Posted by Stroller on 12/25/07 11:46

Stroller wrote:
> ...
> So any suggestions for a cheapo DVD-player that I can pick up in the
> high-street or one of the supermarkets in the next couple of days? I am _so_
> not looking forward to braving the crowds.
>
> ... I'm going to
> try Tesco this afternoon & see if I can get their Value 306 model [1] in my
> local store, but any other suggestions would be fantastic in case I can't.
> ...
> [1] <http://tinyurl.com/2x4xz5>
> <http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=7243709&postcount=105>

Ok, answering my own question for the benefit of Google, the 306 model appears
to be VERY readily available from Tescos - there were shelves of them in my
local store, bixes in the blue-&-white-striped Tesco value boxes at £15 a pop.

Unfortunately, this machine seems to be a top-loader with a cheap
spring-loaded lid, which'd be quite a pain here, considering the way my ma
tends to stack her disks in any little free space.

Tescos are also carrying the Technika DVD1031 for £10, which has rather nicer
looks than the Tesco Value model, and a phonecall home to my Google-butler
suggested that hacks were indeed available. My branch were also selling a £30
Technika with HDMI - I have no idea what the upscaling is like, as Mum has a
32" CRT with SCART only, and even if she had the hiest-def telly in the land,
she would be unlikely to notice the difference.

Apparently different models of the DVD1031 respond to different hacks - the
first one at
http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/forums/thread.asp?Forum=176&Thread=667703 was
unsuccessful here, but the second worked fine.
Details are:

Turn player on
Open the disk tray
Press set up
Press volume buttons Up Down Up Down very quickly
Press the right button
you will see a number appear in the set up screen or just outside of it
Keep pressing the right key until the number changes to 255

Stroller.

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