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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

Oppo.

http://oppodigital.com/

-goro-

 

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'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.

 

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 () wrote in alt.video.dvd:

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.

 

dgates () wrote in alt.video.dvd:

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/OverTheHedge/PizzaDelivery.gif

I own the DVP-642, and I also use AnyDVD and Cloddy (the two best programs
on the market).

The DVP-642 will be the best $50 you ever spend.

No need for a more expensive model.

The DVP-642 does CloneDVD2, PAL or NTSC, Region Free, plays about any format
you throw at it, does MPEG, has Composite, S-video and Component out,
digital optical out, and works like a charm.


Bobby

 

NoNoBadDog! () wrote in alt.video.dvd:

[please snip signatures in followups]

With AnyDVD, there is no need for any other program. It opens up the
disc so that any regular program can do anything you want to the data.

You mean it's a DVD writer as well, and will copy CSS-encrypted disks?
OK, that would be worth $50.

But, no DVI or upconversion. And, when MPEG-5 comes out, you'll need
to buy another box, while a computer can just download a codec.

 

dgates () wrote in alt.video.dvd:

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.


Of course we all have PC's to do all this. Our issue is different. We want
to play the files in a different room, on a far away TV set as well. If you
live in a studio or your MAIN TV monitor is attached to your computer, then
you don't have a need for a stand alone.

 

Glassman () wrote in alt.video.dvd:

[please learn how to quote...you didn't write the above, but your post
makes it look like you did]

There isn't a TV that can be hooked up to a standalone DVD player that
can't also be hooked up to a PC.

 

The only drawback to the DVP642 is that there is known problem of a PS
capacitor blowing aftter 4 months to a year and half of use.

Search DVP642 + Blinking

Then again after mine went out with the blinking light after a year and half
and after doing some research I went back and bought another DVP642 at
CompUSA last week for 65$ w/tax.

For 65$ considering what I know it will do I thought the risk was worth it
and "maybe" they have it fixed

 

Well, I went out and bought it.

I drove to Circuit City figuring "Hey, for $49, I'll try it." It
turned out it was $69 when you buy it from a Circuit City walk-in
store, but by then I had driven over, walked in and wanted to have
bought it from a walk-in store in case I wanted an easy return.

I see there is some known "blinking" problem that might happen in a
year, and that, to those who have used a soldering gun in the last 20
years, it's not that hard to fix. My guess is that, if mine blows
out, I won't try to learn how to fix it. I'll either buy a new one or
buy another model or something.

I was very surprised to find that I got a BETTER picture playing a
DVD-R with 13 hour-long AVI files than I did playing a DVD-R in which
I had used Sonic LE to burn only 2 of those files as movie files. (I
might be too tired to be explaining this well.)

I typed in the code to make it region-free ("7 8 9 OK 0" on the remote
control with an open tray) and it worked. I can now play my Region 2
Jonathan Creek DVDs.


I'm still deciding what I think of it. I've had a couple other DVD
players that did some tricks (an Apex and a Yamakawa, both
region-free), and it just seems that "tricky" DVD players also seem to
have less friendly interfaces.

There are some oddities here and there. For example, speed-searching
around within an AVI file isn't nearly as easy as it is on a regular
movie DVD using my Sony player. And it only displays the first 11
characters of filenames.

But the only reason I'm even bumping into these problems is: I have a
DVD player that can play AVI files!


So, we'll see how long the machinery lasts. We'll see if I get better
at speedsearching with it. But for now, I'm happy to be able to play
every format I can think of in this little player.

 

Lookin for a Cyberhome model 4010. Great machine!
fully regiofree (do it at your self) 60 euro`s in the Nederlands

gr Willem

 

I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron. I thought 65$ was a lot easier than
finding the capacitor and taking it apart and putting it back together.

 

Bwuahahahahahahaha!

 

Jeff try to keep up to speed here. We don't want to pick up our PC or TV
and get them together to watch a movie. We want to have a separate unit on
top of our big TV, so we don't need to keep moving them around or running
50' cables from one room to the next. The simple solution is to use a
standalone DIVX player in the other room that doesn't have a PC, but does
have a nice big TV set.