection used but thats just a guess.
For what it`s worth most of the dvd`s that do work on mine are fairly old ones it`s the more recent ones that don`t.
your PS2 games won`t work at all as they are region protected not even the US versions will work on it I have tried. may be with a future update, ( or a mod chip) we can only hope.
as for blueray I`m waiting for one to come from Sony. I think I will have to use it for decoration for now ( or a beer mat ).

MiBrue · #11 04-15-2007, 07:41 AM

Hi Folks,

I can confirm that PAL and NTSC DVDs play with 1.60.

Nevertheless all PS3 Blu-Ray drives have a region code, which means that only DVDs with the same region code or region code 0 will play.

The same applies to PS2 games.

Bye from Hong Kong
MiBrue

CryingRaven · #12 05-10-2007, 09:06 AM

MiBrue: Perhaps you can help me out
1. Does this mean that Region 3 PAL will work?
2. Is there even such a thing as Region 3 PAL?
3. You say that this is true for games as well?
4. Does this mean that Region 3 PAL PS2 games work?
5. See question 2 about the games...
6. Does the HK PS3 come with a UK plug or not. i have some confusion on this matter?

MiBrue · #13 05-11-2007, 02:31 AM

Hello CryingRaven,

in general all NTSC and PAL DVDs with the matching region code will play now. Before it was NTSC DVDs only.

The restriction is the region code. DVDs have one and Blu-Ray disks have a different one. You can find some more information about DVD region codes here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_region_codes
and about Blu-Ray region codes here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc#Region_codes

The only items without region code are PS3 games. All other items, like PS1, PS2 games, DVDs and Blu-Ray disks have a region code.
DVDs and Blu-Ray disks may come with a region code '0' which allows them to be played on a PS3s with any region code, but these are usually music video and concert disks only.

To reply to your questions in detail:

1. Yes.

2. There is video system PAL and there is region code 3 (see above). These are two different things, but in the combination you may say you have a PAL DVD with region code 3 or a NTSC DVD with region code 1.

3. Applies to any item EXCEPT PS3 GAMES, which are region code free

4. Should work. Have not tried though.

5. Applies for games as well.

6. HK version PS3 comes with UK plug, but you can buy a new power cable for max. 3 USD in any electrical store.

Tip !
Since HK and the US both have Blu-Ray region code 'A' you can play any US Blu-Ray disk on the PS3 bought in HK.

Best regards
MiBrue

CryingRaven · #14 05-11-2007, 05:36 AM

Nope, still didn't answer my question.... :P
Region 3 is for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan
I was under the impression that all countries that use PAL have one region and all countries that use NTSC have another.

foe example. UK is region 2 and uses PAL standard. So does South Africa.
USA uses NTSC and is region 1. So is Japan. Thus Region 1 + NTSC go hand in hand. I have never heard of a NTSC Region 2 disc since UK doesn't do NTSC.

This is my question. Countries that do PAL don't have NTCS discs for their region. I thought that since Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan use Region 3 that that would mean all region 3 discs are either PAL OR NTSC. From your post it seems there are Region 3 Discs in Pal and Region 3 Discs in NTSC. Does thi mean that the country runs on both NTSC AND PAL (??????) or why is there NTCS and PAL versions for the same region.

Same with the games. Why would there be a NTSC Region 2 game when the countries in region 2 only use PAL? So that brings me back to the point of pal or ntsc per region so why make the system play region 3 pal and region 3 ntsc games and video? isn't that absolutely useless?

In the first instance you can't play it cause you don't have it, thn they say now you play it but it doesn't exist??? Confused...

As for the plug. The reason I asked is because I bought my system off eBay and the guy was a scammer. He said it was a Japanese system but he mailed it off from Taiwan so I think it is a HK version. There is no Japanese in the manual so I assume it has to be a HK version but the power cable is a 2 pin plug with a loose ground wire and requires an adaptor to work with UK sockets so if the HK version does use a UK plug then perhaps I do have a japanese system with a weird manual....

The system only plays Region 3 DVDs but uses NTSC-J format.
Region 3 = Hng Kong but HK uses Pal. NTSC-J is Japanese format. So which is it then?

MiBrue · #15 05-11-2007, 09:41 AM

Hello CryingRaven,

video system and region code are independent from each other. Look at Japan: It's using NTSC-J, but the region code is 2 - the same region code as Europe, who have the PAL system.

But who cares ? Since the PS3 can play PAL and NTSC (since OS version 1.60) the only criteria that must match is the region code and your disk will play.

As far as I know the region code system for the games is the same as for video DVDs, but since I never tried a PS1 or PS2 game on PS3, I don't know for sure.

Your PS3 is definitely no Japan version if it has region code 3. It must be a Southeast Asian one.

If your PS3 does not play PAL DVDs you have not upgraded your OS to 1.60. The region code is set in the Blu-Ray drive, but the OS releases until 1.5, whereever sold, did not have the ability to play PAL DVDs. I agree that this sounds weird, since Hong Kong is using PAL-I, but indeed the PS3 was not able to play my PAL DVDs even though they had region code '0' which should work on all drives, until I upgraded the OS to 1.60.

Rgds
MiBrue

CryingRaven · #16 05-11-2007, 01:48 PM

k, thanks for the info. I always thought japan was region 1, same as America... Wow... Wrong again!

it seems i am doomed to have to watch my DVDs on one of my other 4 DVD players in the house... Le sigh... Region 3 is not that easy to come by apart from eBay. With the guy across the street from me selling DVDs at 3 for £10 or 2 for £4(some) I am reluctant to pay £12-20 for a region 3 on eBay. Aww, well... it was nice of them to do so, even if it turns out to be useless for me...

kvekid · #17 05-12-2007, 05:28 PM

Hi folks,
HK Ps3 uses standard UK type 3pin 240v cable & plug. All ps3 games will play on all ps3`s. Hong Kong is too small for Sony to produce a ps3 version specific to that country so the Jap NTSC-J format was used, firmware was updated in v1.6 to allow HK versions to play PAL. UK PAL format is some how not totally compatible although some UK PAL DVD`s will play ok.
As I`ve mentioned before I don`t think it is all to do with the region codes but partially to the type of encryption used as well.
If you want to play UK region 2 PAL on your non UK version ps3 look around the postings on installing Linux on it or run one of the Live CD versions of Linux which don`t need to be installed at all ie: Gentoo Live PS3 edition or Debian Live PPC for ps3. More will be available soo.n The easiest to do an install with at present is Yellow Dog Linux.
From what I have been reading on the web a chip is being worked on already for the ps3 but blueray is causing some problems at present.

Firmware update is up to 1.7.

kvekid

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