Updates for DVD?

[4mylgl6]

Hi,

I recently bought an LG DV492H DVD player, and was disappointed to realize that it does not read MP4 files. Also, it can't read special foreign characters in subtitles, which is important for me. I'm wondering if there are any add-ons or updates that I can somehow install onto the DVD, that would resolve these issues. Maybe I'm too imaginative, but are there such things to be found online to update DVD hardware, similar to driver updates?


Thanks for any help,
Ami

[hech54]

The specs say it plays "Divx".

[october262]

you can try the manufacture of your dvd player, but i doubt if you'll get anywhere on that. or you can try here - http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers and select what features and all the bells and whistles you are looking for
in a dvd player.

[lordsmurf]

DivX != MP4 files
Not the same.
Most DVD players did not play MP4 files, only "AVI" (DivX/XviD) files.

[hech54]

A lot of people confuse .mp4, MP4, AVI, Divx, Xvid etc etc etc.....that was/is my point.

[DB83]

Cannot read characters in subtitles ? Again, you must be refering to separate sub-title files and not those already present on a dvd. Present on a dvd is just a video sub-stream and any player should handle these.

[Cornucopia]

Yes. Subtitle files are either text-based or picture-based. Those on a DVD are ALL picture-based (not counting the old CC streams). On a BD, they can be either one or the other or both.

There are upsides and downsides to both.
Picture-based subs are "pre-rendered", so the overlaying is a simple operation (less machine complexity/cost, speedier) and ANY type of text is supported, including NON-text pictures (incl. music notes, logos, "highlighting", goofy shapes, etc). Their downside is they are set in stone (not able to modify/replace) & require a little more effort on the part of the author/producer. OCR software is required to do any downstream editing.
Text-based subs are rendered via a subs rendering "app" JIT (just-in-time, at playback). They allow for much easier editing/replacing after-the-fact, they take up less data space, and they are still text, and so searches and other text functions are natural. However, as you have found out, since subs must be rendered by the playback device, that device must be able to fully recognize the type of text (ANSI, UTF-8, UTF-16, Unicode) or the subs rendering app will either give nothing or garbage. And playback device capabilities for subs will vary greatly depending upon the manufacturer, unless they are following a "standard". For DVD & BD video there ARE standards. Not really for all the other features out there (unless you count UltraDivX certifications).

I believe this is your problem: you've got a device that won't read your subs correctly (because they were encoded with a non-supported coding system) and won't play your MP4s (because of codec, or, more likely, profile/layer issues). But both of those things are BUILT IN to the player THAT WAY. You got what you paid for!
Sure, you could wait around for some firmware to improve the recognition, but I wouldn't hold my breath. You either get a replacement model that supports those, or you don't and live with it not working, or you get a 2nd model that does support those, or you do a LOT of conversion on your PC to massage the data into compliance before playback on the device.
That's it. Those are your choices.
Honestly, I don't see WHY you got that specific device if you already had a need for those features. It's not like you can't look up those features ahead of time in an online manual (I just did) and/or test them out at the store with your own sample discs/files.
I guess it could be that you didn't know WHAT you needed until you got it home, in which case, you should have taken it right back and gotten the correct model. Or maybe you are under the common mistaken impression that modern players are UNIVERSAL. Nothing could be further from the truth. Or maybe you couldn't afford it, in which case you kind of have to live with it for now and I feel for you (been there done that too many times).

Good luck,
Scott