It's been a long time in the making, but Samsung has finally released the world's first 4K Blu-ray Player. Prior to its release, the only 4k available in Blu-ray was an up-scaling option that many manufacturers offer - a higher resolution than 1080p HD, but still not true 4K resolution.
With the release of the Samsung UBD-K8500 several weeks ago, there is finally something to play the growing number of 4K Blu-ray titles that have been released lately. Also, something to pair with the 4K TVs that have been on the market for well over a year. We're finally able to experience true 4K Blu-ray in all its glory, which is great news. In addition, there are plenty of other great features packed into the UBD-K8500. It's on the cutting edge of technology from every aspect, and definitely something you'll want to pick up if you're interested in experiencing home cinema like never before.
The player we sell here at 220 Electronics is a region-free model. If you're not familiar with that term, it means this player isn't locked to a specific region of disc playback. Most players only play discs from their region. For example, Blu-ray discs imported from Europe or Japan will not play on a North American player, and vice-versa.
Region Free Samsung UBD-K8500 4K Blu-ray Player will play Blu-ray discs and DVDs from anywhere in the world, from all regions. On top of that, it features dual voltage. Since the standard voltage (electricity at the outlet) varies from continent to continent and often country to country, most players are no good overseas or in foreign countries. With our Region Free Samsung UBD-K8500, you can use it at any voltage. This means it will work in any country, or onboard your RV or Boat. It's a very flexible player that can be taken anywhere and can play any disc. Keep in mind, retailers do not sell the Region Free model and you won't find it in Wal-mart or Best Buy.
The UBD-K8500 is also equipped with 3D playback. If you own a 3D TV, you can watch 3D Blu-ray titles in the convenience of your home and experience that surreal depth that at one time was only available in theaters. While there's not an abundance of 3D titles out, there's surely enough to enjoy and more are being released each day. It's a great feature to have for anyone interested in the 3D experience.
One of the most important features for most people, including ourselves is Wi-Fi. The UBD-K8500 has it built-in so you can connect to the internet easily and without messy cables. (If you prefer to have a wired connection, it does feature an ethernet port for optimal speeds and the most secure connection.) Connecting to the internet and your home network opens up a world of possibilities with the UBD-K8500. From streaming media services like Netflix, Hulu and Pandora to its DLNA capability that makes it easy to share media from any wireless device in your home, it's something we have a hard time living without. You can connect wirelessly to the music or movies on your laptop and play them right on your surround sound or TV screen within seconds - that's a valuable feature all by itself. Furthermore, screen mirroring gives you the option of sharing your smartphone or tablet's screen on your TV for easily watching videos or sharing pictures. It's really unlimited what you can do. Any media, from any device in your home can be shared with this player. This really minimizes the need for cables, converters, discs, USB drives, etc. and makes life both easier and more enjoyable.
As far as handling audio & video, the Region Free Samsung UBD-K8500 does an excellent job. It handles a wide variety of popular video formats such as MPEG, MKV, WMV, AVI, and AVCHD and plays all major disc formats including UHD BD-ROM, BD-ROM, 3D-BD, BD-R, BD-RE, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-Audio, CD-R, and CD-RW. It also handles popular audio formats such as MP3, WMA, AAC, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, WAV, and OGG.
If you plan to use the K8500 with surround sound, you'll be pleased to know that the UHD-8500 features multi-channel (up to 7.1) high-definition audio decoding for Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS HD High Resolution, and DTS-HD Master Audio. You're getting the world's best resolution of 4K Ultra-HD, plus world class audio to match!
Some other notable features of the Region Free UBD-K8500 include:
• CD to MP3 Ripping, which lets you turn your music CDs into digital MP3 files with the use of a USB storage device.
• Dual HDMI Outputs for optimal connectivity.
• Frontal USB port for easy access.
• Wi-Fi Direct, which allows you to connect to wireless devices via Bluetooth. This means there's no need for internet use to share & play files between devices.
Samsung really did a great job with this model. From 4K and 3D to a world of streaming and wireless possibilities, you'll have an endless source of entertainment and playback options. And thanks to its Region Free capabilities, you can take the player anywhere and play discs from all over the world. It's impressive to say the least. For more information or to get your own,
Samsung UBD-K8500 Region Free Blu-ray Player. It's a solid choice for anyone who wants the best Blu-ray Technology available.
There are plenty of reasons for purchasing movies on DVD or Blu-ray from overseas. A few examples are that some countries censor films and exclude critical parts of the story, some films may not be available in your country, and films from other countries are often cheaper to purchase. Certain genres such as Kung-Fu and Japanese Animation are available around the world, yet often the best titles are only sold in the countries of origin. Many independent films are also not for sale internationally and anyone interested must purchase them from the country where they were produced.
The age of the internet has made it remarkably easy for cinema fans and movie collectors to acquire films from various countries, and you can even shop for movies by region from stores who specialize in selling foreign discs. However, there's a slight setback to owning foreign film titles on DVD or Blu-ray disc - they're usually not compatible with your player.
With the basic intentions of maximizing profits and protecting copyright status, production companies and manufacturers work together to limit the playback capabilities of DVDs and Blu-ray discs purchased from other countries. Normally, a Blu-ray player purchased in North America will only play discs purchased in North America. Likewise, a European Blu-ray player will only play discs local to Europe. Attempting to use a European-bought disc in a North American player will result in an "error" where the player will tell you that the disc format is not supported. This is solely due to the encoding and decoding process. Each region uses it's own disc encoding, and the players from each region are set to only decode discs that originate from that home region.
Of course there are ways around these regional limitations. Some people have found that they can hack their players, giving them the ability to play DVDs and Blu-ray discs from other countries regardless of the disc encoding. There are many ways that people go about hacking their players but the methods aren't always effective. Often times, the hacking results in a player that locks up or gets stuck on a different region, eliminating the possibility for playback of local discs. It's a risky decision to try and hack your player, and the benefits aren't always worth the cost of a broken unit. Also, there's a much better solution for playing movies from anywhere in the world; a Region-Free player.
Region-Free players aren't sold by major retailers. You'll have to find a reputable retailer who specializes in region-free players and purchase directly from them. These players have been professionally modified and will easily play discs from any region, without any issues. Both the software and hardware of region-free players is altered to ensure proper and efficient playback of any disc you can imagine. In addition to playback, most region-free players feature worldwide voltage and internal Pal/NTSC conversion. Worldwide voltage gives you the ability to use your player in any country without a voltage converter - simply set the player to the proper voltage (110/120 or 220/240) - while the internal video conversion ensures the player will work with any TV without an external video converter. A Region-Free player is basically universal. You can take them anywhere, plug them in, use them with any TV, and play any disc. It's really rather simple and while they do cost a bit more, the price increase isn't absurd.
Most retailers of region-free players sell the same models from the top brand names that you'll see in stores. Good retailers even sell high-end models that have been modified for universal region-free use. These players usually cost 20 - 40% more than the un-modified model, but the value is self-explanatory.
Now that you know how to play DVDs and Blu-ray discs from other countries, you can get on with watching your foreign movie titles. In fact, you can even start shopping for foreign discs to expand your collection! Just be sure that the player you decide do buy is advertised as being region-free, and be sure you're purchasing from a reputable retailer.
When the term "home theater system" first originated, it was based on creating a theater-like experience with the use of a surround sound audio system. Over the years, the term Home Theater has taken on new meaning, encompassing all types of media - from music and movies to home video, photo albums and more. What was once the ability to enjoy great sound has transformed into endless entertainment possibilities. So what exactly does a Smart Home Theater System do? Practically everything!
Thanks to the advances with television and Blu-ray technology in recent years, we're now able to consolidate and centralize media from multiple devices on our home network. Rather than acting only as a devices to watch Cable TV or movies, TVs and Blu-ray players have morphed into smart media hubs equipped with features like built-in Wi-Fi, voice and motion recognition, and the ability to make video calls with people halfway around the world. You can download and use apps that allow you to keep up with sports, surf social media, stream 4K Ultra-HD movies, listen to streaming music from thousands of channels, and even play video games. If your Blu-ray player or Smart TV are equipped with DLNA compatibility, you can watch movies or listen to your music playlist from a laptop in your bedroom, wirelessly, directly on your TV and surround sound system. The days of burning discs and messy cables are over - everything can be handled wirelessly through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Screen mirroring is another great feature that allows you to share your smartphone or tablet's screen with your Smart TV. Let's say you want to watch a 45 minute documentary from the web on your big screen - just connect your phone with the TV, start playing the video on your phone and it will appear on your TV in full resolution with surround sound. This allows you to watch videos on a much larger scale, with improved audio and without the need to search for the video using the TV or Blu-ray Player's web browser (which can often be slow and fussy).
Many Smart TVs and Blu-ray Players are now featuring dual-zone audio, which sometimes goes by different names. What this feature does is utilize a 7.1 channel audio system to set 2 channels to a different area. A great example of this would be to use two channels for the speakers for your outdoor patio, bar, or a basement. What's more is that while you can listen to your playlists from other devices, you can even use your smartphone as a remote control with many TVs and players. This means that when you're outside having a party (and listening to music that's both inside and outside your home thanks to dual-zone audio) you can use your phone's screen to access the user interface from the TV or Blu-ray player, select music, skip tracks, adjust the volume and more! If that's not impressive, we're not sure what is.
Many people aren't aware of the true power of their Smart TVs or Smart Blu-ray Players. They can do a lot and they can do it all wirelessly. The technology is becoming more flexible, more capable, faster and more complete. When you're ready to consolidate your digital media for easy wireless access and playback on your TV and surround sound system, look into upgrading to a Smart Home Theater. For even more flexibility and universal use with any voltage, any TV and discs from anywhere in the world, look into purchasing a 
If you're looking for a cheap Region-Free DVD Player, chances are that you already understand the purpose for having one. Whether you're a movie collector who enjoys watching foreign films, or are planning overseas travel and need a compatible player to take along - a Region-Free DVD Player offers the ultimate in universal compatibility and flexibility.
Of course, the above is only the beginning. The Region-Free Oppo UDP-203 Blu-ray Player is ready to take anywhere and play anything - anywhere in the world. Featuring worldwide voltage, it works in any country from 110 volts to 240 volts. Professionally modified to play Blu-ray and DVDs from any region in the world, it offers superior flexibility. Internal PAL/NTSC conversion allows for compatibility with any TV and completely eliminates the need for expensive video/audio converters and messy wiring. The Region-Free UDP-203 is a true plug-and-play solution to high-end, globally compatible home theater.
Stay tuned to 220-electonics for more information on pricing and release dates for the Region-Free Oppo UDP-203. The region-free model won't be available in most stores, so we'll do our best to keep you updated on availability as the month goes on.
In the today's world of Blu-ray technology there is an endless choice of players to choose from. Almost all of the popular electronics manufacturers offer their own respective models, from economical to the higher-end players and everything in-between. It's true that you get what you pay for, but there's something to be said for the lack of quality with most models. Cheap plastics, miniature remote controls and players that have a generic look and feel to them are among the most common on the store shelves. It seems that the electronics of 20 years ago with solid build quality, high-end components and long lifespans are almost non-existent nowadays.
There is one manufacturer, however, who manufactures Blu-ray players of excellent quality and performance; Oppo. Often considered "high end", Oppo's attention to detail and commitment to the highest quality audio & video performance cannot be denied. They consistently produce some of the very finest Blu-ray players available on the market today.
One of the biggest inconveniences from people who move, retire or live for extended periods overseas is that they can't watch their movies on a Blu-ray or DVD Player. The reason for this is simple - discs and disc players are designed, manufactured and sold to only play movies from their respective region.
For example, a Blu-ray player from Europe will not play discs sold in australia, nor would it play discs from the USA. Likewise, a North American Blu-ray player won't play discs from Europe, Japan, or South America. The reasons for this are many, but the reasons aren't really important. What's important is to understand that a simple, effective, reliable and affordable alternative is right at your fingertips. The Region-Free Blu-ray Player.
When you're traveling, it's not always easy to watch a movie on your laptop or tablet. Without the availability of a solid internet connection to access streaming media services such as Netflix, you'll have to rely on movies that have been downloaded to your device. Often, this can be more of a hassle than it's worth. Of course you can carry discs around and play them on your laptop, but not all of us travel with a laptop or are able to plugin anywhere to comfortably watch a movie. Fortunately there's an inexpensive, simple, and global solution - 
One of the last features you might expect to see from a Region Free Blu-ray Player is the ability to play video games, but Sony has just changed all that. As of the time of this writing, all 2016 Sony Blu-ray Players are equipped with Playstation Now access.
As a leader in both the gaming and home electronics industry, Sony made an unprecedented move by combining two of their biggest talents - home theater and gaming - into all of their new Blu-ray models, giving consumers an improved value for their dollar and leaving their competitors unable to compete. After all, Sony is the only Blu-ray manufacturer who also has their own gaming system, therefore, the only manufacturer (as of right now) able to make this ingenious power move.
If you're still wondering how they've managed to do this (or what Playstation Now is and how it works) keep reading.
Playstation Now is a cloud-based gaming service, based off the ever-popular Playstation Gaming Console. It allows users to subscribe and enjoy streaming gaming not only from the Playstation Console itself but also from other Sony devices, with Sony Blu-ray Players being the latest addition. It works like any internet-based subscription, and subscribers can log-in and play from anywhere (with an enabled device). Users can even save their game progress on one device and then continue their game on a different device. All you need to play is your Region Free Sony Blu-ray Player and a Playstation DualShock 4 controller. You can plug the controller directly into the Blu-ray Player's frontal USB port and game away!
There are different levels of subscriptions available which include both short-term and long-term game rentals. You can subscribe and pay for nothing more than the games they choose to rent, or you can subscribe with a monthly or quarterly subscription which allows for unlimited access to all available games. Prices for monthly subscriptions start at $19.99 per month for unlimited service. Currently, there are over 400 games available on the Playstation Now service with more being added each week.
The only downside is that the titles currently offered are all Playstation 3 games, which is primarily due to meeting the needs of the average user - as well as global streaming media standards. Sony wants to keep data transfer rates that are acceptable for a majority of internet users and not just those with ultra-fast internet speeds. In order to achieve quality gaming, Sony has optimized Playstation Now to work with the average internet connection but it's recommended that users have a 5mb per second for good quality experience. In the future, as technology allows and as internet speeds continue to improve, newer titles will be added.
As far as we're concerned, Sony's move of combining Playstation Now with their Blu-ray Players offers a truly powerful and convenient platform; one that says a lot about where the future of gaming is headed. They've literally shed a completely new light on both home theater and gaming.
As specialists in Region-Free Blu-ray players, we naturally carry the Region Free Sony Blu-ray Players with Playstation Now. All of the latest 2016 models are in stock and ready to ship today. If you're interested in purchasing one or learning more, check out 
