Need DVD standalone Player recommendations.

[golfnut]

I need to buy a new DVD standalone player and would like suggestions please. The only requirements I have are listed below. I plan on spending $300-500 bucks. Thank you.

Must be DTS, DD compatible
Must play DVD+R and -R (hopefully not fussy about media brand)
Must be progressive scan
Must have component output

[oosik]

Golfnut,

Have you tried clicking on the DVD Players button at the top of this web page yet? You can specify most of the options you are requesting, and you can review peoples comments on the different systems.

https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php

Best of luck.

[StudeBarc]

Golfnut,

Seem to be following you around at the moment.

What part of the globe do you hail from? My recommendations on players are to look at the cheapest with those features mentioned, first. Eg I have an Omni Brand (Malata is the same badging DVP-558 ?) DV5000 Prog Scan unit that cost around 200 bucks (Australian) that's about 100 US. Does all you have laid out. Only issue being it fails on +RW media. Reproduction is excellent and it's a DVD Audio player also.

Regards
Studebarc 8)

[The_Pioneer]

Only advice I would give - spend the top end of your budget and get the very best DVD player you can afford.

Only thing that makes me grumble when reading posts within these forums, is the number of people who talk about optimising the quality of their DivX to DVD transfers/VHS-DVD transfers etc. but PLAY these on a crappy DVD player.

Like the other guy said, use the list on this site and ALSO read some reviews in audio/video magazines. When people give a $100 player 9 out of 10 and say, "Great Picture, plays anything I can throw at it...", that's when you should take their words with a pinch of salt.

The only true way to compare players is to go to a shop and ask for a demonstration. Don't let them try displaying different models on different televisions - that's useless. High-end shops will have pushy, arrogant staff who will be happy to help. They'll take you into demonstration rooms, ask questions until they find a gap in your knowledge and sneer. More importantly, they'll demonstrate the different models in a controlled test in front of your eyes.

Of course, once you've decided what you want to buy, you'll tell them where to go. I'd never recommend buying a DVD Player anywhere other than online.

Hope that some of this helps/helped.

[golfnut]

Hi Studebarc, I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. Do you sell the DVD player you are suggesting, I find it hard to believe I would be happy with either video or audio quality for $100, what's the catch? Enlighten me, passify me or whatever. Is there a website I can go to to see a picture and specs? Thanks.

[Alan69]

Actually I'd say you have it exactly opposite of what one should really do Pioneer. Having a $54 Mintek 1600, it literally does play just about anything thrown at it, and the picture is excellent. May need a bit more money for HDTV etc, but on a normal set it is very good.

Find the best bargain with the features you want, when it fails or there are other features to get, then get a new one. All a $500 player does is waste $200 if there was a $300 player that is comparable. Realize that no matter how much you spend you'll consider it junk within a few years, much better to only have a $300 piece of junk instead of $500.

Find the BEST $50-$100 player you can, like the Mintek or the Cyberhome that plays most everything. Use it, and from it's limitations you'll know exactly what you want and it'll be an excellent backup player. Only good reason to spend into that range is to get DIVX support, so you should be looking at the DIVX players that have the other features you need if you really want to spend it.

Alan

[StudeBarc]

Golfnut,

Link to Malta group HK.: http://www.malata.com.hk/
You'll have to do some clicking around to find the 558 model. I'm not sure of what importers can offer you in the US on these.

Here is the run-down on the predecessor N996 from this site:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDnameid=862&Search=Search&#comments

Whether it is Malata or another Chinese brand it's up to you. Just that feature for feature and pricing I find it hard to go past them. In Oz we get full 12 mth warranty also.

Beyond that and for the bucks you speak, look at Denon and Yamaha prog scan units....tho I can't say region coding won't be an issue or playability of all formats is possible.

Regards
Studebarc

[golfnut]

Thanks to all those who replied, I did not mean to get an argument started I was just looking for some good advice and information. Thanks again.

[The_Pioneer]

Hi Studebarc, I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. Do you sell the DVD player you are suggesting, I find it hard to believe I would be happy with either video or audio quality for $100, what's the catch? Enlighten me, passify me or whatever. Is there a website I can go to to see a picture and specs? Thanks.

I find it hard to believe that most people who are satisfied with the picture quality of a $100 player, have actually seen how good DVD's can actually look. I've seen several cheap players with terrible picture quality - similar to the standard offered by Playstation 2 DVD playback.

LOOK before you leap, eh?

[golfnut]

Pioneer thanks for the reply, do you have any recommendations in mind I should consider? Thank you.

[StudeBarc]

Pioneer & Golfnut,

Don't get me wrong, I 100% agree with "try before you buy". My perspective though is to not discount a player that has all the features you requested and is considered a "cheapie".

I have a generation 2 or so player, a Toshiba SD2109, and it gives a good quality picture etc. I'm not inclined to throw it out at all. In 1999 it did cost equivalent of $400 US. Since then i've prescribed to checking the "cheaper" units and hence I have 4 DVD players now (including the Toshi). If you understand the componentry of DVD players the two main mechanisms boil down to loader and Audio/Video DAC's. The loader (tray and laser mech) types in the "cheapies" are exactly the same as those used in "brand name" units (Sanyo, Panasonic, Toshiba Loaders etc) Similarly the DAC's (digital/analogue converter) are now mainly single chip units and they also share commonality with "brand names".

Ultimately it's up to you, but side by side in quite a few cases there is no difference from "Brand name" to "cheapie".

Regards
Studebarc.

[handyguy]

Sony has a new 400 disk dvd player out at about $320.00 I don't know if its too new for the specs to be on that dvd list.

[Dubber]

I'd go with a player that has a decent chipset, and Panasonic seems to come to my mind. One model in particular: DVD-S55S

Progressive-Scan DVD-Audio/Video Player with DVD-RAM/R, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, HighMAT and JPEG Playback
MSRP $129.95

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11251&cata...Model=DVD-S55S

Spend a few extra bucks on good cables thou.

I duno why ppl want to spend $300-500 on a DVD player 'that does everything', just get another cheap Chinese made player to cover the rest of the features/standards, but the playback quality will be lesser.

If it were me, I'd rather get S35 model thou.

[RabidDog]

Handyguy not 400 model no, u mean 400 disk jukebox type dvd player?? I have heard of 5 disk changer.. but..

[Vanderlow]

I'd go to the avsforum.com and ask there. Those people view players on HD sets and can get picky. Seems as though the Panasonic and Toshiba get alot of recommendations. They're starting to look at the lite-on.

[golfnut]

Many thanks to everyone who replied.

[gizmofanv]

@golfnut:

I had similar situation in the past. If you are keen about or have an home theatre system, cheap sets may not come with digital audio out. And also make sure u have more than few outputs (a/v). Because my friend bought Thoshiba DVD player, it did not have enough a/v outputs. So he returned it.

Goodluck!

[whiskeymcclinton]

OK. I have to throw my 2 cents in. I also agree that if its quality you want, with progressive scan, then Panasonic is the way to go without blowing the bank. For those who do NOT have an HDTV ready set, then buy the $59 player. Your TV won't give you the benefits of progressive scan anyway.

Here's a link to a very technical shootout between a bunch of players:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=5

It's a couple of months old now, so the quoted prices have dropped since posting, but you get the general idea.

These guys are really nitpicky when it comes to qulity in dvd playback. Click around the links at the bottom of the above page. You WILL learn a lot.

[golfnut]

Thanks Whiskeymcclinton.