Phillips DVP642 Super Firmware Upgrade Disk?

[BigFresh]

I came across this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Firmware-Super-Upgrade-for-Philips-DVP-642_W0QQitemZ5850116334QQca...QQcmdZViewItem and was curious to know if this is bogus or not. I looked on the stickys and I didn't see anything about firware upgrades.

The reason I am asking is that I would like to purchase the DVP642, but I would like a dvd player that plays avi and wmv movies also, and the auction owner says that this will allow it to.

Thanks for your help!

[canadateck]

Search google OR this site and you will find all Firmware upgrades.

By the way the Philips DVP642 comes able to play all the format,you dont need that upgrade.

SO yes it's a rip off.

[jagabo]

The claim that "It will play every Media File that you can burn on DVD or CD and play them back on your TV with no Problem !" is bogus. There are many codecs that the player will never be able to play. And even with Divx/Xvid AVI files there are features that the player won't be able to play.

I suppose it's not a ripoff if you don't have the ability to burn CDs and need an update. Otherwise you can get firmware updates for free on the web with a little searching.

[handyguy]

Its probably just a firmware update disk anyway.

[BigFresh]

So it comes ready to play avi and wmv files? If I burned an avi movie to a cd, it could play it?

[handyguy]

Thats the idea, yes, for avi, I don't know of a dvd player that plays wmw tho.

Just copy as a data disk. btw, read left column, dvd players & search for 642.

[jagabo]

Note the ebay listing doesn't say it will play WMV. Like Handguy, I don't know any set-top DVD player that will play WMV.

Out of the box, the player will play Divx and Xvid AVI files. It is not region free but can easily be made region free with a few button presses on the remote.

[jman98]

There ARE DVD players that will play WMV, but I've only seen them in Europe. I think Kiss makes one. I can promise you that the DVP-642 won't play any version of Windows audio or video.
By the way, the Ebay listing nowhere says anything about playing Windows Media, but by saying it will play "all media" I suppose that it erroneously implied such support to BigFresh.

[whitejremiah]

and even with avi files, there's still some limitations...although most people generally follow a lot of these limitations without realizing it when encoding a file to divx or xvid....it can NOT play back HD Divx, for example.........also if the resolution settings are cranked up too high or bitrate settings WAY beyond whats "normally used" then they run into problems......ive heard that once you hit a 2gb file...well first off you will have problems burning it, and secondly, ive heard it wont play back properly (i have yet to test this and verify if that's in fact true.....) This particular player does divx and xvid for sure...also vcd, svcd, mpeg....i think thats really about it as far as video formats....but yes, it's still a very versitile player.

[BigFresh]

I e-mailed the guy selling the "upgrade" and he told me that it'll play wmv's with the upgrade, that's why I asked.

Thanks though. Even without the wmv, I think I'm gonna buy this.

Appreciate all the help though!

[jagabo]

Let us know if it works!

[Krispy Kritter]

Sounds like a rip off to me. All they could provide would be a firmware update that is free to download anyway. And nothing will make it able to play any other formats than what it already supports.

[jagabo]

At least one review of the DVP 642 here indicates that some WMV files will play. WMV, like AVI, is a container, so it's probably a matter of what codecs are used.

[TwistedLincoln]

The IO-Data Avel Linkplayer2 will play Wmv files, as well as HD Divx. It even has a network port. I have one, and it's completely worth the money.

[Krispy Kritter]

The 642 does play older asf/wmv files, but not any of the latest versions.