Momitsu Clones Multi-Region Blu-ray Players

[Anubis]

Hey all,
I just discovered that there IS another player that is also region-free for blu-rays and dvds.

It's the VisionQuest Model #VQM-1000 BLU. In fact, I'm positive it's made for VisionQuest by Momitsu or vice-versa. The machine itself along with the remote look exactly the same. And the remote codes (all 3 of them) work the same to unlock the VisionQuest's region coding. I know this because I have this VisionQuest and have tried the codes on the VisionQuest and it works exactly the same as the Momitsu. Additionally, this machine is available from Amazon for less than $150.00. I bought mine in a package deal through Shop NBC a few months ago.
The only difference is the manufacturer name/logo on the remote and player. The menus are exactly the same and the tech stats match exactly.

I thought I'd bring this info along for those of you who might be interested. What initially made me curious in the first place was the remote's appearance (exactly the same as the Momitsu) and then the player physical appearance (again exactly the same).

I tried out blu-rays (Region Bs) and DVDs (Regions 2 and 4) using the same remote codes for the Momitsu and as I've said they all played perfectly.

BTW, the Momitsu did arrive Friday by FedEx and I accepted it. So yes, it was FedEx's fault but I'm still disappointed that HKflix didn't respond to my requests.

Does anyone else own the VisionQuest VQM-1000 BLU and if so, could they try out the codes for the Momitsu and let us know here?

Lastly I can tell you the VisionQuest was not modified by anyone because it came from the online retailer ShopNBC.

I think this is great news because now there's the same machine for less than 1/2 the price of the Momitsu which makes it a steal of a deal.

[The Limey]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Hey all,
I just discovered that there IS another player that is also region-free for blu-rays and dvds.
It's the VisionQuest Model #VQM-1000 BLU. In fact, I'm positive it's made for VisionQuest by Momitsu or vice-versa. The machine itself along with the remote look exactly the same. And the remote codes (all 3 of them) work the same to unlock the VisionQuest's region coding. I know this because I have this VisionQuest and have tried the codes on the VisionQuest and it works exactly the same as the Momitsu. Additionally, this machine is available from Amazon for less than $150.00. I bought mine in a package deal through Shop NBC a few months ago.
The only difference is the manufacturer name/logo on the remote and player. The menus are exactly the same and the tech stats match exactly.
I thought I'd bring this info along for those of you who might be interested. What initially made me curious in the first place was the remote's appearance (exactly the same as the Momitsu) and then the player physical appearance (again exactly the same).
I tried out blu-rays (Region Bs) and DVDs (Regions 2 and 4) using the same remote codes for the Momitsu and as I've said they all played perfectly.
BTW, the Momitsu did arrive Friday by FedEx and I accepted it. So yes, it was FedEx's fault but I'm still disappointed that HKflix didn't respond to my requests.
Does anyone else own the VisionQuest VQM-1000 BLU and if so, could they try out the codes for the Momitsu and let us know here?
Lastly I can tell you the VisionQuest was not modified by anyone because it came from the online retailer ShopNBC.
I think this is great news because now there's the same machine for less than 1/2 the price of the Momitsu which makes it a steal of a deal.

Very interesting, indeed. Here in the UK there is another lesser clone of the BDP-899 and that is the Curtis DVD1100. The Consumers Association - Which reviewed this player:

http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/blu-r...dvd1100/review

"If we simply tested Blu-ray picture quality, this cut-price player from Currys own-brand Curtis would be a hit - the high-definition picture is superb. It’s just a pity standard DVD discs don’t make the cut, it’s low on basic features and is a pain to use.
Pros: Great HD picture quality, off switch saves power, low price tag Cons: Lacks auto aspect switching, normal DVD discs look disappointing, difficult to use, no standby resume, no HDMI cable, problem ejecting non-compatible disc"

The above are quotes are from the Which review so as to give readers here the conclusions. I saw the Curtis in Currys and immediately thought 'that player and remote look VERY familiar!'
I did wonder at that time if the Region Free codes would work on that player which has now been discontinued by Currys..... I guess after Anubis' findings with the VQM-1000 that question remains.

Here is the manual for the VQM-1000 for those interested:
http://static.tigerdirect.ca/pdf/Vis...BLU-Manual.pdf


(Anubis, as you have both players to hand, please correct me if I am wrong on any of the following)


Having checked through the VQM's manual, I think these are some of the differences between the VQM-1000 and the Momitsu BDP-899:

- The VQM-1000 is Profile 1.1 and has no BD Live ability.
- The VQM-1000 does not Bitstream a DTS-HD Master signal.
- There are no USB connections on the VQM-1000.
- Only one Bitstreaming option on the VQM-1000, as opposed to three on
the BDP-899.

I would be interested to see a comparison on both HD and SD playback between the 899 and the VQM. It looks as though the Curtis version is poor on SD whereas the 899 is very good, indeed, on SD. Does the VQM have the same SD performance as the Curtis or does it equal that of the 899? And of course what about the HD picture comparison between the two players?

[Dack]

Hmm, the lack of bitstreaming and BD Live would be a deal breaker for me and others I imagine.

[Doozy]

Hi Limey,
The 1000 has Profile 1.3 and while it does lack BD Live it does support Bonus View.

I have this machine as well and it is the best upconverter I've used and better than either Panasonic BD30 or BD35 (which I also own) as far as video quality goes. The audio has both 7.1 PCM and 7.1 DTS outputs through HDMI. Now whether this player decodes them or if your receiver has to decode them I am not certain (I have a HD Receiver with HDMI inputs so I don't worry about that).

This player in my opinion does the job and does it well. At less than the price of the Momitsu it's a steal and a half especially for those on limited budgets (and who isn't these days?).

[The Limey]

Originally Posted by Doozy

Hi Limey,
The 1000 has Profile 1.3 and while it does lack BD Live it does support Bonus View.

I have this machine as well and it is the best upconverter I've used and better than either Panasonic BD30 or BD35 (which I also own) as far as video quality goes. The audio has both 7.1 PCM and 7.1 DTS outputs through HDMI. Now whether this player decodes them or if your receiver has to decode them I am not certain (I have a HD Receiver with HDMI inputs so I don't worry about that).

This player in my opinion does the job and does it well. At less than the price of the Momitsu it's a steal and a half especially for those on limited budgets (and who isn't these days?).

Doozy,

Have you tried the Region Free codes on your 1000?
Do they work or not?

[Doozy]

Originally Posted by The Limey

Doozy,

Have you tried the Region Free codes on your 1000?
Do they work or not?

Yea, they work.Aunbis said it in his post and he is right. The codes work on the 1000 so I think the machines have to be made by the same company or something. Or they are using the same insides whatever the codes control so that the machine is region free.

[The Limey]

Originally Posted by Doozy

Yea, they work. Anubis said it in his post and he is right. The codes work on the 1000 so I think the machines have to be made by the same company or something. Or they are using the same insides whatever the codes control so that the machine is region free.

Anubis also asked others to see if the codes worked on their players.... Your confirmation answers that and backs up his assertion that this player can also enjoy Region Free playback. I also note your comments re the upconversion ability because I have noticed the 899's better performance in this area against the Panasonic DMP-BD35 which would tend to suggest that both players enjoy the same or similar chips.

All very interesting but at this stage having established that this player is almost certainly made by Momitsu too (and enjoys some pretty serious similarities to the 899), someone now needs to give the VQM-1000 its own thread. I for one will certainly be asking for more detail on it from its owners....

[Doozy]

Originally Posted by The Limey

Anubis also asked others to see if the codes worked on their players.... Your confirmation answers that and backs up his assertion that this player can also enjoy Region Free playback. I also note your comments re the upconversion ability because I have noticed the 899's better performance in this area against the Panasonic DMP-BD35 which would tend to suggest that both players enjoy the same or similar chips.

All very interesting but at this stage having established that this player is almost certainly made by Momitsu too (and enjoys some pretty serious similarities to the 899), someone now needs to give the 1000 its own thread. I will certainly be asking for more detail on it....

Yea the similarities are uncanny if these 2 machines were made by different manufacturers. Thats why I joined in this discussion because I knew this machine had to be a "relative" of the Momitsu.

I also think because of the similarities and further, my feeling that both machines are made from the same company, both should be in the same thread. Maybe Im wrong, but it just makes sence to me. I mean if I didn't know about both machines and I bought one vs the other one simply because only one machine is mentioned in the thread while the other was intentionally left out, that would be really a poor ill-informed thread that is supposed to educate and share information. Am I right?

[Doozy]

Originally Posted by The Limey

Yes and no on that one. This thread has now established the VQM-1000's Region Free capability and relationship to the Momitsu-899, all of which are highly pertinent to and enhance this thread as a result.
However, detailed discussion of the VQM-1000 now really should be within its own thread. Why? This is a great discovery for any would be owner and this player now deserves its own spotlight. Leaving it in here or on other threads doesn't actually spotlight the player which from what both Anubis and yourself have said so far it now needs.

Go on, you or Anubis as existing owners kick off a thread, just be ready for questions though....

I dont think I could handle the questions. From what I read in this thread theres some very sofisticated members here that know quite a bit about bluray players and what makes what work. I dont have the knowledge or understanding of any of that. I'm better at taking stuff apart and putting it back together (with some extra pieces left over after). The testing of the codes was easy enough anyone can do that. But bitstreaming and stuff like that I have notta clue. I no what looks good and sounds good to me. A better person to open a thread is someone who nos his stuff and can test this machine and be able to report on it properly.

Maybe anubis will do it.

[Anubis]

Hey guys
Wow it's nice to see more posts here. And on the visionquest player too.
Limey you are correct on the visionquest having a few less features than the momitsu. The box the player comes in says the 1000 has profile 1.3. I don't know the diff between 1.1 and 1.3 but must have to do with a better quality video I would think. Going through the menus setup I think I remember it having 2 - 7.1 audio selections (PCM and DTS) but I can't stake my life on it as I'd have to double check it to say absolutely. The manual that comes with the 1000 is sketchy to say the least. Seems to have been put together before the player was actually fully ready to sell and it doesn't list accurately all the specs on this player.
I can say that the DVD upconversion is at least as good as the Momitsu and the quality of blu-ray is about the same too (just using my eyes and no high-tech equipment to quantify my findings. All in all I feel like you do about this unit. It's a slightly scaled down version of the Momitsu without every bell and whistle but keeping the high quality video and audio the Momitsu has along with the same ability to watch blu-ray and dvd's from anywhere in the world whether supplements are in NTSC or PAL (DVD).

For me a major plus with either machine is my being able to watch my Hammer horror films from Regions 2 and 4. I'm a Hammer nut and have an extensive collection of DVDs I haven't been able to play in a long time since my old Oppo DVD player died on me (that machine was one darmn well-built unit and I definately got my money's worth for all the years I used it.
I think it's a good idea that someone should open a new thread on the vision quest. I would be happy to do so but like Doozie I'm not all that versed in all the electronic mumbo jumbo to be able to understand any questions and be able to answer them the way people need. I would be most willing to help in any way I can but my knowledge is just limited.

[Cochise]

Since a couple of forum members have purchased the VisionQuest player and have confirmed it is significantly based on the Momitsu BDP-899, (if not an exact clone) and is multi-BD Region by entering the same Momitsu codes through the remote, I'm going to start a thread for it and move the post on it from the Momitsu thread so it can have its own dedicated thread.

The VisionQuest is significantly less expensive than the Momitsu. It is currently available from Amazon.com via merchant Tiger Direct for $159.99. A Google product search revealed it is available from several online retailers from $155 - $179.99.

Here is a link to the product listing on the VisionQuest website with the specs. There's a tab for Downloads wher you can download a PDF file of the User Manual, Brochure, Warranty Info and instructions for the firmware update and the latest firmware, which is dated March 18 2009.

Looks interesting.

[Cochise]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Hey guys
Wow it's nice to see more posts here. And on the visionquest player too.
Limey you are correct on the visionquest having a few less features than the momitsu. The box the player comes in says the 1000 has profile 1.3. I don't know the diff between 1.1 and 1.3 but must have to do with a better quality video I would think. Going through the menus setup I think I remember it having 2 - 7.1 audio selections (PCM and DTS) but I can't stake my life on it as I'd have to double check it to say absolutely. The manual that comes with the 1000 is sketchy to say the least. Seems to have been put together before the player was actually fully ready to sell and it doesn't list accurately all the specs on this player.

Boy, you got that right - they have one picture of the back panel with 2 channel stereo analog audio connections, and another one with 7.1 analog audio connections. I'm guessing the actual player is like the Momitsu and only has 2 channel analog audio? And, actually there is no profile "1.3", it's Profile 1.1 for Bonus View and Profile 2.0 for BD Live. And no, there's no difference in video quality, Profile 2.0 adds an internet connection for BD Live internet content and direct updating of the player's firmware directly through the internet connection. The VisionQuest user manual shows a connector on the back panel that is labeled "SERVICE". That exact same back panel picture is on the Momitsu manual and is labeled "SERVICE(RJ45 FOR BD-LIVE)" - so I'm guessing that connector just to the right of the HDMI connection is an ethernet connection? That would confirm this player is Profile 2.0 BD Live.

And actually, the VisionQuest manual lists 3 options for 7.1 audio:
- PCM: The player decodes the audio
- Bitstream: Output raw data for receiver decoding
- Re-encoded DTS: Output DTS data format for receiver DTS decoding. My Comment: This usually the best choice when using Digital Optical audio output for receivers that don't have HDMI audio capability.

[The Limey]

Cochise,

The VQM-1000 is definitely Profile 1.1 only:
http://www.emedialive.com/articles/r...rticleid=11397

If either of our two confirmed owners could either Yay or Nay this but if it is almost identical to the BDP-899, then there will be two channel analogue inputs only.

[Cochise]

Originally Posted by The Limey

Cochise,

The VQM-1000 is definitely Profile 1.1 only:
http://www.emedialive.com/articles/r...rticleid=11397

If either of our two confirmed owners could either Yay or Nay this but if it is almost identical to the BDP-899, then there will be two channel analogue inputs only.

Ok. Thanks for the link; bookmarked for handy reference.

I would be highly surprised if it has 7.1 analogue - that option seems to being dropped from these entry level priced players as too expensive an option. The Vizio BD player was announced at CES as having 7.1 analogue, but when it came to market this summer it had been dropped.

Then this VisionQuest player seems very similar to the Sherwood BDP-5003 player and that Curtis player in the UK you mentioned. There was excitement last evening and this morning when AmericanTV.com had the Sherwood listed for $50.09; turns out it was a pricing error, but they apparently are honoring orders taken before they removed it from their site. No reports if the Sherwood can accept the Momitsu codes for multi-region, but they sure look similar:

VisionQuest:


Sherwood:

[dcg44s]

Cochise I looked at the pictures provided of this player on the Tiger Direct site and the back of the unit definitely shows that the 7.1 analogue inputs are not included.
The specs list it as having them but apparently that information was just copied from the users manual which as has been pointed out seems to have been assembled ahead of time and contains some inaccuracies due to changes.
What I am most interested in confirming is what audio codecs the player can decode and which it can bitstream over the HDMI.If anyone can confirm what the player is actually capable of rather than what the manual list it would be very helpful and much appreciated.Thanks.