ALBA DVD119

[vwingman100]

I just bought the alba dvd119 for my girlfriend. I got it from argos, mainly because i read on this site that it plays SVCD's. I tried loading an SVCD on it and it says "Wrong Disc". The type of SVCD which i am using is a movie which i downloaded in a .bin and .cue format. I can play the movies on my older dvd player the MINATO DVD G1. Can anyone tell me wether or not i the dvd player is faulty or i just mis read the description? or a way of gettin it to play SVCD's? Sorry for rambling on.

Cheers for any help

Martin

[Tommyknocker]

The description says it will play CD-Rs, which is what the (S)VCDs arein actuality. What guide did you use to make your SVCD, and do you have another SVCD to compare the playback with?

[vwingman100]

Wot i do is download the movies in .bin format and just burn them straight to cd as an image using nero. These are the only types of svcd's i have, when i put them in my MINATO dvd g1 plaayer, it loads up as an SVCD, i know other people who i have lent the movies to who also have no trouble playing them.

[vwingman100]

anyone got any ideas wot i shud do?

[MeTaLgEaRsOoTy]

yeah,take it back,as a high proportion of them are faulty.
there are problems with the chipsets,not playing discs,like you say,sound is kinda "clicky" after a while,it isnt in anyway DTS compatible,and if the disc has only a 5.1 audio on it,it just sounds strange.check out the dvd players list and youll see what i put.
a better option would be to get the schneider 1003 dvd player from asdas.
its only £48,and plays everything,a lot better than the pacific 1002 and the alba 119/114/roadstar.
i hated that alba player,and i had a few of them,as argos just kept giving me another..
there.thats my opinion.
and anyway,asda give you a 3 year warranty.

[vwingman100]

cheers for the reply. I managed to get svcd playing on it using the vcd header trick.Am i right in assuming that it should be able to play normal SVCD's??. Im seriously considering bringing it back, did u have much hassle getting your money back? it being used n all. I bought it a only 2 days ago, it has been doin a few funny things like the disc drawer not opening, discs sometimes not loading..

Cheers man for any reply

[Tommyknocker]

I agree, take it back. DVD players are not supposed to do that, so why should you pay for one that does?

[Jukka]

Another tip - don't keep mentioning the downloading word at the sametime as film / movie, it can get you in to trouble.

[Craig Tucker]

cheers for the reply. I managed to get svcd playing on it using the vcd header trick.Am i right in assuming that it should be able to play normal SVCD's??. Im seriously considering bringing it back, did u have much hassle getting your money back? it being used n all. I bought it a only 2 days ago, it has been doin a few funny things like the disc drawer not opening, discs sometimes not loading..

Cheers man for any reply

I have got 3 of the Alba 114, have not had any problems with them, they all play SVCD properly. As far as I know the 119 should also play SVCD. Argos has a 16 day money back no quibble warranty so even if there was nothing at all wrong with it you could still take it back. You do not even have to give a reason for returning it.

[Craig Tucker]

Another tip - don't keep mentioning the downloading word at the sametime as film / movie, it can get you in to trouble.

Only if you blatantly talk about downloading material which you could not possibly have any legitimate claim to. i.e movies not yet releasd to the public.

[MeTaLgEaRsOoTy]

the alba 114,roadstar 114,and alba119 al suck eggs,cheap and nasty players..rubbish quality,and a high proportion are faulty..mediatek chipsets.argos couldnt tell me what batch it was,but all recent ones are.
the other problem is the sound,as it isnt anything else but 2 channel.
the dts facility sucks,as it skips audio,theres poppong on 5.1 audio,and on discs with more than one audio track(5.1,DTS).monsters inc. is a cracker.
and it has flickering picture during scenes on that movie too,like its something to do with the macrovision.that and the fact it kept glitching during svcd/vcd playback,like the discs were scratched.
and dont try telling me its just the one i had....i had a lot of them..even opened ones up in argos and tryed them..they were all the same
a rubbish player..0/10.
i thought it was ok when i got it..but after a few hours it seemed to go downhill.
id recomend the schneider 1003,multi region,plays mpeg1+2 straight off cds,dvd-mp3 compatibility,and good picture.

[marvel2020]

mmm, it's strange that everyone is having problems with this Player.

I've the Roadstar DVD2019 which i believe is the same as the Alba 119, and i've never had any problems with it so far.

Got mine form Argos for £60.00 about 2 months back and it's worked perfect on everthing i've threw at it, except for some Authored DVD-r's i burnt using NERO's DVD-VIDEO option, but then they didn't work on my previous Player as well an ARIANET.

Also read the comments on the Audio options, well all i can say what do you expect from a player that cost's £60.00. If you all mod cons then i would suggest you spend your money on a more expensive DVD player.

I'm happy with what i have and besides i don't have a Fancy Dolby Prologic Surround Sound Widescreen TV, so it's perfect for my needs.

[MeTaLgEaRsOoTy]

yeh,ok,but the thing is though,that for £48.75,i can buy the roadstar form argos(114,119),and its the same player in 3 forms..
the alba 119 does have a DTS encoder in it..its just that on the player instead of DTS digital out,it says STEREO out!!?!? WTF!, whover decided to make it this way deactivated it,and ruined it.
and anyways for the same price (£48.75),you can get a superior player in the schneider 1003 or even at a push the pacific(which i may add were taken off the shelves recently as a HUGE no. of them were making that "brrrr" noise when playing discs..i think thats fixed now though,as my local asda has them back in stock,having just returned from doing some late night shopping,i saw loads of them on palletes.instore.
:P

[Superfulcrum]

I just got a 119 and it manages 5k on SVCDs at 720x576 you have to make a hidden menu choice to get SVCD switched on.....following these instructions from the hack list on this site I found I had a 5001 option (no 4000!!) which switched to 5000 turned on SVCD?!*

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Region code hack posted by Tahir Pasha at October 16 2002:
Hi, There seems to be a new software for the new V520. The old crack does not work. So try this!
1-Empty Tray.
2-Press Setup on Remote
3-Press Next
4-Press Prev
5-Press Next
6-Press Prev
7-On Right Upper Corner will be written Ver#
8-Press Left or Right to get to number 255 (which is for region free - these version numbers correspond to region number)
9-Turn off and on. and Voila! Region Free Now!
Have fun!




Macrovision hack posted by Togger at October 23 2002:

Proceed as for the Region Hack as far as reaching 255.
Once you have 3001 or 4001 after pressing up from the 255, just press left or right to take it to 3000 or 4000, then you are macro free
This is the same hack as for the V560, but it works just the same. Thanks to the guy who supplied the origonal hack.
Togger))


---------

PS it sort of recognises miniDVD but splutters about flashing up bits of menu and clip...but it does think it's a DVD.

[vwingman100]

sorry mate, didnt completely understand ya post, u sayin that by using a hack, i can get svcd to work fine ok the dvd119?

[Superfulcrum]

yeah sorry I'm a bit lazy

1-Empty Tray.
2-Press Setup on Remote
3-Press Next
4-Press Prev
5-Press Next
6-Press Prev
7-On Right Upper Corner of TV will be written Ver#
8-Press Left or Right to get to number 255 (which is for region free - these version numbers correspond to region number)
9-Press Down to get to 5001
10-Press left to change to 5000 for SVCD

press stop and exit menu

there seem to be a few variations and it can be done with a disc in or the tray open

[MeTaLgEaRsOoTy]

it doenst really matter man,his players faulty..he says it has a mind of its own..tray not closing,opening up,not loading discs..
mine had a funny thing it did whereupon if it was in standby,it would kinda crash,when you put it on.the screen was all ****ed up.
and i gotta get my kill with the STERO DIGITAL OUT on the front.
not DTS..what a waste of cash.
:P

[vwingman100]

Yeh im a bit sick of the albas, had a knightmare with the 119 and just realised that me girlfriends nan has a 114..so i tried a svcd and a vcd on that, and too my surprise!? "Please insert a playable disc" i know it shud be playin these cause the display has "vcd" and "super" next to it. Just gonna go ahead with the Schnieder 1003 from asdas, thanks to some sound advice from MeTaLgEaRsOoTy. Thanks alot for the reply tho superfulcrum, appreicated.

Martin