What DVD player should I buy ?

Posted by: andy

What DVD player should I buy ? - 09/10/2004 18:19

Just went to watch a DVD and found my player has died, it was a first generation Yamaha S700 that gave up playing CDs several years ago and has now decided it doesn't like DVDs either. I guess it has done quite well for a modded player, lasting 7 years or so.

So, I need a new DVD player. Unfortunately I haven't been keeping up with where we are with DVD players.

It has to be a player than can be easily modded to be multi region, as I've got a combination of region 1 & 2 disks. It doesn't need to have a built in Dolby Digital or DTS decoder, as my TV has Dolby Digital itself (it always felt a bit silly having a decoder in both the TV and the DVD player).

I guess I need to decide between getting a very cheap one and a more expensive one. The £60 ones in the supermarkets seem to do everything my old player did and more.

I'm sure I've come across a DVD player that was also a network capable DIVX and MPEG player, can't rememeber where that was though ?

Needs to have S-video and coax digital audio out.

Ideally it needs to be available in the UK.

Any recommendations ?

P.S. anyone want a dead £700 (7 years ago) dead DVD player
Posted by: matthew_k

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 09/10/2004 21:10

Hacked Xbox with Xbox Media Center. Plays everything you can throw at it, besides perhaps burned CDs.

Matthew
Posted by: tman

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 09/10/2004 21:31

You were probably looking at a KISS Technology player. The DP-1500 being one of the ones with ethernet. Scam or eBuyer stock them I think. The ethernet feature isn't that amazing from what I hear. It's pretty much for playing random video & music files. You can't put an entire DVD on a HD for example and have the menus.
Posted by: andym

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 10/10/2004 14:27

I've got a KiSS DP-1000, it's still a bit buggy but it's due a firmware upgrade. Although none of this will be of any use to you as you now cannot change the playback region on the new players.
Posted by: boxer

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 20/10/2004 15:02

When you posted this, Makro had a special offer SONY DVPLS500 at around £60+ VAT (Richer Sounds have it at £99.99), but the offer was over, that weekend, when I checked.
a friend of mine who works for a prestigious hi-fi company (No names, no pack drill), reckoned that it was as good as anything that they sell at many times that price.
However, since I never got round to buying it, although I do need one, he says, just as well, because the new Pioneer DV 575 (no one seems to have it 'till next week) is much better at around £120.
Posted by: andy

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 20/10/2004 15:46

I bought a £50 Philips in Sainsbury's of all places in the end. Does far more than my original player than cost 10 times the price. The picture quality seems to be better as well. Navigating menus is much faster than the old player as well.

So I've done my bit to prop up Sainsburys ailing profits. Am I the only one who doesn't understand what the appeal of Tescos and ASDA is ?

I am getting fed up of news reports telling me that Sainsburys has empty selves and crap products and that Tescos and ADSA make more money because they are "better". This is the exact opposite of my experience, Tescos never has anything on the shelf that I need and ASDA's fruit and veg starts rotting before I get out of the shop. And don't get me started on the whole Safeway/Morrisons thing... (clue, our local Safeway was good, but now it is a Morrisons)

Tesco and ASDA sell lots because they are cheap, but price isn't normal the first consideration for my when I am buying food.

Hmmm, that was a bit off topic, wasn't it
Posted by: tahir

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 20/10/2004 15:54

I'd agree about Sainsburys, the only other decent supermarket is Waitrose. Tesco & Asda are and always have been rubbish
Posted by: boxer

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 20/10/2004 15:58

Ho, Hum, better not show that to Mrs.Boxer or this could well become the longest thread in Empeg BBS history.
She is pretty Sainsbury loyal, but then the only Tesco in reach is not a fair comparison. She shopped at Tesco outside Winchester on friday and thought that it was pretty impressive.
Morrisons and Asda, two little local brands that I understand that you people outside Yorkshire now have, I always find fail to impress.
Our Safeway is now Waitrose, but I don't think that she's tried it.
Personally, it's Wednesday and I've just been to Leeds market for my kippers and various items, and if it were more convenient would shop for the lot on an aroma and tactile shopping experience basis!
Posted by: tahir

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 20/10/2004 16:02

Quote:
Personally, it's Wednesday and I've just been to Leeds market for my kippers and various items, and if it were more convenient would shop for the lot on an aroma and tactile shopping experience basis!


Brilliant if you've got a decent local market, we buy all our fish at the fishmongers, meat at the butchers etc but you still need to go to a supermarket for some stuff.

Now what was the topic?
Posted by: g_attrill

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 20/10/2004 17:11

Quote:
She shopped at Tesco outside Winchester on friday and thought that it was pretty impressive.

That is a pretty decent Tesco, but the North Harbour store (just outside Portsmouth) is about twice the size and five years after building it they now want to DOUBLE the size.

The USians reading who think the 'merican brands haven't yet infilitrated will be sad:


Gareth
Posted by: andym

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 20/10/2004 17:22

Quote:
I'd agree about Sainsburys, the only other decent supermarket is Waitrose. Tesco & Asda are and always have been rubbish


I my favorite has always been ASDA, I just like the way they're laid, out most Sainsburys and Tescos round here are in drab 70's buildings. ASDA is just a nicer experience. The majority of the things they sell are identical with the exception of Sainsburys who do nicer ready meals. I used to visit Sainsburys regularly but then they stopped selling Brannigans Beer Nuts so ASDA won. Anyone know wether they're still making Beer Nuts?
Posted by: music

Re: What DVD player should I buy ? - 21/10/2004 01:36

Quote:
The USians reading who think the 'merican brands haven't yet infilitrated will be sad:


Damn. Well, at least the Walton family didn't impose US spelling on your "supercentre." So, do they get half a point for that? No, didn't think so.

P.S. Why not "suprecentre" ?
I mean I know that French verbs have a big distinction for -re and -er, but in English the whole -re/-er thing seems really random.