Help - buying a US DVD player?

Cable connections are same, but of course, no SCART. It may be only NTSC capable, even if you can make it multi-region or try to play region 0, etc, PAL disks. Then you need an international warranty. Plus, you have shipping (~$100) and import duty+customs-clearance-handling-charge+VAT and possibly a CD compatible device duty.

Thanks for the quick reply - I've checked the Manual for my Bravia V40 and it lists NTSC as well as PAL under 'Colour System' in the specifications section. Does this mean it will work?
Also, with regard to customs - is it random as to whether they look at your package and charge duty or do they examin every single one?

Thanks

That means your Bravia will accept NTSC & PAL input signal - most current UK sets are dual/multi-standard - but the US DAV-X1 may not output PAL. Besides, if it can't play region 2 PAL discs, there may not be much other PAL content of interest anyway, and you'll be pretty much limited to region 1 NTSC. Check to see if there's a remote region hack for this player.

Duty is charged on anything over ~£18, and seems - to me - only to be random for items whose value is a little higher: unless you get really lucky, maybe if they're overstretched. Anything significantly higher in declared value seems consistently to be subject to duty. The best you can do is ask the shipper to declare a low value, so if you charged you can minimise the duty.

Thanks, so just to be clear:

- If I get the dvd player chipped to play Region 2 DVDs, even if the Dav-x1 only outputs NTSC and my TV can receive NTSC thats ok? I.e. i could player a UK dvd on it (after its chipped)?

Thanks

European region 2 discs are PAL (far east region 2 discs are NSTC) so unless the dav-x1 can transcode PAL to NTSC, then it couldn't play a PAL disc even if it could handle region 2 discs. Try and get a manual and check on PAL compatibility - maybe it can handle both NTSC & PAL, despite being region 1. Region and standard/format are separate and supporting one doesn't imply support for t'other. Make sure it supports PAL & NTSC (if you want to play PAL discs) and that it can be multi-region modded. Some players output the native NTSC/PAL while others transcode between standards. Either will do you 'cause your sets dual-standard.

I've checked the US manual for the DAV-X1 and it only says NTSC for playback, so looks like the system isn't for me. Thanks for saving me wasting money on a system that wouldnt work for me!! Now, I'll just have to pay UK rip-off prices instead!