Hi,
I am looking to region hack my Pioneer XV-HTD520 DVD/CD player to be
region free or at least to be able to play region 02 DVD's on it.
Currently it is set to region 01 only. I tried and scanned the web
with no successful results in all the relevant, known or related
websites. The closest I got was a solution for Pioneer XV-HTD510 which
did not work on my machine. I emailed several companies who promises
to convert all DVD players but none of them agreed to guarantee that
they have the code or method for my player before I pay their fee.
I am interested in a guaranteed solution to resolve the region issue
on this SPECIFIC player only.
I am about to relocate to Europe and I want to take my home theater
system with me to play DVD's over there. This solution therefore will
have to resolve the PAL/NTSC issue as well as the regional question if
this is different at all.
Naturally I will be willing to pay more if there is additional cost
involved in external hardware.

Please note: I am willing to pay for a positive answer only with
specific instructions that will lead to hack this DVD player to be
multi region or that it would be region 02 enabled.

Many thanks,
Crembo

The difference between the PAL and NTSC systems is something entirely
different thant the DVD region codes. The codes are simply an
annoyance invented by the DVD industry; but PAL and NTSC are different
TV systems with different numbers of horizontal lines and color
systems. My advice: Simply buy a DVD player in Europe, for 35 Euros.
All European DVD players can handle PAL and NTSC (God alone knows
why), and the region code of Cyberhome brand players, for example, can
easily be removed.

Scriptor

Scriptor,
So I guess the question will be: is a region hacked DVD player also
resolved for PAL/NTSC?
Also my machine is a a combo of receiver and tuner and I feel it would
be a pity to through it away and buy it all anew. what do you think?
Thanks

I don't expect any form of region 'hack' would convert your NTSC dvd
player into a PAL one.  This is because the two scan at different
frequencies, and use different frame formats.  This is totally
independent to the region encryption on the DVDs.  It requires
different output hardware, which is usually a specific output module
installed at manufacture.  I expect that to make your DVD output in a
picture in a PAL format instead of NTSC, you'll need to make some
modifications to (or replace) the output circuitry.

Of course, if you are taking your screen with you as well, this is not
a problem, provided you can power both TV and DVD player on European
voltages.  Except of course that the european broadcasts will be in
PAL, and your NTSC tuner won't make sense of them.

BTW, this page lists 'no known hack' for your model of DVD player:
http://www.dvddemystifiziert.de/codefree_en/pioneer.html

My best suggestion is the same as scriptor-ga - I'd also suggest
buying a new low cost DVD player in Europe.

Here is a $69 solution:
Philips DVP642 (They used to sell these at Target)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002NYM3G/103-8869009-4611017?v=glance&n=172282

I have this DVD player and it plays EVERYTHING I put in it. CD, Divx,
PAL, Regions? "We don't need no stinkin' regions"

I suspect there are more hacks for this machine than all of the others combined.

This just in...
The European version of the Philips DVP642 is the DVP630 or DVP632