Philips DVP5960 and USB

[TBoneit]

FWIW I just tried +R DL DVDs one data with AVIs on it burned with Nero and a second one that was a straight copy of a commercial disc using DVD Decrypter. They were the Ritek manufactured Memorexes. Burned with a LiteOn drive. The LiteOn burns the dual layers with no problems, the Pioneer 109 I replaced with it used to make 1 out of 3+ burns successfully using the same spindle.

Cheers

[johncv]

I just purchased a DVP5960 with F/W 37.06.42.29, I have a WD My Book Essential 250 GB portable HD. Unlike most I don't seem to have a suttering issue with my player and drive. The player sees the drive I can browse the titles, but when I play an XVID it gets to a certain point and freezes after a couple seconds it returns to the selection screen. Depending on the XVID it seems to be anywhere from right away to about 30 minuets into the movie when this happens. Sometimes I can restart the movie and FF to the spot and it will play for a few more minuets or sometimes I can not play that movie again till I restart the player. I have read in the thread that others have had problems with the My Book Essential edition drives, my question if it recognizes the drive then it should be able to play movies off that drive, correct? So would this seem to be a drive issue or a file issue ( too high bitrate, etc.)? If I try another drive would that help, if I reduce the bitrate of the movies would that help, and what is the easiest way to reduce the bitrate? Thanks for any help and if it does seem to be a drive issue is there any recommendations as to what drives works best with this player.

I have a 1 GB verbatim thumb drive that everything plays flawlessly from, problem is I need a 2 GB for the larger movies.

[TBoneit]

I'm guessing that the WD drive is almost compatible but not quite. I and others have had good luck using generic cases with drives in them. I have two in use one with a WDC drive and one with a Maxtor drive.

My guess is that the Phillips may not like the comtroller chip used by Western Digital. The Generic ME 320 I use has a ALI chip in it. It is just a cheap Plastic case that could hold a Hard drive or a optical drive. I like it because it has the power supply built-in rather than using one of those black power brick externals and thus it can use any regular PC power cable and that makes it easier to move from the PC to the Phillips by just unplugging the power and USb cables and having a set at each place.

Keep in mind that all good things aren't always brand name from big stores. Check out the little guy. The local computer store may have the same case or be able to get it for you.

[lem0n]

Could someone tell me if the unit should play XViD files? I just bought it and made it region-free. Formatted 1Gb USB flash drive and copied couple of videos and JPEGs on it and plugged it in. Player sees the drive just fine and lists the contents, but every time I try to play the video nothing happens - player display STOP on the its front panel and video does not show. When JPEGs are played, all it shows is black screen when trying to load the image, but this is not my priority right now, as video playback via USB was the reason why I bought this thing in a first place.
Could anyone confirm this? Thanks!

[lem0n]

Anyone? I am very tempted to return it and get OPPO player instead, but want confirm beforehand that it, in fact, won't play XViDs.

[Bodyslide]

It will play XVID's. Make sure the drive is formatted to fat32. I convert TV shows to Xvid.. It will not play any 5.1 xvid or divx files...

ViDEO: XviD at 849 kbps
AUDiO: VBR MP3 ~128kbps 2ch 48khz
RESOLUTiON: 624x352

Good Luck

[daisbrown0722]

Just got this player, works fine with 160 gb fat32 external drive (simple tech name i think)!
Been reading this forum for a LONGGGGGGG time! Also have both of the other Philips Divx Players.

[TBoneit]

It will play XVID's. Make sure the drive is formatted to fat32. I convert TV shows to Xvid.. It will not play any 5.1 xvid or divx files...

ViDEO: XviD at 849 kbps
AUDiO: VBR MP3 ~128kbps 2ch 48khz
RESOLUTiON: 624x352

Good Luck

That would be very strange if it couldn't handle standard DVD type audio. IE AC3 5.1

I'm sure that by now I have played some Xvid conversions that had the original audio added back in.

The only Divx/Xvids it didn't play were ones larger than 720 by 480 and even then I seem to recall the audio playing. It plays avi's that my Toshiba won't however I still have the Toshiba in the living room as it is a much feature richer player excluding USB support.

[lem0n]

It will play XVID's. Make sure the drive is formatted to fat32. I convert TV shows to Xvid.. It will not play any 5.1 xvid or divx files...

ViDEO: XviD at 849 kbps
AUDiO: VBR MP3 ~128kbps 2ch 48khz
RESOLUTiON: 624x352

Good Luck

My Lexar thumb drive is formatted to FAT32 using "FAT32Format" utility that's been posted earlier. DVD player can see the files on it, but for some reason can not play them. Funny thing is, my old DVP642 plays them just fine, when I burn them to CD.
Hate to say it, but DVP5960 is going back to CircuitCity. I will most likely get OPPO player, as it's known to play anything you throw at it, USB or not.

[bigAPEUK]

Thanks for all your advice in this thread. I made me buy the 5960 and I certainly don't regret it.

My new Sandisk Cruzer Micro U3 4GB (with retractable USB) works great !

[chelli614]

I have tried connecting a Maxtor 250 gb ide HD in an AZIO USB enclosure several different variations with multiple/single partitions formatted Fat 32 set as Active Primary and Logical they all come back Disc not supported so how do I set it up to work then
used Partition Magic 8.0 to orihginally partiition it with
also swuitching to fat32 from NTFS does not eliminate whatever files you have either at least under XP or PM programs

[dzgilad]

I just got this player (euro version "5960/12").

When I try to play divx off an attached 100GB 2.5" hard drive, the playback is very stuttery. Audio is continuous, but picture keeps freezing every few seconds, then speeding up to catch up with audio.

Playing from an attached 1GB flash thumb drive works fine.

Anyone know how this might be solved? The drive, when connected to my PC, is MUCH faster than the flash disk.

Thanks!

[jagabo]

When I try to play divx off an attached 100GB 2.5" hard drive, the playback is very stuttery... Playing from an attached 1GB flash thumb drive works fine.

I'm pretty sure someone posted that a firmware update fixed this.

[Raptor16]

Just got a Cyber 2.5" enclosure today and it works fine with the HDD my dad gave me. But something got me thinking... On my computer, the HDD shows as two internal drives, f: and g: in this instance. I can't open G: because it says it needs to be formated, but it doesn't take up any space so it doesn't matter. But on the DVP5960, it connects and there's two extra folders, RECYCLED and SYSTEM~1 that doesn't show up on the computer. This lead me to believe that G is some sort of drive to keep track of something, maybe the HDD enclosure is using it for something or whatever. My point is, if the DVP is seeing two parts of the drive as one, could you then use a (powered) USB hub and make it see i.e two thumbdrives as one?

[jagabo]

SYSTEM~1 is probably System Volume Information, where the volume name of the partition is stored. Recycled is the trashcan. In Windows turn on the "Show Hidden Files and Folders" option and you will see those names.

[Raptor16]

Nope, actually hidden files are set to be shown but it's not helping, still cant see them

[chelli614]

I think that all files are visiblr on the DVD player regardles whether they're hiddenon the pc or not
the system and recycler files are system transparency file that show on my system
if thery show up on the DVD then forget them for they can't be accessed anyway

[republicOfunk]

Here's a note that I dont think any of you have mentioned.
the usb 1.1 runs @ 12 Mbps. What is the res frame rate and bit rate of the files that stutter the most. I bet the higher the bit rate the more stuttering. Has any one tryed to lower the bit rate to see if the studding is still there? also I bet the cache of the hard drive is a big deal. One last thing any one seen about drive fragmentation? I know a lot of dvr pci cards suffer from a fragged drive. I wounder if this is also to blame. you should try to defrag after loading all the huge files on it that would surly frag the drive.

[eugovector]

I was wondering if any kind owners of the Philips DVP-5960 could help me out.

Problem: The menus and file system menu appear blurry and out of sync. I've tried two different units. Does anyone else have this problem?

Symptoms: The most notable is in the USB or disc file menu. Look at the icon of the folder. The Yellow part is noticably shifted to the right. Hit setup, and the blue text seems to have a ghost. Any very apparent is the blue "philips" screen saver. It is cleary blurry and has two images out of sync.

Setup: Connected via component cables to my CRT RPTV (Toshiba 51H83). Problem persists when connected via composite. I haven't been able to try HDMI/DVI. Interlaced/progressive makes no difference.

Other info: Video looks fine, though DIVX seems very stuttered compared to PC playback. Still, I wonder if my video is ghosting slightly as well. I haven't had time to run avia/DVE test patterns.

The Question: Is anyone else having this problem or am I alone?

Thanks in advance.

[winman42]

Anyone have any luck using this with a video Ipod?

Win

[winman42]

Oops, found the simple fix in another thread, works like a charm!!

Hi!

Sorry for bumping an old post, but I figured out a way to use the iPod with DVP5960 WITHOUT downgrading firmware.

It's kind of an obvious way, don't know why I didn't think about it earlier. Just boot your iPod to DISK MODE by holding menu+select for about 10 seconds, then as soon as it reboots, hold select+play, and it will boot into Disk Mode. Now it will work with the dvd-player.

It's a but more to do everytime you connect it, but at least it's a sollution that works.

And you DON'T have to downgrade the iPod!

Also, I guess people who bought the latest iPods will be able to use this as well (those who have the 1.2 firmware as default).

Hope this helps!

[winman42]

worked for me, thanks fo the tip. Kinda hard to find a particular song, and i wasnt able to find any videos, but it does work.

Win

[ntngod]

Nope, actually hidden files are set to be shown but it's not helping, still cant see them

You would need to uncheck "Hide protected operating system files" for those folders to be visible in Windows Explorer.

[kwame]

hi all. i have read this thread with much interest as i have just got a Sigmatek XS-700 Pro DVD/DivX/USB/HDMI Player. last night i hooked up my external 250gb usb buffalo drive with the intention of playing my avi files. this drive also contains mp3 and jpegs.

what i found really odd was on first hook up it found some but not all of my avi content and seemed to play it with no problem. why it didn't find all of the stuff i don't know.

i then went and hooked my external drive back up to the pc, copied some avi's into the route so i would not have to mess about having to find them. then when i went and hooked the drive back upto the dvd player it could not find nor would it display these avi's copied to route. bizarre!

i have read earlier in the thread that the drive should be fat32 ( i will have to check on that ) but i think mine is ntfs, so why i find it more odd that it played a few avi's without problem on first hook up.

basically i am being lazy and trying to avoid having to use ConvertxDVD and burn discs if i don't have to.

alternatively can someone recommend a good 2gb usb pen (thumb drive) that will do the trick? most of my avi's are running time 42mins/size 350mb.

thanks in advance.

[Raptor16]

When playing DivX from USB or DVD, is there any way of exiting playback and go back to files list without rebooting dvd?

[Squash]

@Raptor16:

Hit the STOP button twice.

[republicOfunk]

WOOOT!

I just got my Wd 70gig SATA hdd working and playing .divx files @ 720 x 480 with a high bit rate and playing smooth as silk.

I just want to say thanks to all who helped fined that this works with fat32, I would have never thought to do it my self.

ps if your looking to use a sata external case I got mine from compusa, it was their compusa generic band.

[rbendorf]

I have decided to use a WD MyBook 250GB with my DVP5960. I did not know if I needed to reformat or not. When I logged into the website and looked up their utilities for the drive I got the WD formatter for the MyBook and it returned the drive to the original FAT32 factory version. For those of you using the MyBook it looks better in my living room and work perfectly...I think it is a good choice for my videos and music.

[rbendorf]

TO KWAME:

I just bought a 4GB thumb drive from TigerDirect for $74.99 -$60.00 rebate=14.99 + shipping. I don't know if you have access to Tigerdirect in UK, but this is the best deal I have seen...check out Ben's Bargians.

[doberman8u]

I too purchased not one, but two of the WD MyBook 250GB external drives (couldn't resist at the $80 price for each of them at buy.com) to use with my 5960 and I am happy to report that they work great right out of the box - no reformatting needed.

I did notice one time when the player locked up while playing from the MyBook, but I think it is because I did not fully power up the drive before turning on the 5960. Don't know for sure what it was, but after shutting down the 5960, making sure the WD MyBook was fully powered and the usb was pluged in, and finally turning the 5960 on....all was well again.

So, for a total of $140, I have a fully functional, instant library of videos on hand at all times. This is the single best purchase I have made for myself since my first HDTV. Now, if only I can find a way to get long filenames so I can keep track of everything.