Author Topic: What do I need to know about DVD players? (Read 333 times)

rabbidrabbit · « **on:** August 07, 2007, 09:59:26 PM »

My current one is over 5 years old so I'm thinking about getting a new one. What do I need to know?

nirvana · « **Reply #1 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:04:23 PM »

I don't know much but these might be some of the basics.

Firstly, what will you be using it for? Watching movies? Recording programs?

-Is it easy to use?
-Will it play C+ and C- discs?
-(If you care) Will it play Blu ray discs?
-Does it have on board memory for recording and if so, how much.

There are probably MANY more, those are just a few I can think of.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:13:09 PM »

The big difference is that now they only cost $20 - $30 and are better than they were 5 years ago.

rabbidrabbit · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:18:28 PM »

it seems the OPPO DV981HD is highly recommended. I have a 65" HDTV but not HDMI... can that be converted? Would like to watch whatever but mostly burned movies.

Looks like HDDVD is not worth it yet but 1080i up sampling sounds good.

thoughts?

nirvana · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:25:40 PM »

Not sure on specifics but if you are watching burned movies make sure it can play C- and C+ discs, otherwise some won't play. Not sure if that's still an issue but I'll look into the one you are talking about.

Here's a link I found on it http://www.extremephono.com/OppoDV981HD.htm . Looks like a good one to me.

Good luck!

Chairboy · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:35:43 PM »

I'm very happy so far with the new player I got this weekend. It's a Yamaha DV-S5950BL with HDMI upconvert. So far, it's quick and responsive, and I like the memory feature. When I put a disc in that I had ejected previously and hit play while it's loading, it remembers where on the disk I was and continues.

A semi-normal feature now, but nice.

Great picture, too. I'm just using component right now, an HDMI cable arrives this week so I can see the upconvert. BTW, don't buy a $50-100 HDMI cable at the Best Buy or whatever, get a $10-15 one on eBay.

Fulmar · « **Reply #6 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:42:05 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Chairboy

Great picture, too. I'm just using component right now, an HDMI cable arrives this week so I can see the upconvert. BTW, don't buy a $50-100 HDMI cable at the Best Buy or whatever, get a $10-15 one on eBay.

I couldn't help but laugh today when I saw at Best Buy a 6' USB GOLD PLATED[/b] cable for $31.99.

$31.99

Chairboy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:43:30 PM »

It makes the bits sound smoother.

Angus · « **Reply #8 on:** August 08, 2007, 05:59:47 AM »

Having little kids, I'd be looking at something simple and robust.
One little hand on the drawer, bam, and it won't play no more.
(at least I think so)
We had a Denver, it lived through maybe 100 DVD's and then it didn't work. Was tricky from the start.
Then a Philips. just above a year old, and already, - typical and naughty failiure, won't play last 10 minutes of a film. So You watch almost all, and then no chance.
So, me too is looking for a dvd player, and since neither of my former ones were so cheap, I'll settle with a cheap, and have it on a shelf out of children's reach, just in case.

Masherbrum · « **Reply #9 on:** August 08, 2007, 06:15:31 AM »

HDDVD is a "drawing dead format". Blu-Ray "won" so to speak.

Question is, how much do you want to spend on a DVD player?

Pioneer Elite makes the best ones still to this day.
Integra is right behind them.
Onkyo is right behind Integra.
Panasonic would be my 4th choice.

Denon, Sony = garbage. They have had too many Quality Control issues as of late. They are no longer considered "worth the trouble". Denon let loose of some major QC and they have paid in spades for it. They have lost a large chunk of "repeat customers".

lazs2 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 08, 2007, 08:10:18 AM »

I don't know much about electronics but I have a plasma TV and a regular one.. I bought two DVD players that are both recorders and HDMI and upconvert.

they were RCA and cost like $90 each and came with an hdmi cable.

You can tell the difference as you cycle through the resolutions.. they make DVD's look better which is what I use a TV for mostly anyway. I also record and the record part works great. You can record over the RW discs a thousand times they tell me. in all ways better than a VHS recorder.

I also like that it has a 30 second skip feature. If I record a tv show I can hit the 30 sec button till the commercials are past.

lazs

Nilsen · « **Reply #11 on:** August 08, 2007, 08:49:17 AM »

I have a pioneer in the livingroom and an onkyo in the bedroom, and my conclusion about them is

The Pioneer can stand abit of fondeling by little paws and refuses to die even when fed the most annoying cartoons.

The Onkyo can stand abit of vibrations and some bumps without stopping.

Jackal1 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 08, 2007, 08:59:12 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Angus
- typical and naughty failiure, won't play last 10 minutes of a film.

You may have found the problem.

Chairboy · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2007, 09:33:36 AM »

For the last year I had a Philips 3140. It was a good $40 player than played all the DivX encoded media I fed it, but it grew increasingly unreliable over the last couple months. Just a heads up, don't know if it's a general QC problem w/ Philips or a fluke, but...

Eagler · « **Reply #14 on:** August 08, 2007, 10:36:41 AM »

the cheap china models play everything you throw at it - the fancy sony's are region restricted

if you need a blue ray as you have a 1080HD tv and want to watch HD movies, go buy a playstation 3.