Yamakawa DVD-365DivX, recommendable ?

[Hobojobo]

Hi,
has anybody got this machine (http://www.yamakawa.de/produkte/dvd365_US.htm).
Sounds promissing.
DIVX Player with a DVI output.

Does it support divx 5 pro features (b-frames,gmc,qpel) ?
Has anybody got any experience with the yamakawa ?

I would like to get a divx/DVD player soon.
My choice is down to the Elta 8883 or the Yamakawa DVD-365DivX.
Would be nice of you to share your experiences.
Thank you.:)

[Zhnujm]

It uses the Sigma Chipset and so it can play DivX with bFrames and GMC, but no QPEL.

Cant say much more about it.

[Hobojobo]

That's a start. Thanks.
So it plays in the same league as the Elta 8883 and Xoro 400 plus...

[Zhnujm]

The elta 8883 uses Mediatek chipset and can play DivX with GMC,bframes and QPEL.
The Xoro 400+ uses ESS chipset and plays DivX with GMC and bframes but no QPEL.

None of them (including the Yamakawa) can play Xvid with GMC. :(

[Doom9]

let's not forget that neither Sigma or ESS chipsets can handle QPel. MTK based players are clearly the best you can get right now (unless you wait for the next-gen Sigma based players which can handle high def MPEG2/4/WMV9 content), but also do not support GMC (which I find kinda weird actually).

[Hobojobo]

So there are players with 3 different media processors on the market atm,ESS, Sigma and MediaTek ?

The Yamakawa 365 is the only one with DVI output, AFAIK.
You connect the player to a LCD or beamer without DAC.
Is that right ?

The ability to handle high def content is a nice feature.
But such material is still rare these days, at least in Europe, isn't it?

One can always wait for the next generation of hardware.

Thanks for the info.

:)

[Zhnujm]

Originally posted by Doom9
..., but also do not support GMC (which I find kinda weird actually).

Maybe they dont see a need because they have a working software solution ? (Divx)
But if that will be possible with the 3 warp point gmc that xvid uses ?

Originally posted by Hobojobo
The Yamakawa 365 is the only one with DVI output, AFAIK.
You connect the player to a LCD or beamer without DAC.
Is that right ?


Yes, i think.

[Hobojobo]

In the last c't 7/2004 (german computer magazine) there is a nice article about DVI/HDMI , some call it "the digital scart".

HDMI is the successor of DVI with a copy protection, thanks to Hollywood and Intel or whoever...
HDMI has to encrypt the digital signal (HDCP).
DVD players with DVI has to do it, as well. So you can not connect a DVD player to a normal (computer)LCD.
There are only a few LCDs supporting HDCP. (because of the license fees...)

The Yamakawa 365 does not support HDCP, because the its transmitter is used in computer hardware. That is good.
The players does not always get the right output format, according to the article.

[manono]

Hi-

The Yamakawa 365 is the only one with DVI output, AFAIK.

No, there are at least 2 others that I know of that play MPEG4. I have one of them, the Bravo D1. And there are others that play DVD only and more on the way with DVI or HDMI out.

These with the first generation Sigma Designs chipset can't actually play Hi-Def content. They're limited to 720x480/576. As Doom9 said, the second generation chipsets will have that ability. What they can do, though, is up-convert to 720p or 1080i, and that does make for a definite improvement in the picture quality when compared to component 480p.

DVD players with DVI has to do it,

As you said, HDMI will be copy protected. The players with DVI are supposed to be copy protected, but not all are. Mine's not, and neither is the other one with which I'm familiar, the Momitsu DV-880. If you have a display with DVI in (LCD, DLP, LcoS, Plasma), then you should definitely think about getting a DVD/MPEG4 player with DVI.

For more information on DVI and HDMI, and the displays and players that use one or the other (NTSC only), then check out this site:

http://www.digiupdate.com/G002_DVI_HDMI_and_HDCP.html

And for those of us that want to use a DVI connection to their display, and also want the DVD player to play MPEG4, then so far the choice is limited to the Bravo D1 and the Momitsu DV-880, both of which use the first generation Sigma Designs chipset. There's also the Yamakawa model, but I don't know much about that one. The Bravo D3 coming out in a couple of months will use the 2nd gen. Sigma Designs chipset, will be able to play WMV 9 and MPEG4 encoded to HD resolutions, and promises to be a big step forward.

[Hobojobo]

Thank you for the link.
I would say, I wait for a player with the next generation sigma chip and DVI/HDMI. :)

Then I still need a hd-tv. :eek:

Wishes and wishes, next chrismas is definitely coming...