DVD Player Zoom Increments and Icon

[aero]

Since one thread got distracted without a simple answer I would like to pose the following questions... for those who may own a non-widescreen TV and who care to add some knowledge:

1) Does your DVD player have incremental zoom below 2x allowing a compromise of a slightly bigger picture with some side cropping for widescreen DVDs?

- toshiba SD-1600 (bought mine early 2002, no longer for sale): does allow for several levels of zoom below 2x.
- My early model xbox has 2x but no increment below 2x
-Panasonic S25S and S35, S75 (current?): all reported to have incremental zoom from 1X-2X in .01 increments
-panasonic rv32 (current): has 1.3x
-Toshiba 4700 (also no longer sold): Several increments under 2x
-Samsungs with "ez-view": something like 1.8x, which is better than 2x but I prefer 1.2x to 1.5x range


2) Does the zoom icon dissappear or are you stuck with it.

-Panasonic SD- 16002: The icon disappears after a few seconds.
-Early Xbox: The icon disappears


[note perhaps this should be considered as a noted function in the already excellent dvdrhelp dvd players compatability/functions list]

[Defcon]

I agree and my earlier post could have been better titled (Like yours) This is my experience on 5 DVD players in the past 2 1/2 weeks:

Apex AD-2600 (Sticky zoom - I believe was 2X & 4X, Also cannot recall if had negative zoom, but I think it did, but otherwise played EVERYTHING)

JVC N55SL (No sticky - 1.8 zoom, 2x, maybe 4 also. Had negative zoom as well)

Philips 727 (Same as Apex listed above)

Toshiba 3260? (No sticky - Incrimental zooms - cannot recall different levels)

JVC DV-N312S (No sticky - 1.5, 2X, 4X)

There is also a Malata player Fulci posted and the zoom feature is totally custom, thats a player I want !!!!!

The last JVC is the one I am keeping - plays UDF format DVD,SVCD, VCD, MPEG-4, MP3, and whatever else. Weird thing is it wouldn't play various AVI and MPEG files on a CD however I burned all the files onto a DVD w/ Roxio 6 and played perfectly !!!! Strange..... All backups w/ DVD Shrink/Nero also played flawlessly. So as long as it is burned to their specs (I guess UDF?), it will play fine !!!

Not to beat a dead horse, but the (sticky zoom) is a major flaw by manufacturers !!!