Player recommendations

[filmteknik]

I'm going to have to get a new player as my Toshiba SD-4900 exhibits little freezes and glitches with DVD/R (don't know whether + or - or any of that stuff) playback and this is in a professional situation and I can't have that. They look like momentary instances of unintended slow motion. These are with studio-supplied burned disks and unfortunately I can't do a lot of testing to analyze why this is. Perhaps too high a bit rate if there is such a thing? Never a problem with ordinary store-bought DVD's that I've noticed.

My new player must:

Play everything smoothly without glitches (this is the purpose of getting a new one).
Have 5.1 analog outputs off Dolby Digital (DTS a plus but not needed)
Progressive Scan / Component Outputs (of course).
Be reasonably priced.

I would prefer if also it:

Was region free or has an easy hack
Can be set to output PAL from PAL disks as well as downconverting to NTSC.

[filmteknik]

Hmm...no suggestions. Maybe if I just ask for players that use a really good chipset and then from those I'll look for what other features I want. So what players use a good fast video DAC and aren't 800 dollar Denon's? LOL

[Krispy Kritter]

If your current unit isn't having any issues with store bought pressed discs, then it sounds like there are issues with the "studio-supplied" disks. Chances are it is something simple. For instance, they could be using brand x DVD-R discs and your player doesn't like brand x, but works fine with brand y & z.

Without more info on the discs that aren't working, no one can give you a good answer on what to buy. I don't think anything is wrong with your current unit.

[filmteknik]

Perhaps. But it's happened several times with different clients ranging from major studios to low budget film(video)makers renting my facility (a film & video screening room in Chicago). They presumably aren't all using the same media or software or burners. Since I have no way to investigate it and even if I did I can't exactly tell them what media to use I simply have to take a chance and find a player which has a reputation for being able to digest most things smoothly.

(I kinda doubt I'm getting anything too extreme; no one is going to knowingly send out something for VIP viewing that they would expect to yield anything other than simple, perfect playback.)

I don't think I'm going to want to buy a $800 Denon just in the hope that it would work better but I'll pop for a hundred or two on speculation especially if can also achieve the additional aim of PAL output of PAL disks. (Granted the latter is more a personal whim; the desire for being able to project greater rez on normal store-bought movies by buying in PAL format. I've only had one business client ask about PAL and nothing came of it. But I'd like to try it for myself.) I don't mind taking the chance on buying a new player if it comes recommended.

[Krispy Kritter]

You could take a couple of the problem discs up to the store with you and try them on various units, that would give you an indication of any disc issues or what brand players can handle your discs.

As to your PAL suggestion. Some players can play PAL, they just convert the PAL image to NTSC output (most do this poorly). Unless you have a PAL monitor/TV, you won't get any benefit from it, as the converted image is usually worse.

[filmteknik]

Um...I don't have possession of the disks long enough to do experimentation let alone go to a store and watch 2 hrs times x different players. (Remember that these are momentary glitches and not a total inability to play some disk.) So this will have to be a shot in the dark...get a different player...one that has a reputation for smooth playback with a variety of disks...perhaps one with a faster DAC...and hope for the best. Built-in 5.1 decoding is still mandatory.

As for the PAL business, yes I want it to be able to play PAL disks with PAL output. My projector is 1024 x 768 3 chip DLP. I ought to in theory be able to see a noticably better picture with PAL disks and real PAL output. Naturally, a hack for region coding or (region free) would be necessary as well.