Monroville said:

So Mr. Brown (just to confirm), you are saying that the European PS3s will play both NTSC and PAL dvds (provided of course that there is no region coding)? DVD Decrypter will strip the region coding, so if what you are saying is true, then I can start watching my PAL dvds in 1080i via HDMI!

BTW, Mr. Brown, where would be the least expensive place to go on the internet to purchase a European (or Asian) PS3? I can do a hunt on my own, but if you already have some good ideas as to where to start that would be great!

I don't know where to buy Asian PS3's. I just own a 60 GB PS3 bought in Germany at a normal Store. I am not that online shopper regarding Multi Media products. Take a look at Amazon.de or Amazon.co.uk for the european PS3s, but maybe there cheaper stores.

Play.com is an UK store also offering PS3s, they seem to be somebit cheaper than Amazon.co.uk

Regarding NTSC and PAL:

As announced above I own the normal German PS3, and I had never problems playing NTSC DVDs. I own some region Free NTSC Discs from across the world, and some Region 2 DVDs from Japan, and everytime I insert one, it plays fine. The only Problem is the Region Code, but the PS3 never made trouble with burned DVD Movies.

I have no HD TV, so I just use the SD out, but I will ask a friend of mine, if she ever used one of her Japan DVDs. She uses a HD TV with HDMI. But I would wonder, if this would make trouble using different outplugs...

Regarding Region Coding:

I own one PS3 game from USA: John Woo presents Stranglehold, and it works fine.

Bottom line: BluRays with Region Coding for USA won't work. And as long as I have none BluRay burner, I can't test if burned BD Movies work.

Most Asian DVDs are NTSC, so it would be a more win using an european PS3 for playing PAL DVDs, because PAL movies should mostly be RC 2.

I don't know if there is a difference between Asian (Hong Kong etc.) and japanese PS3, because of the difference DVD region coding...