HELP: Recommend me DVD player and speakers

[Top_Cat]

My girlfriends father is looking for a new DVD player and 5.1 speakers but I'm not sure what to suggest. He doesn't want a seperate Amp, just the DVD player and some small satilite surround speakers.

The bit I'm a little confused about is that I guess I will need a DVD player that has an amp built into it? But most DVD players have phono connections on the back but most of the speaker packages I have look at just have bare cables! Advice about this would be appreciated.

Does anyone have some recommendations on a Mpeg4 dvd player and a speaker set? He wants to spend about £100 on the DVD player and £100 on the speakers. He isn't really into all this AV stuff, just wants something that works and is simple.

:thanks:

[Top_Cat]

Well he went out and purchased the 'Dual' Divx player from ASDA but isn't really very happy with it so is planning on returning it as soon as possible. The problem (which seems to be the same on my mediatek Divx player as well) is that when an xvid is played it seems to stutter on playback. For example he and I have both tried playing **** (Series title removed), not the High Res ones, and the playback judders all the time, its exactly the same on my Eltax as well.

Is this juddering only on Mediatek players? Would we be better getting a Zoran based player? Would anyone be able to suggest a good player?

Thanks

edit disclaimer: Taken from Channel 4 and E4 as a backup

[zilog jones]

What type of XviD video is it? If it uses GMC, for example, it won't work properly on *any* hardware player on the market. A program like GSpot (http://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=gspot&Submit=Search&s=&orderby=Name&hits=50&convert=&dvdauthorfeatures=&listuser=) will tell you this kind of stuff about your videos. N-VOP may give similar problems too, depending on chipsets.

[Y.T.]

tried playing Lost HDTV rips (not the High Res ones) and the playback judders all the time
This is probably breaking rule 6 of this forum. Anyway these use packed bitstream (aka N-VOP) XviD. You will need a player that supports that, check here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=98228) for a rather incomplete list.

[SeeMoreDigital]

This is probably breaking rule 6 of this forum. Indeed.

It's not possible to obtain an HDTV transfer of "Lost" in the UK, let alone re-encode it to a lower resolution!

All sounds a bit too dodgy to me....

[Top_Cat]

Thanks for the comments guys. My mistake about HDTV, I mean it isn't a high resolution one. So no worries about breaking rule 6. If it makes people happier I will just remove the name of the episode as well. The episode is broadcast in the UK and is taken as a backup. I'm planning on buying the R1 release on DVD anyway, I was only using the series as an example.

Thanks zilog. Gspot reported that:
The bitrate is: 1015 kb/s
res: 608x336
GMC is not used.

Is a bitrate of 1015 kb/s to high for a mediatek chip?

Thanks

[Y.T.]

Is a bitrate of 1015 kb/s to high for a mediatek chip?
No, it isn't. Check with MPEG4 Modifier if packed bitstream (N-VOP) is used. If it is, you can use that tool to quickly remove it and it should play back without stuttering. (http://moitah.net/)

[SeeMoreDigital]

Hi TC,

Can you confirm the model number of your Dual player?

If your model is one of those fitted with MediaTek chip-set, your problems should not extend to Qpel either!

By-the-way, my MediaTek chip-set based player (Pioneer DV-575A) is able to play XviD with one or more B-VOP's, with or without packed bit-stream.


Cheers

[Top_Cat]

I just checked the file with MPEG4Modifier and it reported:
I-VOPs: 757 (1.24%)
P-VOPs: 24439 (39.95%)
B-VOPs: 35982 (58.82%)
S-VOPs: 0 (0.00%)
N-VOPs: 0 (0.00%)

My Divx player is an Elta 8883 and the Duel model number is DVD859

[Top_Cat]

btw this stuttering motion isn't just from one episode, on other series that I try I also get this same stuttering affect. Previously (when I just had the Elta) I put it down to the players limitions but then when the exact same thing happened on the Dual I thought it might be a problem with the chip used (both Mediatek but I believe they are different chip revisions).

Its very interesting that the Pioneer DV-575A doesn't display this same problem.

[SeeMoreDigital]

I don't know what chip-set is fitted in the DUAL DVD859.... So anytime you feel like lifting the lid and having a look.... I'm waiting ;)

Seriously though... It might not be MediaTek!

[Top_Cat]

I'm sure its a mediatek as the menu system is exactly the same as the Elta (well before I flashed it with the hacked firmware from the forum). Not sure if the chip revision though.

[SeeMoreDigital]

I'm sure its a mediatek as the menu system is exactly the same as the Elta (well before I flashed it with the hacked firmware from the forum). Not sure if the chip revision though.A lot of the menu systems (GUI's) found in stand-alone players (and media streaming devices) originate from stock software designed and developed by a company called Syabas, who licenses it and provide the source code/software to manufacturers.


Cheers

[Top_Cat]

A lot of the menu systems (GUI's) found in stand-alone players (and media streaming devices) originate from stock software designed and developed by a company called Syabas, who licenses it and provide the source code/software to manufacturers.
Cheers

Ahhh I didn't know that. I though that the GUI would be linked to the chipset used (if the player was just a generic type).

Do we have any more info on when the players using the new Sigma chip will be readily available in the UK? Originally I thought most of them were meant to be out by now

[SeeMoreDigital]

Do we have any more info on when the players using the new Sigma chip will be readily available in the UK? Originally I thought most of them were meant to be out by nowIf you are really desperate and can't wait to want to get your hands on an official European spec'd high-def capable player (fitted with Sigma's EM8620L chip-set), then the Quartek WHD500-V9 might be just up your street....

As well as the obligatory Euro-scart connector, there's (YUV) Y/Pr/Pb component connectors and DVI. As wall as full 6Ch analogue audio and S/PDIF digital audio outputs!

It's very, very new... And as far as I'm aware it's only currently available in France. Priced between 330.00 to 350.00 Euros.

EDIT: Apparently the Quartek WHD500-V9 and SnaZio SZ1350 are OEM products from ContelDigital (DVD player DV228N1) and are effectively identical.


Cheers