Modifying a Panasonic Q to play PAL DVDs?

[PlayingKarrde]

Hi all,

I've got my eye on a Panasonic Q which is fairly cheap but it's modified to play US/Jap games, but not to play PAL DVDs.

What I want to know is is it hard to mod it further to play PAL DVDs and is it something I can do myself, who has no experience in modding consoles? If it involves any soldering then I'm outta luck really (which I highly suspect it is).

I'm not about to buy it if I can't play PAL DVDs so this is kind of an important question.

Cheers.

[eASY aDDICT]

Best bet is to look in the modding thread and PM all the people in there.

It will envolve a chip and soldering and they may be hard to get hold of as most of the Q's that come into the UK are pre modded in Hong Kong.

I suggest you try PM'ing Saurian and Will2003

[PlayingKarrde]

Heh well that information is enough to tell me it probably isn't worth it.

I'm probably better off getting one from Play-Asia or Lik-Sang and praying I don't get import duties charged if I ask them to mark it down.

Thanks for the info though.

[eASY aDDICT]

If you have got your eye on the ebay one then the seller seems to not know what he is talking about.. And I think you are ok with it...

The seller says"Plays multi region dvd's and US + Jap games. Can be further modded to play PAL."

I think they are referring to Games and it can't be modded further to play PAL games just be used with freeloader.

[PlayingKarrde]

Well that's what I thought so I emailed him and he said:

"Doesn?t play pal movies without the mod."

I would have thought that maybe he doesn't know what he's on about, but there is a Q on an asia site (can't remember the name but it's linked to from here somewhere) that allows US/Jap games but says "cannot garuntee to play PAL DVDs". So I'm thinking that his must be one of these.

Nevertheless, I'll keep my eye on it and if it looks like it could go for a reasonable price (although right now it's not looking like it... 150 with 5 days to go, y'ouch) then I'll get it anyway and get the mod done. It's less hassle than getting a Jap/HK one in the long run I guess.

[Tak]

There are three main mods for the Q...

1) US/JAP game region switch - pretty straightforward, normally a chip wired to the power button or sometimes a switch mounted on the machine. Addititionally a Freeloader can be used for PAL games.

2) Multiregion 1-6 movie support, *NTSC ONLY*. This can be done by loading a special disc that updates the firmware. I have a copy of this disc if you need.

3) PAL movie support. This involves soldering a surface mount memory chip and another smaller chip. This is very difficult to do and needs the right tools and skills. This place used to do all three mods but I can't find the info on the site anymore. Also Saurian on this board might do it - PM him.

The one you're looking at probably has 1 and 2 done but not 3.