Army Of Darkness Directors Cut?

[ResidentEvil66]

I just read that it was incorrectly framed transfer. This would explain why in the fight scene with evil ash you can hardly even see the two fighting. I thought it was just my telly. Does anyone know if they recalled it? If they did is it still in effect?

Thank you for any help.

[Latency]

It still occurs I think. I did a side by side comparison with the MGM Region 3 Directors Cut and AB's Original DC and it seems as though MGM fixed any improper framing. The Bootleg ED by AB seems to still suffer from this as well. All the more reason to go region free @ Walmart :)

[Mortis]

You can get a CyberHome player from Best Buy, too. I think they're around the same price as the Wal-mart ones. Like $40-50?

[TobalRox]

Go with the CyberHome, it's the best player out there for the money, IMO... plus, I HATE Walmart :D

[Latency]

LoL, CyberHome eh ? I will have to look into that. I love my Norcent though :) . It's the only player I have found that will play DVD-R MP3 discs and uncompressed downlaoded avi's and mpegs :)

[Grim]

A region free player for only 50 buxcks, while the regular ones cost $100-$200? Makes no sense, I think I'll have to pick one up.

[Latency]

Norcent is $80 CND. I think that's around $50 USD, not sure.

[FulciZombieFan]

Hello :)

Cyberhome makes a few different DVD players. The one you want to get is the Cyberhome CH-DVD 500 model. This can be bought directly from the CYBERHOME WEBSITE (http://www.cyberhome.com/) for $79.95 US Dollars.

At one time (after an instant credit and mail-in rebate) you could have gotten this at BEST BUY for around $50.00 but my understanding is that BEST BUY is no longer carrying any Cyberhome products.

Based on my own observations and talking to alot of other people with various code-free DVD players with built-in converters (like the JVC, Malata, Apex, Samp. Deawoo, etc.) it would seem that the ultra cheap Cyberhome has the BEST image for PAL to NTSC conversion. Also, I should mention, the Cyberhome CH-DVD 500 is one of the few players that can do a proper conversion without altering the original aspect ratio. Something the Apex/Sampo/Deawoo crowd can't say for their DVD players.

The unit is not CODE FREE out of the box. However, there is a very simple remote control HACK for making it CODE FREE. You simply punch the code in on the included remote control and it allows you to make it region free. Should you have any issues with RCE type DVD discs you can enter the code again and lock it into any region you wish (this can be changed again at anytime in the future). There is also another simple trick that allows you to disable ALL copy protection. This includes both MACROVISION and CGMS/A which makes the Cyberhome EXTREMELY unique as it is the only code free DVD player that CORRECTLY does PAL to NTSC conversion that can ALSO disable copy protection. Other models that do conversion correct (such as the JVC and Malata DVD players) cannot be hacked in any way to remove the copy protection.

Please note the player is not without it's faults though. In my (limited) testing it mostly does NOT like DVD-R media unless it is a straight bit-to-bit backup using DVD Decrypter (but of course that is only possible on a computer and only with a single layer DVD disc). Other methods of DVD-R creation (including using one of the popular Panasonic stand alone VCR type DVD recorders) have resulted in DVD-R discs that play in my Pioneer player (oddly a very old 3rd generation but built like a tank player) but these same DVD-R discs will NOT play in the Cyberhome. I do have a bunch of DVD+RW discs that are in the PAL format and were recorded on a European Philips stand alone VCR type DVD recorder and these work very well with excellent PAL to NTSC conversion. I have not been able to try any other format such as DVD-R/W or DVD+R

Also for those with a large SVCD collection the Cyberhome has problems with that format as well although it is a champ with regular VCD and even XVCD formats.

I have never had a problem playing a factory made disc on the Cyberhome including both USA releases as well as many imports from different regions and different formats (both NTSC and PAL).

My recommendation is to use the Cyberhome only for playback of of PAL or NTSC discs that won't work in a standard USA player. Now a days you can get a good brand name USA player (like a Panasonic or Toshiba or Sony) for around $100 if you feel the Cyberhome won't play some of your home made discs. A friend of mine recently got the new Panasonic S35 model DVD player at BEST BUY for only $99 and it has played every single DVD-R we have tried in it so far including DVD-R discs that the Cyberhome could not play.

Anyone interested in reading some more about the Cyberhome players (including getting info on hacks) can go to the NERD-OUT FORUM (http://www.nerd-out.com/) website. Simply click on message forums and then look for the forum that is dedicated to the Cyberhome. There you will find the hacking information at the top in the form of a "sticky" post.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
I have the MGM Region 3 HK DVD of ARMY OF DARKNESS and I must say the quality is TOP NOTCH!

[Latency]

Great info ZombiFan! I must agree that AOD R3 is indeed the best I have ever seen it look.

I own the Norcent DP300 (walmart special), it also does proper PAL aspect ratio conversion (not sure about image quality, never had a player to compare to but it looks damn good). The great thing about the Norcent is it's region free (very simle code in the setup), has a nice pal to ntsc converter and it plays ANYTHING you throw in it. It plays this ultra cheap DVD-R media that had hard times playing in any other player. It plays all VCDs/SVCDs flawless. The only thing that I would complain about it it has no Progressive Scan. Ah well.

[chrishicks]

I may have to look into one of these as a back up player or at least for a bedroom. I currently have a JVC XV-SA600 in my main theater.

[TobalRox]

I'm going to have to disagree about SVCDs.... I have made many SVCDs and have not had any problems. Strangely enough, I had a problem with one VCD 2.0 though. Otherwise it's great, and it is my main player for everything.

[bigdaddyhorse]

I love my CyberHome 402, but it doesn't have the Macrovision hack!:cry: Good thing I kept the Sampo, for my "back-up" vhs copies!:D

[Trucci]

Does the Mgm region 3 have commentary?

THANKS!

[Lone Wolf]

Originally posted by Trucci
Does the Mgm region 3 have commentary?

THANKS!

Yes it does. I'm not positive, but I think it has the same commentary as the Anchor Bay version. I haven't had the chance to listen to mine yet.