It's probably a bit late for Helpful Tips, but I've found that most DVD players, even the $50 cheapies, have hidden "unlock codes" that will magically turn them into multi-region dvd players. Just google the brand, model, and "unlock code", and voila! All the unlock codes I've encountered have involved typing some 4 digit number into the remote while the dvd tray is open. It's not a complicated process, and worth knowing if ever you need to multi-region-ise a dvd player again in future.