We finally got our Region Free DVD player today. It has a PAL / NTSC converter built right in.
http://www.world-import.com/dvp-5140.htm And it worked like a charm right out of the box. There was not waiting for it to figure out the region and convert from PAL to NTSC. No flicker at ALL on the screen, even when there was a burning torch on the screen in Robin Hood ep 1-5.
VERY impressed!!