Suggestions for a DVD player that can do multiple tricks (AVI on DVD+RW, region-free, etc.)?

There are a few things that I'd like to be able to do with my DVD
machine, most of which I've been able to do with past machines, but
never all at once. I don't think I can get all of these in one
machine, but I thought I'd ask.

1. Play DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW
2. Play AVI files (probably DivX) straight off a CD-R or one of the
above discs.
3. Play all regions.
4. Be ready for our HDTV we'll be buying in a couple of months.
5. Record DVDs
6. Macrovision removal.

They're listed in the order of importance. I'd love to hear that one
machine can do all of the above. If not, 1 through 4 should be
enough.


TIA to anyone who can recommend a model.

dgates

On Sun, 14 May 2006 10:01:18 -0700, dgates <>
wrote:

>
>There are a few things that I'd like to be able to do with my DVD
>machine, most of which I've been able to do with past machines, but
>never all at once. I don't think I can get all of these in one
>machine, but I thought I'd ask.
>
>1. Play DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW
>2. Play AVI files (probably DivX) straight off a CD-R or one of the
>above discs.
>3. Play all regions.
>4. Be ready for our HDTV we'll be buying in a couple of months.
>5. Record DVDs
>6. Macrovision removal.
>
>They're listed in the order of importance. I'd love to hear that one
>machine can do all of the above. If not, 1 through 4 should be
>enough.


Taking a first stab at my own question, a couple of fingers seem to be
pointing to the Philips DVP 642 DVD/DivX Player:

http://www.techtastic.ca/reviews3/dvp642.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002NYM3G

If I'm reading correctly, I can buy ANY Philips DVP642... including
this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000204SWE

and then type in a simple code with the remote control to make it
region-free. Is that correct?

dgates

"dgates" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sun, 14 May 2006 10:01:18 -0700, dgates <>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>There are a few things that I'd like to be able to do with my DVD
>>machine, most of which I've been able to do with past machines, but
>>never all at once. I don't think I can get all of these in one
>>machine, but I thought I'd ask.
>>
>>1. Play DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW
>>2. Play AVI files (probably DivX) straight off a CD-R or one of the
>>above discs.
>>3. Play all regions.
>>4. Be ready for our HDTV we'll be buying in a couple of months.
>>5. Record DVDs
>>6. Macrovision removal.
>>
>>They're listed in the order of importance. I'd love to hear that one
>>machine can do all of the above. If not, 1 through 4 should be
>>enough.
>
>
> Taking a first stab at my own question, a couple of fingers seem to be
> pointing to the Philips DVP 642 DVD/DivX Player:
>
> http://www.techtastic.ca/reviews3/dvp642.html
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002NYM3G
>
> If I'm reading correctly, I can buy ANY Philips DVP642... including
> this one:
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000204SWE
>
> and then type in a simple code with the remote control to make it
> region-free. Is that correct?


My current DVD player a Norcent DP-501M can do the first four. Although it
seems a bit buggy at times. I've been looking to replace it with a model
that in addition to playing DivX and upconverting can also record. I tried
a RCA 8060N but was very dissatisfied with its ability to playback DivX
files. Now I'm considering a Toshiba D-R5 or Samsung R145.

Arthur Lipscomb

"dgates" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> There are a few things that I'd like to be able to do with my DVD
> machine, most of which I've been able to do with past machines, but
> never all at once. I don't think I can get all of these in one
> machine, but I thought I'd ask.
>
> 1. Play DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW
> 2. Play AVI files (probably DivX) straight off a CD-R or one of the
> above discs.
> 3. Play all regions.
> 4. Be ready for our HDTV we'll be buying in a couple of months.
> 5. Record DVDs
> 6. Macrovision removal.
>
> They're listed in the order of importance. I'd love to hear that one
> machine can do all of the above. If not, 1 through 4 should be
> enough.
>
>
> TIA to anyone who can recommend a model.


Philips DVP 642.

Does .avi, divx, mp3, just about anything you can throw at it.

Only bad thing I can say about the unit is that its max FF speed is 8X.


Bobby

NoNoBadDog!

On Sun, 14 May 2006 13:13:13 -0700, "Arthur Lipscomb"
<> wrote:

>
>"dgates" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>> On Sun, 14 May 2006 10:01:18 -0700, dgates <>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>There are a few things that I'd like to be able to do with my DVD
>>>machine, most of which I've been able to do with past machines, but
>>>never all at once. I don't think I can get all of these in one
>>>machine, but I thought I'd ask.
>>>
>>>1. Play DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW
>>>2. Play AVI files (probably DivX) straight off a CD-R or one of the
>>>above discs.
>>>3. Play all regions.
>>>4. Be ready for our HDTV we'll be buying in a couple of months.
>>>5. Record DVDs
>>>6. Macrovision removal.
>>>
>>>They're listed in the order of importance. I'd love to hear that one
>>>machine can do all of the above. If not, 1 through 4 should be
>>>enough.
>>
>>
>> Taking a first stab at my own question, a couple of fingers seem to be
>> pointing to the Philips DVP 642 DVD/DivX Player:
>>
>> http://www.techtastic.ca/reviews3/dvp642.html
>>
>> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002NYM3G
>>
>> If I'm reading correctly, I can buy ANY Philips DVP642... including
>> this one:
>>
>> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000204SWE
>>
>> and then type in a simple code with the remote control to make it
>> region-free. Is that correct?
>
>
>My current DVD player a Norcent DP-501M can do the first four. Although it
>seems a bit buggy at times. I've been looking to replace it with a model
>that in addition to playing DivX and upconverting can also record. I tried
>a RCA 8060N but was very dissatisfied with its ability to playback DivX
>files. Now I'm considering a Toshiba D-R5 or Samsung R145.


A quick peek at Amazon tells me that the Toshiba D-R5 and Samsung R145
machines will meet desires #1 and #2 (play DVD+RWs full of DivX files)
and desire #5 (record DVDs).

I can't, however, tell if either of them is region free.

If so, then one of these could be the first machine I've bumped into
to do all 5 of my main 5 goals.

dgates

dgates wrote:
> There are a few things that I'd like to be able to do with my DVD
> machine, most of which I've been able to do with past machines, but
> never all at once. I don't think I can get all of these in one
> machine, but I thought I'd ask.
>
> 1. Play DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW
> 2. Play AVI files (probably DivX) straight off a CD-R or one of the
> above discs.
> 3. Play all regions.
> 4. Be ready for our HDTV we'll be buying in a couple of months.
> 5. Record DVDs
> 6. Macrovision removal.
>
> They're listed in the order of importance. I'd love to hear that one
> machine can do all of the above. If not, 1 through 4 should be
> enough.
>
>
> TIA to anyone who can recommend a model.

Oppo.

http://oppodigital.com/

-goro-

Goro

"dgates" <> wrote in message
news:...

I just got the Philips 642 for $49 at Circuit City. I can't tell you how
thrilled I am to be able to play my millions of downloaded .AVI's, .DIVX,
..MPG's from CDR's & DVD's that I used to be forced to watch on my computer
monitor. It plays everything I have, even stuff from over 5 years ago. I
put Season 4 .avi's of "24", on 2 DVD's and the quality is near DVD on my
old 32" TV! The only thing I can't answer is your HDTV question.

--

JK Sinrod
www.sinrodstudios.com
www.MyConeyIslandMemories.com

Glassman

NoNoBadDog! wrote:
> Philips DVP 642.
>
> Does .avi, divx, mp3, just about anything you can throw at it.
>
> Only bad thing I can say about the unit is that its max FF speed is 8X.


I'll add another vote for the 642. It does play everything, though
I've had a few problems with *some* downloaded .avis.

My only other nitpick is that it takes about 45 seconds to boot up a
DVD, even an official store-bought movie. At least on mine, that is.

SoHillsGuy

On Wed, 17 May 2006 00:47:13 -0400, "Glassman" <>
wrote:

>
>"dgates" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>
> I just got the Philips 642 for $49 at Circuit City. I can't tell you how
>thrilled I am to be able to play my millions of downloaded .AVI's, .DIVX,
>.MPG's from CDR's & DVD's that I used to be forced to watch on my computer
>monitor. It plays everything I have, even stuff from over 5 years ago. I
>put Season 4 .avi's of "24", on 2 DVD's and the quality is near DVD on my
>old 32" TV! The only thing I can't answer is your HDTV question.


I see the $49 price at Circuit City as well.

Just to confirm: The model I can walk into my local Circuit City and
buy... That's the same model that will play DivX AVI files and DVDs
from other regions?

Thanks again.

dgates

dgates () wrote in alt.video.dvd:
> 1. Play DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW
> 2. Play AVI files (probably DivX) straight off a CD-R or one of the
> above discs.
> 3. Play all regions.
> 4. Be ready for our HDTV we'll be buying in a couple of months.
> 5. Record DVDs
> 6. Macrovision removal.
>
> They're listed in the order of importance. I'd love to hear that one
> machine can do all of the above.

I do all of this with my PC, which outputs 1080i to my HDTV. I currently
use component video, but could use DVI/HDMI if my old HDTV had that
input.

I use AnyDVD to remove Macrovision (although it doesn't really matter
with this sort of setup), allow playback of any region DVDs, and a bunch
of other good things (like jumping past the previews straight to the
movie). Just about any decent dual/double layer DVD±RW drive will do
all you want in terms of playback and recording.

Admittedly, it's more expensive than a DVD player, but it's the only
device I know that can do all of this trivially, especially the upconvert
of DVD to HD. And, it can be done decently for around $600. The extra
money will get you things like browsing the web on your HDTV, really
immersive games, etc., that a standalone DVD player just can't do.

--
Jeff Rife |
| http://www.nabs.net/Cartoons/OverThe...zaDelivery.gif

Jeff Rife