Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 800D Region Free Help Required

I recently bought Hitchhiker PMW's 800 CD/DVD player.
(Peter is a great guy and was very helpful and communicative throughout the transaction.)

800D : Serial No. 4***** : Running Firmware 1.71.
It's apparently about 6 years old +/-.
I'm told Meridian replaced the entire unit at sometime, when the Power Supply/Drive failed.
Serviced a year or so ago (new PSU and Drive Fitted).
After this service it was returned to him with it's present firmware.

Peter assures me that it was 'Region Free' when it left him.
Once installed it in my system though, it turned out to be fixed on 'Region 1'.

I have used the region free method successfully in the past with a 598 and a G98, no prob's.
The 800 however is proving to be somewhat more difficult.

800 Set up > Information :

• Region code 1
• Firmware 1.71
• Compiled 31/01/05
• Microcode W - 2411
  -------------DVS - LDR - DSL - 720A
• Drive code LV18
• DSP1 code 001E

Connecting HyperTerminal (Windows XP/Port 3) to the DV02 RS232 :

• Bits per second: 9600
• Data bits: 8
• Parity: None
• Stop Bits: 1
• Flow Control: None

Method :
Following this, everything seems normal.
(All inputs echoed)

• %%
  Result = Factory Mode : Then overwritten to :~
• %p constable
  Result = Installer : Overwritten to :~
• %z 1f
  Result = Zone Set : Overwritten to :~
• %w
  Result = Set up saved

Disconnect :

However, the '800 Menu > Information' still reads Region 1 - and R2 DVDs don't play.
The cables are OK and proven with the Configuration Program via the RS232 in the Computer Card slot.

Apart from :

• Any glaring mistakes on my behalf.
• This method not working with this particular drive.
• This method not working with this firmware.
  or
• Meridian having withdrawn the region free option.

Has anyone any suggestions ?


.... Holtz

Have you played a R2 DVD yet?

IIRC the menu says R1 even when it is multi-region. Don't be fooled by this.

Only if you play a disc and find the region error code should you start to re-apply the 'fix'.

I've changed my 800D to with the following:

With 800 in Standby connect to the Video card RS232 port with Windows Hyperterminal:

Bits per second: 9600
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop Bits: 1
Flow Control: None.

Having connected take 800 out of Standby by pressing "Open" on the Front panel then send the following commands.

%% (to enter factory mode)
%p constable (installer password)
%z 1f (region 1 free surf)
%w (to write to non-volatile area)

then disconnect.

Note: characters are echoed but not "Enter". All input overwrites line 1.
You will get a warning after "%%".
After "%w" you should get a "Settings saved" message.

---------------
Did you take 800 out of Standby?
Otherwise your method seems identical to mine.

Hi Nick :

Yes, I have played R2.

Prior to me doing the change the player would play CD and Region 1 but would read Wrong Region, (or something similar) with Region 2.
After a few more attempts, I could finally get sound on R2, but no picture.

The picture is fine on Regions All-0-1 DVD and DVD-Audio, but not on Region 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 discs.

I have swapped out the HDMI leads between the 800 > HD621 and between the HD621 > Plasma Screen.
Maybe I should miss out the HD621 and try going direct 800 > Plasma, see if that works.

Hello Geir :

Yes : Exactly as you have set out, and brought the 800 out of standby before entering code.
I'm beginning to think that it must be a Handshake problem, previously the 800 read :~ Wrong Disc.
Now it doesn't and I have sound on all discs.

OK : Having said all that, although I have sound on all regions, now I can only get a picture on DVD-Audio discs.

The HD621 switches all other sources, with video, just fine.

I'm even more confused than ever.

Sounds like Region free is working but there's a video issue...

Can you get the on-screen menus up? What is set for video setup: tv standard, powerup standard, scaler setup?

My 800 came back from its trip to the mothership for repair and firmware upgrade set to 1080p which my TV doesn't support, so I wonder if somehow it's been reset to something the HD621/TV can't handle.

It's worth a) taking out the HD621 and b) also connecting via the composite video output (which should always display regardless of other output options) and get the menus up so maybe you can do something with the 800 directly.

hope this helps

Chris

Hi Chris :

I can get the menu up by putting a DVD-A disc in, or ejecting any other disc and closing the draw.

Video Setup :~

• Display - 16:9
• Black Level - 0 IRE
• TV Standard - Auto
• Powerup Standard - Last Valid

Scaler Setup :~

• Scaler Mode - 720p
• Gamma - 1.0
• Display Aspect - 16:9

HDMI setup :~

• HDMI mode - HDMI
• Colour Space - RGB
• Meridian Comms - Yes

I haven't been able to check the Composite Output just yet, with 'The Proms' being on radio & TV.


Holtz'.

Hi Holtz,

so the output over HDMI is OK - it's just the DVD's that are "invisible". And there's nothing obviously wrong with the settings I think.

That's beyond my experience - I guess I've been lucky and once I got some video output everything worked.

The settings look similar to mine - except for Powerup Standard - I'm on PAL. But I'm also on the latest firmware which you're not at the moment. But I don't think that should an issue.

Have you manually tried all the HD621 inputs to see if "DVD" is selecting a different one from that which you expect? (Is that possible on the HD621 - sorry I've got 421 not HD621?).

The composite output would give some indication if the 800 has no video output with DVD or if it's just an issue with HDMI.

This is beginning to sound like it's more like a hardware issue than a setup problem - sorry!

Chris

Thanks for your input Chris :

I had intended to try the composite output after 'The BBC Proms' had finished but I then got distracted by the football.

The HD621 is outputting the correct source as DVD-Audio discs are playing fine on sound and vision.
It's quite puzzling as to why they should play OK, including any movie extra's they may contain, while DVD Video will only pass sound.

I'll unplug the 800 from the mains supply overnight, see if that will bring any surprises in the morning.
I'm thinking of chilling out and watching the boxing, just to give my brain a rest


Holtz'.

On these earlier DVD machines, wasn't there a setting for DVD output type. I'm not sure but this might have been on a "96" menu and was something like DVD mode = Video. I don't know if this might be an issue.

I can't check the details of my setup at the moment, but I have to select "DISC" on my (Meridian) remote to get the HD621 to switch the video through-put on. If I play a DVD in my Oppo, I'll get sound but no picture until the HD621's "told" / forced to send video.
I think you can scroll through the HD621 inputs / outputs by pressing the little button on the front - this might give you a clue (you'll obviously have to move the inputting connector to "follow" the output selected) - but it sounds like there's something wrong with your HD621 setup - which you need to change with the Meridian setup programme.

Yes good idea, try that to see if the HD621 is blocking the R2(PAL) somehow.

Also check your plasma is set to accept both PAL and NTSC signals.

Then connect the 800 to the plasma via composite cable, as others suggest, is also worth trying.

Cheers,

Rick