Looking for an inexpensive dvd/divx player

[jdub]

Yes I know about the following link: http://divxtest.surdvd.com/form/divxtest2_list.php?lang=en
And the faqs, I read them awhile back and tried to do it again today but I'm having trouble keeping it all in. I'im sure this question gets asked a lot. What I can offer is a concise list of requirements... hopefully a player will quickly come to mind and we can both be on our way quickly here. :p

I'm in the United States btw

Must be/have:
< $65
Good cd/rw dvd/r/rw support
HDMI
Progressive scan
Up scaling to 720p, though 1080i/p never hurt
Divx/Xvid support - hopefully packed bitstream support? Is that possible with current chipsets?

Not absolutely required but would be nice:
region free
decent amount/type of outputs for video and audio

I bought a Philips 5960 but its scrolling characters are out of wack and updating the firmware with a hacked one -YES I picked the right codepage- but no go.

I played a few movies in divx format and was pleased with seeking and playback, then I played a few others and they looked like they played at 7 fps. I figured its a packed bitstream issue - even though the hacked firmware claimed to fix that.

I should be returning it soon, can anyone recommend a more recent player? From what I've learned this one was designed back in 05... cheap dvd players must have improved since then.

[BigDid]

Hi,

Nothing more, nothing newer than previously:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1290357#post1290357
and following.

Did

PS: you may know that packedbistream can be unpacked..

[jdub]

His requirements are not my own.

And yes I did know that, but it would require me to re-burn all offending files just to play them back on this dvd player. I've been burning avi's to disc long before I got this player yesterday. My collection is sizable. I'd rather exchange one dvd player than have to reburn 200+ discs (which btw I wont do).

[Ghitulescu]

His requirements are not my own.

And yes I did know that, but it would require me to re-burn all offending files just to play them back on this dvd player. I've been burning avi's to disc long before I got this player yesterday. My collection is sizable. I'd rather exchange one dvd player than have to reburn 200+ discs (which btw I wont do).

If you have had burnt the movies/clips as DVDR in the first place you wouldn't have now this problem ;)

Buy yourself a media extender and copy onto it your collection. It should play any DivX you'd throw in. Most newer ones also have HDMI outputs.

Hope that's a lesson for the newcomer: BluRay.

[jdub]

1. The TV is in the family room

2. I dont have a computer to spare for it

3. I dont want to use a computer to play stuff on it.

4. If I had burned all my movies as dvd's I'd still be converting them to mpeg2 - I have over 400 dvd's full of compressed movies - it also would have cost significantly more.

5. This is primarily to be used as a dvd player for the family, but I want to be able to take my collection upstairs on occasion to play on the big screen - or take the dvd player with me to a friends house so I only need the disc and dvd player instead of my big ass 50 pound computer with 6 hard drives.

6. hard drive based players and media center extenders cost $100-300+ and the cheaper option wouldn't give the family room tv a dvd player

Lesson for the forum user - don't assume anything. I know what I'm asking for.

[Adub]

Run a search:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

[jdub]

I've been through that search too, it doesnt let you narrow things down by your location - the results are too muddied with players you cant get in the usa or you have to jump through hoops.

It also doesn't have enough price information, most of the players are lacking that info.

[jsquare]

Just get an old XBOX (no 360) they could be found really cheap on eBay, softmod it and install XBMC. I have 3 of them around the house, they would play almost everything except for some high 720/1080 HD material and they're a bit picky about R/RW media.

[jdub]

I considered that, but I thought for sure there'd be a worthwhile standalone player in the $60~ range. That and I didnt want to have to buy a high def cable kit for the xbox... or have to lug that around.

It may come to that. What are the limitations of softmoding an xbox vs using a chip? I don't go online with it atm but I'd like it if it didnt prevent me from doing it in the future.

[Ghitulescu]

Just get an old XBOX (no 360) they could be found really cheap on eBay, softmod it and install XBMC. I have 3 of them around the house, they would play almost everything except for some high 720/1080 HD material and they're a bit picky about R/RW media.

That's just a guess. The drives for XBOX are made by Toshiba, a company known to implement the EXACT standards, while some soft/hard combinations may allow some "liberties". I always used a Toshiba to check my CDs and DVDs :)

[halsboss]

What's a "media extender" ?