DVD Standalone question

[paultherbert]

Why do manufactures sell there dvd players withuout the firmware updates allready installed. Surly if a player can play VCD its best to sell it with it enabled and not making the owner search for firmware for it . And why all these secret menus. Can someone please tell me the method in this madness.

[Craig Tucker]

Well some firmwares are released after the units are produced, so it can only be shipped with the latest firmware at the time of manufacture. The thing about VCD compatability I belive is to do with royalties. Phillips owns the patent for VCD so if a manufacturer produces a DVD player that also plays VCD I believe they have to pay Phillips a royalty. So making a player which will not play VCD unless the user enables it via a remote hack is a way of getting out of paying this fee.

[paultherbert]

Thank you, that would make sense when it comes to VCD.