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What's The Best Combo DVD/VCD/CD/MP3 Player?
option8 asks: "In the process of building a home theater with components, I've found a few all-in-one units that play DVD, CD, VCD, and MP3 CDs, and a few are pretty cheap (Apex's MD100 and MD600a for instance) but I wonder if the /. community has any to recommend that are solid performers and that are reasonably priced. Are there any pitfalls I should know about like: surround sound, skip protection for DVDs, etc?" We've had an earlier discussion on MP3/CD combo players so why not add few more disc formats into the mix? Do any of you have any experiences with such hardware and can you steer readers to the good ones?
The Scan player however has truly awful DVD output. Add that to Scan's notoriously bad customer service and you have a big waste of time. If you can do without the VCD support try a Techtronics chipped LG3350E. Stunner of a player
Plus, it's just cool. I'm going to put a Quake 3 server on mine.
http://www.zapmedia.com/
- Vincit qui patitur.
I just returned an Apex 703. It didnt' overhead, but on nearly every disc I played, the audio and video would end up out of sync after about 20 minutes of watching. You get what you pay for I guess. I returned it and got a Sony for more money. :(
Werd.
EXCEPT SPECIAL EDITIONS!
Special edition DVDs that have different versions of the movie on one disc (The Abyss, ID4, T2, etc.) are totally unwatchable. The Apex will repeat scenes over and over, or jump to parts of the film that have nothing to do with where the last scene was loacted.
Honestly, if my player didn't have the secret menu, I'd ditch it for something else over this one problem. I haven't tried any of the newer models, so they may have rectified it since the 1999 model. If you can get one of the movies I listed above and try it on a new model, do so. If it plays through, then the Apex is the way to go (as long as all the connectors on the rear suit your A/V setup).
Hope that helps!
Govatos
Didn't I say I do _not_ mean macrovision? I've even tried turning macrovision off and connected the player to my TV card on my computer. I can see _strong_ artifacts and sort of pulsating picture in dark parts of movies. This, of course, varies from movie to movie. It was especially noticable in The Matrix and Sixth Sense (region 2). Comparing the picture quality with software DVD players on my computer showed a _huge_ difference in artifacts... The player sucks.
you get a 750 duron for like $100 but i wonder where i can buy a 10GB disk for $50?
thats right, i havent got anything better to do.
get xited
I used this site when I bought my player
Great resource to check.
The above post is an editorial, the poster cannot and will not be held responsible for all or in part for it's contents
I have had this exact same problem with Gladiator, on both my Apex AD-600A and my roommate's Phillips Magnavox in the game room. In the exact same places, the mpeg breaks into big blocks on the screen (the same way Time Warner's digital cable likes to break up... heh). The Phillips player just keeps on chucking through the bad sections, and my Apex skips ahead to a good section. We probably just both got bad discs. I'd be interested to know if your Toshiba chokes on the same disc too.
Even better. If you want portability, then get a laptop that is good as a desktop computer. :)
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
Erm. USB is 12mbit. How are you going to get video down that? Even USB 2.0 is only something like 480 mbit, that still seems low for video.
A lot of anime titles I want aren't available on DVD yet. (Tenkuu no Escaflowne, Mononoke Hime, etc.) I can't stand looking at VHS. I'll be first in line to buy these titles on DVD when they're released, but until then, I'll keep watching on VCD. I love Hong Kong.
I just picked one up today at Circuit City. THey had a shipment of the AD-600As that they recieved and were trying to get rid of. Got mine for $99.00. Originally went in for the AD-600 for $149.00. Personally, I'm not too picky on asthetics, nor on the prettiness of the menus. I just want it to play my DVDs, CDs, and the occasional ripped mp3 CD. And, from the majority of discussions that I hear, this one is a DAMN good bet.
If you've got a few grand laying around...
You could buy an entire entertainment system for the price of a G4 cube with one of those studio displays.
Sorry, no.
-the wunderhorn
Karma: Bored. (Thinking about resurrecting the "Anyone else is an imposter" joke.)
Not necessarily. I found this on the web a few days ago and it looks very prommising: http::/www.snapstream.net I haven't tried it out yet, but I think that it will work. Basically they have a software based Tivo solution. You could rip your DVD's to your multimedia server in the basement and play them with a pc remote control. 80 gig ultra DMA HD's are going for USD$299 at CompUSA this week.
I heard from someone that a DVD player uses a different technology then a CD does. So, a DVD player will not play a CD as well as a CD player?!
This sounds bogus but.....
-Misc
Do not pass the video signal through any external equipment like a VCR - put the scart cable directly into the TV, or buy yourself a video stabilisator.
The G4 doesn't have video out so you can put it on the TV, that's why I use my PC for DVD playback. I just drop the DVD in the slot, and PowerDVD automatically begins playback.
If there were any cheap cards with S-video out for the G4, I'd of course use it. Anyone?
- Yup. He got it.
sorry, but translucency is not an attribute I look for in my digital storage media :)
ToiletDuk
Protector of the Wastes
I bought the Apex 703 at Circuit City and returned it a few days later. It had sync problems between the video and audio, wouldn't play some MP3's if they were encoded under 128Kbps, occasionally would play audio CDs without putting out audio (then worked after power cycling). It also on occasion would have 1/2 second pauses (hiccups) where the video would halt and then resume. However some DVDs and CDs played great. I decided that playing DVDs was more important so I swapped it for a Hitachi unit with no CDR or MP3 capability (keeping my fingers crossed).
I use a laptop with VNCviewer and an ethernet cable to the PC with DVD in it as a remote sometimes. Does that make me lazy? :-)
- Yup. He got it.
Actually, IIRC, there is new firmware that eliminates the seamless branching bug (as well as restoring the loophole "bug")
In general, modern problems have medieval solutions...
New 600A's do not have the seamless branching problem, and you can get upgrades for older models.
I've had a 600A for almost a year and I really like it. It reads CD-R and CD-RW, DVD, VCD and plays mp3's. Much easier than trying to lug my computer into the living room.
--Biffo
What television does is rent us friends and relatives who are quite satisfactory. --Kurt Vonnegut
AFAIK, all MP3 discs are CD-R.
____________________
Ni!
I had one. The audio coudln't keep up with the video. So I got on Deja.com and found out that this is a *very* common complain with Apex' models. So I bought a Sony.
Werd.
Actually, I meant P1 233. Oops. Sorry.
Rami
--
rJames.org - illustration
Some things to remeber when buying DVD/VCD players
:).
1) Confirm ( from multiple sources ) that it can use CD-R's of ANY format.
2) Confirm that it can use CD-RW of multiple formats
3) Make sure it can CONVERT PAL->NTSC and NTSC->PAL depending on your prefrence, not autoswitch based on the movie. Otherwise you will end up will lots of VCD that are B&W and have no vertical hold.
So, keep those in mind when shopping. If you don't mind dropping the MP3 requiments go with Pioneer. They make a whole lot of good DVD and DVD changes in the 200-500$ US range that will play DVD, VCD's , SVCD's, and CD's. They play almost anything too, if you could only crack the region coding on DVD's
Indeed. The decoder card that I use came with the Creative DVD kit that I bought for ~$110. It decodes beautifully quickly, and the TV out is on an ancient ATI all-in-wonder card that is sufficiently good for watching movies and such. You can get one of these cards for what, $10?
Rami
--
rJames.org - illustration
I have to second this guy.. the sweetest thing would be one of those cheesy Dell machines your favorite government worker brings home because they've been replaced with new gear. The older models were super-quiet since they had no fan on the cpu, just a monster heat sink and an air duct. Slap in a dvd decoder card and drive, you're all set. And if you're complaining about the load times, well.. uhh.. tough! That's the price to pay for avoiding a costly consumer dvd deck.
-Billco, Fnarg.com
Well - did you ever bother to flash an eeprom with the upgraded firmware? The newest firmware fixes the bugs with seamless branching (and reinstalls the loophole, for those who have the firmware w/o loopholes.) As far as mp3s and other files - mine works fine so long as the only other files are a playlist (besides, who wants to waste cd space putting non-mp3s on it?) Third thing - price! K-Mart is selling the AD-600A for $129.99 right now in NJ (which is what I paid...)
In general, modern problems have medieval solutions...
I had considered using my old 21" monitor to watch DVDs and videos.
It would be a very budget HD system, but you do generally get the resolutions recommended by the ATSC system.
I bought a 27" Sony Wega as I got sick of little displays. I won't be buying HD for a long time and the TV I bought is a great intermediary step. I like it as I can watch anamorphic movies in full detail and almost no interlace flicker.I really don't want a larger TV than that, I would be shopping for refurbished or used front projectors if I had the money.
You may also want to verify CD-RWs (audio format) as some players will do both while others will read CD-R, but not CR-RW (others will read both). I like CD-RW a lot for putting together current mixes without having to burn a new CD everytime (though at $0.20 for cheap disks, it isn't a big deal).
You can usually (but not always) tell which players will handle CD-R and CD-RW as they will be listed as having dual-discrete pickups. The DVD compatible lasers typically do not have the sensitivity to be able to read CD-R and CD-RW media's lower reflectivity, so the player has to have another laser read head that will handle CD tasks.
Regards, RJS
The toshiba plays everyone of my dvds with no problem. The video even looks better than the apex.
I'm suprised no one has brought this up. The geek appeal of a full combo unit is one thing. But if you're really looking at a DVD player with outstanding video quality we should be talking about progressive scan DVD players.
You can trumpet apex and others all you want for it's macrovision disable, but the compoent video output (interlaced or progressive) does not encode any macrovision crap onto the signal.
The biggest consideration is the televisions getting bigger. LCD and DLP projectors are getting cheaping. Someone can set up a poor persons projection system that can do HDTV for under $3000. For $7000 you can put together a very high quality HDTV projection system complete with motorized screen (45X80 or about 92" diag.), broadcast and satilite HDTV decoder, and a good quality Progressive scan DVD player.
Even if you don't go the true HDTV route, many direct view TV's shipped with compoent video inputs (Most with Interlaced, but a fair number with progressive.) And most new models of Rear Projection TV's shiped with compoent video as well.
If you're going to toss money at a DVD player I would suggest looking at a progressive model. With HDTV becoming the standard in 2006, I believe it's a wise investment.
Models to look at:
JVC's XVD723GD Street Price ~$469 USD
Toshiba SD5109 Street Price ~$463 USD
Toshiba SD6200 Street Price ~$549 USD - HDCD
If you like really high end stuff:
Onkyo DVS939 Has RS-232, Firewire Port, is firmware upgradible, and weighs 24 lbs.
Yeah, great. So all I have to do to watch my new DVD is go down into the basement and put it in my machine?
-Ciaran
Um, read the update on the article you linked to.
Some players won't read CDR discs. So if you like to burn your own music be sure to verify that they will be readable. I would suggest taking both a home burned CDR and MP3 disc with you to check out the players with. If your buyin on line then be sure to read all the docs.
that's why you have children.
(or roommates)
The basic sleazeware produced in a drunken fury by a bunch of UCBerkeley grad students was still the core of BIND. --PV
You can only think of a few movies released on VCD?
Practically all Hong Kong cinema can be had in any Chinatown on VCD for peanuts, and most major movies get released in the format.
Personally I was severely tempted by the Star Wars trilogy on VCD available here, along with things like X-Men, Gladiator and so on.
-Ciaran
Kiss 1502s is a decent player. It has even DTS decoding. It is also sold under names AVPhile/Jaton/Raite/Monyka/Yamakawa/Multi-Player/H oyo/SEG/Tokai.
-- life is such and it gets sucher and sucher --
A DVD 5.1(region-free)/CD-Rom Games/VCD/CD-G/SVCD/mp3(var. bitrates)/CD-DA/CD-R/CD-RW player that handles every format you need. It also handles Karaoke and....here's the kicker: COMES WITH 700 SEGA GAMES!!!!!! SCHWEEET! You'll be surprised at the price! Here's the link: http://www.gamedvdplayer.com/info.asp
...if this is only for occasional watching, and not for serious movie type stuff, then you might want to try a BookPC, with a DVD drive. It's only downside is stereo output, not surround sound (which I know you want).
There may be other models in the same scheme as the BookPC that do offer surround sound. Seems like a good all around low-cost way of doing things.
If you support the whole DVD rights issue, buy the CD-ROM version, then buy a used DVD drive, and used discs (if you have to have DVD - if not, buy only VCDs)...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
I agree with the anonymous coward. I have used a couple different DVD players and have discovered that different quality machine produce noticable different results. I tried to use my computer as a dvd player for a while, but it skips on occasion and problems arise with a remote. I had a JVC, but it had trouble between chapters and between layers. Those were just DVD players. Combo players do not normally perform as well as separate components and I know Apex is not a high quality brand. I think your best bet is to go with a quality DVD player, like a Sony and then if you want to save some money with the MP3, just run a cord from your sound card into your stereo receiver.
Ok, UK biased answer, but Scan has an own brand player here which I think is pretty nice. Mp3s are limited to 8.3 name display. Also multi region for those of us in the UK who suffer... I just bought one as a christmas prezzie, and ahem, playtesting it hasn't revealed any problems.
It does lack a proper power off button though - stand by mode only for some reason, and doesn't have an integrated dolby decoder.
I use a computer with a 6" LCD built into the case. This coupled with an X10 remote mouse makes for very easy navigation. There is no keyboard, mouse or monitor. I also have VNC running so I can easily access features that aren't easily accessible through the remote software. If you do want to use the X10 remote mouse I would suggest that you not install the included software. There is a much better program called maX10 available at sourceforge.
This may make me sound like a complete ass, but I have the perfect DVD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW/MP3/VCD player for you: your computer.
That's what I do I have an older box, a P1-266, hooked up to my TV and sound system. I can play just about any format that a fancy-shmancy one-for-all device can, and at the same time, I can have it run as a nice fileserver for my MP3s. It cost about 300-400 bucks to set up, including the cables, nic, DVD, etc. You can't ask for more than that, man.
Rami
--
rJames.org - illustration
I 'd buy a cheap DVD player for now and wait. The technology is still relatively new and there are bound to be improvements, possibly rendering your newly purchased machine out of date.
For example, George Lucas says he won't release his Star Wars films on DVD until the new "Blue Lazer" technology has been introduced (allows a lot more data to be stored on one disc).
The feature I am waiting to become standard is recordability. I want to be able to record from the TV just like I do with my VHS machine. This will happen eventually, so for now I will make do with my Samsung DVD 709.
----------------------------
-----------------------
Moderator's essentials
Get a used CRT projector off ebay.
Get the computer hooked up to it, via RGB.
You'll be using greater than 800x600 progressive that way, much better than S-video.
And who's worried about fan noise when you've got the Dolby 5.1 Digital volume cranked through those Cambridge Soundworks speakers?
--
Marc A. Lepage (aka SEGV)
--
Marc A. Lepage
Software Developer
I have several MP3 Discs put out by various magazines and they are not CDR but rather pro pressings/manufacture.
The video quality on high-action sequences was inferior even to VHS.
And it's my understanding that VCD is a very specific format. You can't just toss an MPEG-1 file on a CD-ROM and expect it to run.
So, why does anyone still care about VCD?
Today: E-Toys Requiem
Too true. And load times aren't a problem for me simply because I leave the thing on all the time. It's a file server after all.
It has no CPU fan, a HUGE heatsink (those 233Mhz chips heat up!) and some home-made holes on the case for ventilation. I suppose that if I wanted to, I could rig up a custom box and hide the thing away, but I don't mind the slight eyesore (actually, it blends right into my apartment.. ick) so it just sits out in the open.
Rami
--
rJames.org - illustration
Yes, I know that you can't buy this one anymore, but you might be able to buy one of the numerous clones. The build quality is not the greatest, and the player has some "stuttering" issues out of the box, but if you are not afraid to invalidate your warranty the thing has firmware upgrades to fix the stuttering and make it have a loophole menu like the apex (Macrovision and Region checking disable).
:(
Try www.egroups.com under the egroup "Raite-dvd" for information about this beauty. It'll play damn near any disc you put in it (CD, DVD, MP3CD on CD-R & CD-RW, VCD and some others) and it can be had for cheap to boot (I got it for under $200)
But like I said: good luck finding one
+++ ATH0 +++
I just picked up a AD703 at Circuit City last month and I just replaced it with a Toshiba yesterday. I could never get it to play a few of the DVDs that I own including my newest, Gladiator. It seems to have problems keeping up with decoding the mpeg causing it to pause and switch to different audio settings a random.
My other main problem with it is the poorly designed remote. Bottons that should be next to each other appear as far away as possible. ie, the angle and audio switching buttons are at opposite ends of the remote. Also the navagational arrows make it a two handed nightmare when moving through the menus.
I had no problems returning it at Circuit City. They didnt even ask me any questions about why I didnt want it. I suspect that I'm not the only person who has returned this thing.
If you want mp3 playback, then wait a few years til they get it all worked out or buy a cheap computer.
I bought a tradex dvd/cd/... player about two weeks ago. It works fine, better picture and sound than my frends apex 600a. You can find the specs at http://www.tredex.com/Tdx/Eng/Products/product_vie w.asp?dept%5Fid=3000&sku=3005500
It plays mp3s but I had trouble with high bit rate variable ones. No song title display.
Cant beat it for $220.00
I would have to total disagree. I bought a Pioneer HD510 Elite. This is a total awesome TV. It also complete shows any flaws in components and cables. I first had to replace the Dish player I had for a higher end one because when large areas of the screen are the same color the play back would show moire patterns. The new player does faithful reproduction. The same is true for my DVD player and cables. The high end cables show every flaw in the components because the TV is capable of picking up those flaws. I got a new DVD Pioneer 434. Unfortunately it still is not good enough although it is a great player for CDs, DVDs and LDs. Will except for the fact that my TV shows off how that it is not top of the line. Now if I had my old TV the cables and the components would not matter.
Rabi Satter
PS for those who want more than just antedontal evidence. Check out this article
Rabi Satter
I have one of these now (with a Celery 366). It's only an option with Windows, though, since Linux DVD support is pretty much non-existent (I run Mandrake on mine - using it as a small server, and the i810 support is mediocre). Amptron also makes a VIA MVP4-based version of the Book PC with Linux support advertised as a benefit, but that's constrained to Socket 7 processors only.
I'd like to see a version that can run a Duron processor (Socket A), with perhaps an embedded nVIDIA chipset for graphics. It'd be worth a good penny as the ultimate LAN party machine, though the heat might be an issue. The local dealer who pushes these the hardest says Amptron has a i815-based version of this coming out that'll handle the newer flip chip Celerys in a few weeks.
But Linux is an ideal OS for one of these "appliance" class PC's, and that's why we need real DVD support in Linux and part of why the MPAA is a bunch of fools. To do this today, you need Windows, and that raises the cost (legally) as to make a PC versus a dedicated DVD player prohibitive.
- -Josh Turiel
-- Josh Turiel
"2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
You're watching DVDs - you need a large screen (32" +) Widescreen set - Anything else isn't worth pumping DVDs through.
Because of course no one with a smaller TV would appreciate seeing movies in letterbox over Pan "N" Scan.
There are valid reasons for wanting a single, relatively inexpensive device to read all the major AV formats.
Walt
Definitely the Apex 600A rocks.
I am able to play any region DVD, gold-DVDR, gold-CDR, blue-CDR, MP3 in ISO9660 format (cruddy 8.3 filename format).
Plus I can play burnt DVD with this player!
Rad!
Howdie,
Has anyone got some info on the url above? Is this a respectable company? Do they charge fair prices? Is their customer service okay?
And most importantly: do they deliver what they promise?
You don't need to see my
Imagine a Beowolf cluster of these babies!!! ;)
Isn't that a bit like saying: "I'd never buy a PC for both spreadsheets and word processing, you couldn't possibly get them both right"?
Isn't all-in-one supposed to be the great big promise of digital entertainment? Outside of the bits that turn digital to analog: screen, speakers, amp, etc. there's no reason that the hardware needs to be any different for all of these formats.
If that capability has been thwarted, shouldn't we view that as the usual shenanigans of those who'd like us to buy another copy of the same media for every player?
You may be right about what the real options in the market are, but don't make it a self-fulfilling prophecy by refusing to consider all-in-one.
"You can't get something for nothing." - my grandfather, on the stock market and Reaganomics.
My friend Chris has the absolute perfect Setup.. Here's a description:
AMD Duron 650 overclocked to 800
DVD-ROM Drive
WinDVD software DVD playback
Aureal sound card with OPTICAL output.
Sony DD 5.1 Reciever with OPTICAL input
Barco Data 1100 overhead data projector (one of the ones with the big tubes)
Infrared remote keyboard and mouse.
He can sit on his couch and control the computer with a screen 11 ft wide in 16:9 mode at 1024x768 60Hz.
He can play mp3's and they sound incredible because the output it completely digital between the computer and the reciever (no annoying cheap sound card amp buzz)
He can play DVD's at full speed with no jumpiness at 1024x768, and the software DVD resamples the movie up to that resolution (so it's like playing 720p on an HDTV).
I can truely say that this is the MOST kick ass setup I've ever seen.. at 1024x768 (720p) the DVD movies look an awful lot like FILM.
For TV he has an STB TV/PCI card for now, but in the future he wants to get the RCA HDTV reciever that can pick up DirecTV, HD DirecTV, and HDTV broadcast.
So far, I've just got the average Home Theater setup, and while nice, it's nothing like what the Barco and a PC can do.
My computer. It's DeCSS compliant, has the original Fraunhoffer codecs (downloaded, not purchased), can rip audio tracks at over 50X, and has 50GB of storage space as well as 320MB of RAM. It's also optimized to filter out the banner ad sites. Now if only those chuckleheads at Verizon could let the Covad guys into the CO...
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer
http://www.lik-sang.com/mf/868.htm
Thank you for stating exactly what I was thinking. I also despise other combo devices because they alway go cheap on something. Of course the person who asked the question didn't really ask about a good setup, but we have to assume that some people care about quality. Your point about the interconnects is valid, and most people are shocked to find out how much a decent cable actually costs. I have an audiophile friend who even explains how it is important to make sure that you don't ever reverse your cables. That is a little extreme for me, but I have never heard good audio come from a chincy combo unit.
-- Solaris Central - http://w
All I want is a stand alone DivX players so I can play all my porn on my 55" TV.
I would say to wait for the Indrema system and get the best of all of the worlds. I don't think it does VCD though but there are enough other things it does to make up for it.
"With enough memory and hard drive space, anything in life is possible!"
dirt cheap (200 $) and best of all...upgradable. you can flash the cd drive firmware with a cdr and the company published all the specs for it. plays *any* disc i throw at it.
Dont know if you can get it in the us, though. i bought mine in germany. i heard its sold unter Raite, Kiss, Hoyo oder Monyka in europe.
understand why people want to turn this off - copying a DVD to video is a waste)
It can be region chipped - it has four tiny air vents on the side, the extra region
chip plugs into one of them!
It plays DVD, CD, CDR, CDRW, MP3CD & VCD. The works
It evens comes with decoded 6 channel outputs (or optical if you prefer) for Dolby
Digital and DTS. Stonky. It even has a blue LED for disc access indication.
Steve.
Some friends of mine recently had a ... heated... discussion about the quality of DVD movies.
Basically, the problem being that such a great Digital Medium with perfect image is presented usually on a TVscreen of switched through your VCR. Are there any 'special' options for getting the most of your viewing pleasure?
Regards,
You don't need to see my
I want the REAL thing, baby!
Has someone some other solutions?
Regards
You don't need to see my
Is that what does it? I have a Tredex multi-function DVD player that does DVD, VCD, SVCD, MP3, CD-R, CD-RW, Kareoke for chrissake... But it has an annoying feature as well. The brightness and darkness of the picture keeps going up and down. If it weren't for that, this would be a wonderful DVD player! It has about a trillion different outputs (including S-video, woo!), DTS, etc. I'm looking into getting a TV with S-video in to try to get rid of the brightness undulating so much. But if it's the Macrovision.. Any way to fix this?
- Eric
Sorry to make such an inflamatory post, but you are absolutely nuts.
I have the exact same setup and i love it. I have a flat desktop mini case which i spray painted in metallic black (after removing all the LEDs, etc, then replacing them)
I have a Jaton 4 MB graphics card with S-video output - that cost me $30.00
I have a hollywood plus real magic DVD board with tv-out on another s-video channel. that was $90.00
and i have a soundblaster card that is spectacular for quality.
add to this a RealTek slimline 100 base nic and a few other incidentals... i came in well below $500.00.
all i want now is a good Infa-Red remote that i can program with macro magic, or that i can configure with other software.
it's quiet as hell, and the UPS in the bottom drawer of the TV cabinet will ensure that I can keep watching TV or movies or listening to MP3s even during a brown out or black out. (Hehe, for about 30 minutes, at least. =)
- Dixieland
*sigh* No, the promise of digital entertainment is affordable, widely compatible multimedia that is of acceptable quality. That's not the same as highest possible fidelity. I heard a fellow recently say something along the lines of "in 5-8 years, the only people using chemical photography [instead of digital] will be the Luddites who insist that vacuum tube amps are somehow sounds 'warmer,' too.[1]" Digital, all-in-one, widely compatible multimedia has its place, a very far-reaching and economically strong place -- but specialized and analog multimedia have a niche that anything less can not achieve.
The other issues you fail to bring up are quality, reliability, and expandability. The all-in-one units target a different market than components, because component buyers want the ability to add and remove individual components as they come into the market or break (respectively). You simply can't depend upon an all-in-one unit, just like a 4 piece RAID0 array is 4x as likely to fail as a single drive. Further, people who are willing to forego the reliability of components, are generally willing to forego the not-necessarily-concomitant higher quality of components, so the designers don't build for higher quality (kind of like the difference between SCSI and IDE used to be; now you only see that difference in the really high-end SCSI drives).
And in case you're wondering, I'm planning on buying an all-in-one, and using it until I can afford better. OTOH, I'd rather buy a scanner and use my decades-old manual camera than buy a digital camera.
1. Bill Cheswick, LISA 2000
--Matthew
There's a pretty good comparison of players and their supported formats at www.vcdhelp.com
What did sorta bother me was the *jump* in version number that it made. I think mine came with something like 3.xx or 6.xx and the upgrade took it up to 9.xx. The unit was only a year old !! How come I didn't get any updates in between ??
I did have to call and ask for the update too. Certainly wasn't sent automatically.
I bought the Apex DVD player based on the fact that it could play MP3 burned discs. As far as I have used it (almost 1 year), there have been no problems. One of the other postings mentioned that it is a bit slow to spin up and I agree ...
My recommendation is if you have the EXTRA cash, buy the Apex to play MP3's and VCD's but purchase a quality (Sony cerca $250 is what I have) DVD player to handle the movies hooked up to the surround sound system. You will enjoy your movies and concerts much more that way.
Ain't that easy - ya gotta have a 'prom burner. 1. Add memory (this usually may take the most work, depending on the board rev) 2. Pop out the old chip 3. Burn new eeprom and insert 4. Enjoy
In general, modern problems have medieval solutions...
Do any of the combo DVD/VCD/CD/MP3 players have the ability to do cue and review on MP3 files? I'm using an Aiwa XD-DV370 which cannot do this and has a clumsy user interface. Also, can any display track names with more than 8 characters? The Aiwa manual claims the 370 will display 14 characters, but it does not and their "tech" support has no clue. Thanks for any inputs.
800 pounds sterling!?! Christ on a stick, man, we're looking at toys here that center around... lemme see... 200 pounds or less. For 800 sterling I could build an absolutely kick-ass gaming machine with a top-flight dvd-player, tv-out, hot-n-cold running Evian, and a blowjob from the sales clerk as well! And still have enough money left over to buy a mediocre tv to watch it on...
Try this Amptron product. You may not be able to buy it direct from Amptron. I've seen a dealer here and there reselling them.
It may be more than you're willing to pay (in the $500US range once you put a proc,RAM,HD in), but you have a real-live computer once you're finished. Maybe even an Indrema killer.
Potato chips are a by-yourself food.
I have a Raite 715. The Kiss player is one of many brands under which it was sold. Unfortunately, Raite is bankrupt and not making them anymore, so the prices have gone up on the remaining players. This also leaves the future of firmware updates in doubt.
On the other hand, there have been new firmware releases as recently as last week. Also, you can get hacked versions of the firmware that include the loopholes (macrovision off/region select) menu.
Oh, and it playes SVCD as well as regular VCD. The latest firmware version lets it play any MPEG file.
Personally, I'm pretty happy with it.
I own an Apen 600A (I think), and it's great for shuffling through tons of tunes randomly, but if you're not thinking about doing an MP3 server for your stereo, it would be difficult to figure out how to play, say, Radiohead's "Kid A" instead of "The Bends", since they show up as RADIOH~1 and RADIOH~2.
Or something like that. You could, of course, nest the album names within the RADIOHEAD directory, but then you've got a problem when you copy those directories directly to something else. Your memory could be less clouded than mine, and able to recall EVERY album name you've ever heard, but...
ceci n'est pas un sig.
I just bought one of these, and its great. A bit pricey though (799 DM). Plays DVD, CD-R, CD-RW, VCD, Audio- and MP3-CDs. Works great, and the software toggle for the region coding was easy to find (input over the remote, and region coding is gone, at least for Region 1 and 2 DVD's).
.mp3 isn't displayed. The start up time for a full MP3-CD is pretty short (I'd say around 7-10 seconds) and the navigation is usable (displays 10 objects at a time, nav over the remote).
Video quality is fantastic (it's only jumped/skipped/wigged-out once, near the end of a pretty scratched up copy of Blade), and audio is also super. Haven't been able to try the digital output yet, gotta get a new receiver first. With mp3 cds, it even plays some my PC has trouble reading due to overburns, scratching and the strange burns my last CD-burner (a phillips 2600) created shortly before it went toes-up.
MP3 names get munged to 8.3. Well, actually only 8, the
Only 3 complaints, 1) the manuals are skimpy on mp3 details (but otherwise very complete) 2) no online docs - I don't know if it is updateable, and 3) no jog-dial (none at all, neither on the remote or the unit itself).
I don't know if it is for everyone, but I'm quite happy.
Steve -- If you have to call it a system, you don't know what it is.
I'm looking at the Diva 88 as a replacement for a first generation Pioneer which will probably go into the office - I'll then partner it with the matching Dolby Digital receiver and - if they ever release it - the matching DAB receiver. It should all go really well with the Silver Thomson TiVo :o)
And what's this about a mediocre TV? You're watching DVDs - you need a large screen (32" +) Widescreen set - Anything else isn't worth pumping DVDs through. Personally I want a unit per function - I can double up receiver with amp and CD with DVD but I've done the PC for playing Videos, CDs, MP3 and DVDs in the past and they are just too damn ugly and too noisy. Plus if one aspect of it goes - your entire entertainment system is gone while you're waiting. All the kit I have is designed for the job and quiet.
Matt Thompson - Actuality - Insert product here.
Fair enough. My 600A has no problems though. I've not played a ton through it, but I've run maybe 50 DVD's and 20 VCD movies and didn't notice a syncing problem. None of my friends that have them have said anything either.
If I wanted to get a name brand it sure as hell wouldn't be Sony. I don't mean to be inflammatory but I have bought a lot of brands, and EVERY piece of home electronics that I own that has failed has had a SONY nameplate on it. This included VCR's, camcorders, CD players, and receivers. My Apex, Panasonic, JVC, Samsung & even Radio Shack stuff has never failed me.
I'd probably buy Pioneer if I wanted a GOOD DVD player. However, I only have a 27" TV so there's no need for higher quality.
Is the Chinese Nintaus player, I've recently bought the N9901 player, and I must say, I am very, very impressed. It plays all discs VERY nicely. It has DTS and all that stuff, as well as karaoke (gah?!) and a few games. It doesn't have the flaws that the Kiss players have (got friends who bought the Kiss players, and regretted it). In Denmark you can get it for 2.300,- DKK (which is about 280 US$ incl. vat and P&P).
You can read a bit about the players Nintaus makes here.
I recommend it highly!
Any technology distinguishable from magic, is insufficiently advanced.
Its smaller than your average VCR, available in all black, comes with 5-channel audio and S-Video outputs (as well as the regular L/R and composite video), ethernet, modem, USB, wireless keyboard/mouse, and can get hooked right into your TV and stereo. With a nice large hard drive, you can store all of your cd collection as MP3s. Control things via the TV, monitor, or over the LAN. Its cheap and efficient.
One part of this thread mentioned that combo systems suck, and I pretty much agree -- when on a tight budget they can do the trick but since I can spend a little bit more, I'd take quality & DVD features over additional functionality. However, I don't have a good component system yet - standard analog TV, moderately ok speakers, etc; that I'll build up slowly in the next few years. So the DVD player that I'd get would work with my current setup (and understandably not give me the best quality yet), but should work down the road.
While I don't expect that I'll buy any non US region DVDs, I'd rather not be excluded from viewing them if possible.
Are there any good suggestions with these criteria?
"Pinky, you've left the lens cap of your mind on again." - P&TB
"I can see my house from here!" - ST:
I just bought a sony 100 disc DVD changer and the damned thing wont play CD-r... oh well... i still have my computer.
-- Betting on the survival of the media industry is a serious risk. I advise investing elsewhere.
just to let peeps know...
i got the unit and am very pleased with it. i threw in some old mp3 CDR's and they worked. that's what i was hoping for.
the DVD picture is amazing
Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
Depending on where you look, many are sold out: Amazon and Buy for instance. I did find some in stock at Kmart (anyone know what model that is? it doesnt say) as well as Circuit City (link may not work, uses sessionID stuff).
-----
If Bill Gates had a nickel for every time Windows crashed...
The Iomega Buz cards do have some problems which is part of the reason i would asume they stoped making them, the cards have a PCI Bridge on them to allow the use of both the scsi card and the capture card which some motherboards dont like.
I recently got one of these cards and have been having some trouble geting it to work in Linux, the driver you mentioned caused it to simply freeze my system, the good news is there is a newer driver that works beter but when i first tried it didnt work right with NTSC, i believe this is fixed now but have not been able to test the new driver yet.
the bottom line is that if you can get it to work it is a great deal (under $100 on ebay and comparable to the LML33)
now for something having a little more to do with DVD's (so i can stay semi on topic) i have seen the Dxr3 DVD decoder cards as low as $45 and they look like they would be a great solution for a low-cost PC based DVD player.
Jess
here's the link for the article about Toshiba's divx decoder on silicon: http://www.electronicnews.com/news/5694-346NewsDet ail.asp
It could be noise on one of the input lines. Do you have 'cable' plugged in? If so, unplug it. Watch the movie now, see if the brightness changes.
In my old apartment the cable wasn't properly grounded and I got fairly subtle rolling light/dark bars. Subtle during TV that is, when I watched a DVD movie they stood out like an emboss filter.
Unplug the cable TV and it went back to normal...
So I bought a push-connect for my coax (it's only cable TV, the quality is a moot issue) and wrapped that around under the TV so I could unplug it when I watched something on the other inputs. It was a cheap hack, but handy.
The last 2 days I listened to various stereo tracks recorded @192Khz,24bit and some multichannel 96Khz material while reviewing the Technics DVD-A10 for hifi plaza.
I never experienced this liveness with any other surround format. The DVD-A format also sends a lot more information to the surround speakers, so if you're already investing in a decent speaker setup for your HT, I would consider DVD-A.
Maybe someone already posted this, but this http://www.vcdhelper.com/dvdplayers.htm great place to go to find which dvd players are compatible with what. Ken
The strength of us all could have demolished the wall, but you chose to walk through the door.
"News for nerds." Has anybody determined just what a "nerd" is in this context? Are A/V geeks embraced here? As a community of essentially like-minded individuals, this is a perfectly acceptable forum for this discussion. Frankly, I think ol' Slashdot would be pretty dull if we kept it too narrow.
Don't like the noise? Set some filters.
As far as prices go, 800UKP (== $1500USD ?), is way at the high end of the scale. If you were to forgoe the MP3 player capability you don't have to spend a penny over $200 for an excellent player.
"I can only show you Linux... you're the one who has to read the man pages."
Does NTSC/PAL/SECAM conversion to NTSC/PAL/SECAM (A multisystem DVD! A GREAT way to watch unapproved MPAA versions of movies!) Oh, and all the little apps to set region free or of your choice, Macrovision disabling, etc.
Only downside is I have to use Windows 98, but a Linux driver is in beta (altough Windows is amazingly stable when you only install the DVD software and Winamp on it...)
"It's hard to work in a group when you're omnipotent." -- Q
go down to X10, and pick up a DVD anywhere so that you can throw that noisy beast in the basement, and have it play video/audio up in your livingroom. And of course it also comes with a RF remote so you can control your mp3 player/dvd player. (and it is a universial remote too, so it'll control a TV/VCR).
add in a TV tuner card, and write a little software and you have a TiVo.
Works pretty well.
The basic sleazeware produced in a drunken fury by a bunch of UCBerkeley grad students was still the core of BIND. --PV
on a more personally oppinionated level, just buy the dvd. i know they're expensive, but often times they're well worth it for the extra options, like that nice dolby 5.1 soundtrack. i used to trade divx (i know, bad me.), and unless you rip it yourself, or get someone you know to rip it, chances are, you're not going to get the full audio track. most dvd rippers just rip the stereo track, because it's easier, faster, and smaller. in the beginning, one of the biggest attractions of divx (aside from the fact that it was free) was that a full movie in near dvd quality would fit on a single 650 or 700 meg cd. to keep the size within that 650 meg region, you had to make sacrifices. quality, screen size, and audio got cut. i'm somewhat of an audiophile. i don't get into the whole vinyl v. cd thing, but i do appreciate quality in my sound. my belief is, if you're gonna truely enjoy a movie, it's gotta be more than just a visual experience. if ya wanna do it right, spring for a good sound system. certain Kenwood systems (VR-407) are nicely stacked, but don't carry the pricetag of comparably equipped sony, aiwa, etc. systems. i find the kenwood's also got wonderful sound clarity and a lot of power.
as for the dvd player itself, find a deal. look for the aspects that you want, but don't pay for all the garbage you'll never use. if you've got a cd changer already, do you really need a dvd changer? is there really a necessity to have the ability to watch 5 dvds in a row without getting up to walk across the room and take 30 seconds to change the disc? the qualities i'd look for in a player would be the ability to play cdrs, vcds, and svcds, sound capability (dts, dolby 5.1) with an s/pdif rca or optical digital output (let's face it, analog output just doesn't cut it), and compatible video output (if your tv doesn't support s-video, it's time to get a new tv.). that's really about all you need. i bought my Apex AD500B for 100 bucks, and it's good enough for me. it does have a tendancy to skip every now and then, and is very sensitive to dirt and finger prints on the discs, so i'm thinkin about shoving it off on my parents under the guise of an xmas gift and buying myself a better model.
that said, i think i've been sufficiently verbose to bore most of you to death. bottom line, no divx compatable dvd players yet, and research your options thoroughly instead of buying on impulse. also, where and whatever you do decide to buy, i recommend also paying the extra cash for whatever extended warranty is available, because stuff happens, and as my friend murphy would dictate, it usually happens just after the warranty runs out.
I just bought a neat portable player for xmas. It doesn't do DVD's, but it's a portable that does regular CD's, MP3 CD's (gtoaster works great), and VCD's. It says it will do CD-RW, but I haven't tested that. I got mine at:
h tm l
r ou p_id=5776
http://store.yahoo.com/cyberpower/napprotmppla.
But pricewatch will show 10 vendors selling it at $110.
The time has never been better for making your own VCD's. Iomega's Buz is the best price/performance capture card: it creates mjpeg frames in the hardware (so your processor speed doesn't matter). Iomega's quit making them, and there's no WIN2K drivers for them, they sold them as just "home video editing" hardware -- they're getting dumped at Ebay for cheap. And, they dual as a scsi card too.
Nobody outside the open source community realizes their potential.
The Linux driver can be found at:
http://www.munich-vision.de/buz/driver.html
You need lavrec to pull the mjpeg frames out of the video. Then, the mjpeg needs to be split into audio & video, those two streams need to be converted to mpeg, and the resulting streams need to be recombined. The complete tool set can be found at:
https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?g
To make a VCD, take the reulting stream from above and process it with vcdimager, found at the CVS archive of the mjpeg tools at the sourceforge:
https://sourceforge.net/cvs/?group_id=5776
(the previous link was to the downloads: vcdimager is only in their CVS archive, not in the current distribution... but the current distribution is easier to build than the piecemeal approach of the CVS archive.)
You can also use the VCD image generator from vcdtools:
http://www.munich-vision.de/vcd/
To view the images as a file, use MPEGplayer. To view VCD's in Linux, try MTV (not open source). "cdrdao" is a good VCD burner (the VCD image makers listed above auto-create the cdrdao toc file). MPEGplayer, MTV, and cdrdao can all be found at freshmeat.
If you want to buy, rather than make your own VCD's, you won't pay more than $13 per title at places like:
http://coolvcd.com/
I believe these are licenced VCD's.
Chris
When I die, please cast my ashes upon Bill Gates -- for once, make him clean up after me!
Information on the players is available here and the unit can be made multi region with a few keypresses on the remote.
It retails a around 800 Pounds Sterling and should be available in the US later - it's specs definately support US standards for power and component outputs.
Matt Thompson - Actuality - Insert product here.
Personally, I wouldn't touch a combo player with a ten foot pole. There will always be some area of the player that will not work the way you want, or an area where quality has been skimped on to save money etc.
Your best bet is to get seperate components, each the best quality you can afford. O.K, so you can almost certainly combine the Audio CD & DVD player into one (Almost anything can play an Audio CD these days after all), but please, if you want something like Dolby Digital 5.1 etc. get a stand alone, quality amp and speakers. If you want an MP3 player there are stand-alone/rack mount components that will do that job for you better than any integrated system can.
The only cavet is space, and cabling. If you use crappy cables you'll loose all the benefits, so make sure you factor that into the price. It might also be more expensive than a combo player, but damn, it will be a hell of a lot more flexible and much better quality.
O.K, just my opinion, but combo players tend to suck pretty badly as far as i can see.
why don't you try building a combo box? i've built one and it is infinitly useful.
start with:
a cheap celeron or duron ($200):
128mb ram($60)
10 gb hd($50)
soundblaster live! 5.1 value($50)
ati all-in-wonder($100)
dvd-rom($100)
keyboard/mouse($30)
case($30)
total: $620
it'll do everything you want it to do, and you could do a little more. you can use the ati's capture capabilities like a TiVo machine. you could also use it as a game console by installing nes/snes/sega/psx/n64/mime emulators.
i don't know how much a combo set like this on the market would cost, but i think it's a good alternative
tap 2 blue, I counter that
you're half right. the apexes are crap. but there are defitely good players for under $500.
"Weasling out of work is important to learn; it is what separates humans from animals. Except for weasels."
There is absolutely no basis for the expensive cabling theories that advertisers would have you believe.
A cable is a physical medium for transferring an electrical signal (duh). Any normal cable will transfer that signal just fine for most applications. The only real considerations are impedance - which is not going to be considerable enough to change anything with a cheap piece of cable - and line noise - which is also not going to be very different with the cheap stuff.
If the electrical fields in your house are so strong they are affecting your sound quality I'd be more concerned about cancer than how your MP3s sound.
From a logical perspective the cost doesn't make sense and ultimately from an aural perspective (what really counts), I doubt that near anyone could tell the difference between the different types of cable.
Bottom line - cheap cable can very easily handle the power of your components and will give you almost no signal degradation over a normal length.
Of course the normal stuff may not have gold connectors, which protect against corrosion - and I know how most /. readers like to salt spray their electrical equipment (when was the last time you saw a rusty component cable, how old was it?)...
PS
I picked up a Pioneer DVD player that is a three disk carousel (I think the current model is a five) so that I could take out my old cd player completely. It reads CDRs, has great DVD playback and 5.1 etc. I highly recommend it if you can handle not having an MP3 solution.
-artistX
Trust me, i've looked around a ton. If you're willing to drop mp3s, then the pioneer dv333 is great. It'll do dvds, cds, cdr, cdrw, vcd, it does all of them well. Composite video output, s-video, 96khz optical and coaxial digital audio out, And you can probably find it for just a little over $200. It really is good, and there really aren't any good combo players that do mp3s, maybe in a few months or a year. But the apex ones are gimmicky crap.
"Weasling out of work is important to learn; it is what separates humans from animals. Except for weasels."
Glad this was posted here on the ol'
Anyway, I've heard good things about the DVD-playing capability of these players, but apparently the MP3 side leaves a lot to be desired. MP3.com did a write-up on it here. It focuses on the mp3 portion of the player (duh
(From the review)
A few notes:
So it sounds okay to me as long as one doesn't already have gobs off CDR's formatted in a certain way. In other words, if one burns the mp3 CDR's knowing these limitations, it should be okay.
Anyone have any experience with this player? I'm pretty new to DVD circles..
Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
I've watched gladiator on two different 703's and a 600a, and no problems to be noticed. Of course mileage does vary. . .
-Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
Hmm -- where can you get it flashed? I'm sure Future Shop (Canada's answer to Circuit City) can't do it for me.
For a cheap unit with a wide range of features and impressive reviews, you might want to check out the Scan SC2000. I haven't tried it, but it comes recommended, especially for UK buyers.
I'm tempted, but it'll be hard to justify to my better half, especially after touting DVD playback as a good reason for buying my PS2...
Am I the only one who thinks it's unreasonable to use Ask Slashdot to help you pick a DVD player?
Come on, look around. Try Consumer Review, or Home Theater Forum. Or use your favorite search engine.
There are plenty of sites to help you evaluate electronics equipment, and they're all more appropriate places for this discussion than Slashdot.
/* The beatings will continue until morale improves. */
The relatively new Apex 703 would be my pick right now. I own an Apex 600A, and I love it. The 703 does everything the 600A does (OK, no loophole menu) plus it's a 3 disc changer and has a built-in 5.1 decoder. I've had less trouble with the 600A than with any previous DVD player I'd owned. The 700 has flash upgradable BIOS too in case some new title comes out which bothers the player (like Matrix did with previous players) The 3 disc changer would be nice as I'm viewing VCD's a lot more, now that I have a player that will read CD-R's :-) Plus load 3 80 minute CD's full of MP3's and you've got music for a GOOD LONG TIME.
The 703 is available at either Circuit City or Buy.com for $199. You can get free shipping from Buy right now and probably find a $15 or more coupon at dealprovider.com.
hehe .. the priCe is cheap
but the main "bug" is that is doesn't do Seemless branching ...like it will play the same minute twice ... stuff like that ... doesn't mean you can't watch the movie ... it's just ..annoying a bit ...
actually .. they're hard to find now ...
get the 700 instead...same without the bug...
http://mrhide.pinnesota.org
Well, even though the DVD Delux sounded a bit dodgy, it still had me interested... even if the games are old. Did anyone buy one? It had pretty much everything you ever want...
Do your best, hope for the best, suspect the worst.
I copied the wrong link. This is what I meant.
Do your best, hope for the best, suspect the worst.
When your entertainment centre gets hacked, Britney Spears will start singing and NEVER STOP. . .
Wow, this all-in-one combo sounds pretty much like my own computer :-)
Oops, no : I can also read DivX ;-)
-- Life wasn't meant to be easy...
If you purchased this at Circuit City for $99.99 it must have been the cheaper APEX 500B (also listed at www.circuitcity.com). I have heard a number of complaints about this device not working well but I suppose for the price you get what you pay for. Interesting that when I was last at Circuit City I noticed the sales people actively discouraging people from buying the 500B and directing them to players in the $200 range because they said they had a lot of returns on this cheap player. The Circuit City I was at certainly was well-stocked with the 500B and AD660.
Here's a related question:
Forget about MP3s, all I want is the correct handling of CDs! Does anybody have or know of a DVD _changer_ that has a decent shuffle-play feature? The definition of decent shall be as follows:
1. Does not repeat songs that have already been played.
2. Interleaves songs from all discs. (i.e. _not_ all the songs on disc 1 in random order, then all the songs on disc 2 in random order, etc...)
3. Does not repeat songs that have already been played.
4. Does not repeat songs that have already been played.
I bought last year's Pioneer 3-disc changer but returned it because (you guessed it) it repeated songs that had already been played. My el-cheapo bookshelf stereo in my office is smart enough not to do this, so it's not such a revolutionary feature. There's nothing worse than loading 3 hours of music only to have to hit "skip" every 5 minutes.
Now Pioneer's got a 5-disc model. Anybody got it? Does it have the same problem? Any other brands/models that meet these highly demanding criteria?
Please, no PC/MP3 solutions. MP3s sound like someone put crumbs in my speakers.
Yes, I know I should buy a DVD player and a CD changer separately, but I don't have the shelf space and I object on philosophical grounds.
Oh yeah, the stuff about it having excellent DVD video quality goes without saying.
-DA
I like the 600A also. The only complaint I have with it is that the stupid-ass macrovision is very hyperactive, so the brightness isn't consistent. If you have a small, bright TV it's barely noticable. If you put it on a big screen projection TV, it's REALLY irritating.
This is a great DVD player, works well on MP3 CD-R's, plays VCD, etc. But I wouldn't recommend it for anyone with a big screen projection TV.
If I knew the cheat code to disable macrovision, this complaint would also be mute. But anyhow...
--- "So THAT's what an invisible barrier looks like!" - Time Bandits
The Hitachi DVP505 is capable of reading both professionally recorded media and "burnt" media since it has the dual lasers. This means that when I dropped in a VCD that I acquired from the internet it worked and played through to completion... Very very shitty quality VCD, but hey, it played.
It also played any MP3 CD that I threw at it, although it's not an officially supported feature (yet). The interface wasn't awesome for the MP3's since it was limited to displaying my 32 character file names as 8.3 (see yesterdays article), but I've been told that the firmware COULD be upgraded to improve that once it's an official feautre... But it works none the less.
So it definitely plays CDR & CDRW VCDs, MP3 CDs and Audio CDs. How about DVDs? Well I *heard* that The Matrix was a problem DVD so I watched it on this player and didn't notice any problems. Also watched Chicken Run (great movie) and bits of Titan AE, Princess Bride and Gladiator. I may have missed something small while I was drooling over the picture quality though, so if you're a video/audiophile then go and test it at the store for yourself. :)
Other features?
:)
- 5.1 Channel DTS and Dolby Digital decoders & discrete output
- "Super" Surround Sound
- Dual Layer
- Dual Laser
- Random Play of CDs (maybe MP3 CDs too)
- S-VIDEO, Composite, Component, Digital & Coaxial out
- Untested Remote Region-Free Hack
- No Macrovision hack that I've been able to find without a mod chip.
I got mine for $450CDN + taxes so that's about $3.02 USD
I can tell you more in 6 days :)
If ripped from DVD, VCD's are actually pretty good quality. I've ripped a couple of movies myself and the quality is good.
Avoid screeners (someone with a camcorder sitting in a theater) for sure. I personally avoid VHS rips too; I only bother grabbing DVD rips anymore, and some of those even aren't so good.
Actually I prefer DivX rips myself, not because of an inherent lack of quality of VCD, but because it preserves widescreen better, and for me if it ain't widescreen I don't want it (assuming the original was widescreen).
I love mine. It plays back every format, it spoofs different regional encoding (read: imported anime DVD's), and they cost less than most anime DVD boxed sets.
Given the low price and the fact that is DOES play all the formats I've listed (I haven't actually test a VCD on it yet because I'm not sure they actually exist
it takes a whoping 35 seconds for a disc (of ANY format) to load!
it isn't savvy enough to read CDDB data or any MP3 file info. Are there any players that are?
it can't read folders or directories either, so I can't have MP3s nested in folders. Again, is there a player that can do this (obviously I'm ruling out computer DVD players here)?
the unit seems flimsy and is cheap looking. It has a silver plastic face.
So, again, despite my complaints I'm really satisfied with it. And it comes with a remote.
Anyone else have any experience with this machine?
For me, I do it to make copies of movies so my daughter can take them to her friends houses for sleepovers, or so I can take them to my mom's house when we visit; they don't have DVD players. I could hook my laptop up to my mom's TV but it's a pain.
I have a friend that makes VHS copies to watch movies in his bedroom where he has no DVD player.
Notice that AFAIK these are all legitimate, non-pirate type activities. I make single copies for non-concurrent viewing, and erase them when I'm done. Too bad the movie industry is trying to tell me WHERE I can watch my movies.
It can play DVDs, VCDs, MP3s and audio CDs. It doesn't have any problems with CD-Rs like some players have. It comes with a browser and you can surf the web, read /. and check your mail during those half-time snack breaks you take while watching movies. With a little extra hardware thrown in, it can even play the most hi-tech video games on the planet. Hell, it can even boot Linux!
I strongly recommend that you go in for a system like this.
Regards,
Iyer
These two machines fit the specifications. They can read CDR's and CDRW's filled with MP3s and the DiViDo has ID3 support too. They can both play DVDs, are region free (or you can make them region free very easily) and they both don't care about the upcoming RCE encoding and they can both be made MacroVision free (so you can record DVD's to VHS tapes. The XWave and the DiViDo. I don't know if these are also availabe in the US. They might have their counterparts.
Cheers,
Costyn.
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I bought an APex 600a on a whim a few months ago. I'm very sorry I did. AT the time, I hadn't done enough research, and thought a DVD player was a DVD player. But I know now that isn't true.
True, the 600a plays mp3s, but it's navigation is complicated and it doesn't seem to like playing cd's if they have anything other than mp3s on it (playlists, etc). The DVD playing is flakey - it sometimes just goes to sleep, and the only way to get it going again is to power cycle it. Sometimes, as far as I can tell, its decoding goes bad, and all you get is little squares of colour on your screen. The spinup times are horrid sometimes, taking a minute+ to get a DVD actually playing. and if you're doing track skipping, sometimes it just jumps randomly around.
However, when it is working fine (about 65% of the time), it works perfectly, from what I can tell. The one I have allows you to change which zone you're in, but I'd heard a rumour that that feature was being taken away in newer models.
Anyways, I love having a DVD player, but if I was going to do it AGAIN, I wouldn't pick to Apex 600a.
We emerge from our mother's womb an unformatted diskette; our culture formats us.
We emerge from our mother's womb an unformatted diskette; our culture formats us. - Douglas Coupland