Blu-Ray region-free

OK, so while I was reticent to adopt Blu-Ray, all interesting special features seem to have been moved there, and I have thought about changing over. However, in doing some searching online, apparently the region-locking issue is significantly more complicated than with normal DVD players. Whereas my wonderful little Phillilps DVP player was a minor expense that I managed to make region-free with a few keystrokes on the remote, evidently region-hacking is a significantly more costly prospect on BR, and apparently, given that BR is updated repeatedly as well as what seem to be features designed by the manufacturers to prevent the consumer from becoming region-free are big stumbling blocks. Some research indicates that I might be well off with Oppo, whom I'm told are the Cadillac of BR players. However, quite apart from the significant expense of the players (The highly-regarded BDP-93 retails, before modding, already puts me back $500!), evidently region hacking is significantly complex, apparently requiring actual hardware modding. This is apparently usually done by an intermediary third party. I'm not particularly comfortable with that, especially since it further raises the price, but I'm unsure as to if I could undertake that extensive endeavor myself without sound damage and voiding the warrantee on a $500 player. There are various features associated with BR players that seem enticing, particularly Netflix streaming, but the region-coding is my prime interest. Exactly what options do I have? It sounds like I'm just SOL if I don't want to spend quite a significant amount of money, but is there any way to ensure a return on the investment? I was not hugely interested in upgrading as my TV and DVD player are still concocted by a coaxial splitter, for the love of Frith, so it seems like any upgrade at this point would he throwing he baby out with the bathwater, but given how fast BR seems to taking over, I though a rundown of how things are and a through understanding of these issues might make my purchase easier, whether I make the choice next week or next year, since both my interest in foreign discs of both SD and HD material, as well as the ones I already own, factor into the decision-making process, for the eventual building of my hopefully not imaginary future home theater system. Fully laid out, how does the whole issue look and what are my best options? Thanks and sorry for annoying everyone.