Samsung DVD-C500 DVD Player

I got this DVD player because it was sold as a PAL/NTSC Region free player. When I took it out of the box, the label on the back showed it was a region 1 only. I was ready to send it back, but then I decided to look on the internet, as I read a review that stated that there was a program hack to make this player region free. I searched the internet and found a program hack and had the player converted quick and easy using the players remote control within 5 minutes. I would had rated it a 5 if Samsung did the re-program or they had the instructions in the manual to change it over.

Samsung C-500
Really overall a nice unit, easy to use clear instructions . And the best part it plays all my dvd's that my old DVD player would not due to disc slightly warped manufacture defect whatever!
One thing though I read somewhere that is was a region free dvd player . It is not ! However it is very easy to make it region free took me 5 min and I can watch dvd's from all over the world now !

I have played a lot of DVD's on it have have only had problems something like 2 times. It glitched on the upconverting feature and the image and started giving a bit of unleveled (every other line was slightly off center) lines on the screen. This only happened when I was skipping around on the DVD. I hit next chapter and then back and it was back to normal. It never did it during normal play though. I like that it has the adjustable size for the screen, this way when you do something like record a show and it was shown in widescreen, but sent out on 4:3 aspect, you can stretch the screen up and down along with side to side so the picture is not so distorted. My other upconverting DVD player only stretches it sideways. Overall, it has been very reliable and have had almost no problems. good picture, nice remote (not cheaply made), easy access buttons for common features like subtitles, etc. If anything , my only complaint would be that there is only 3 buttons on the front.. stop/eject, play/pause, and power. but I guess that is the norm for these days.

I currently have three Samsung TVs and have been very happy with them. I thought it would be a safe bet to try a Samsung DVD player. It appeared to be in new packaging and everything was included. It never powered up and of course that means you can't use it. Very disapointing.

I am in general satisfied with the DVD player. My one complaint is that the remote control is very difficult to work (buttons to close and in too little space ) in the dark compared to the 5 or 6 other dvd players I have owned. Otherwise good machine. I really like the fact that movies pick up where they left off even if I removed them and replace them later.