I am looking to buy an inexpensive region-free (or region hackable) DVD player, something in the $50 USD range. No need for Blu-Ray or fancy upconverting, etc., just something that will play any regular old DVD I stick into it.

Recommendations?

tanstaafl.

I see dozens of region-free DVD players on Amazon. I can't imagine there's all that much difference in their ability to simply play a DVD, which seems to be your goal. Looks like most are in the $30 range, or in the $50 range if you want upconversion.