Philips DVP5960 and USB

[jagabo]

The player uses USB 1.1, which as mentioned above, sorts a maximum transfer rate of 12 megabits per second (1.5 megabytes per second). Even at half that transfer rate, that's plenty for most xvid files.

To give you an idea of how even USB 1.1 is overkill, an xvid file with a running time of 45 minutes (the length of a typical episode of a TV drama) with an average bitrate of 6 mbits per second (.75 megabytes per second)--half the theoretical max of USB 1.1--would have a file size of 2025 megabytes...far larger than anything you're typically going to play.

You are quoting average bitrates. During action scenes, a variable bitrate video will have a much higher bitrate than the average.

It's not a matter of transfer speed, it's just that the high amount of action requires a lot of processing power, which is too much for the cheap little processor in the DVD player.

Then why do those same files play flawlessly from a DVD?

In truth, it's probably a bit of both, CPU time and throughput. I/O from the DVD drive is likely done via DMA and requires very few CPU cycles. Whereas I/O from USB devices generally require a lot more CPU cycles. Since more CPU cycles are going to I/O, fewer are available for decoding the MPEG4 stream.

[TBoneit]

IMHO the fact that it plays Ok from a DVD means that the bitrate is to high for the USB port. YMMV.

[Virginian]

Actially, it's just a matter of USB implementaion and design. My Phillips works fine with the 2GB SanDisk Cruzer and Western Digital 320GB USB. At the same time, when I initially bought WD Essential 400GB USB I experienced stuttering, even on a slow motion episodes.

P.S. Your USB enclosure must be powered in order to operate with DVP5960

[youngthile]

lets have a discussion as to which HDD's work well with the 5960. i am currently using an older 60 gig WD, and it generally plays fine. I am wanting to get something about 300 gig or so. how has everybody's experience been with larger drives? also what RPM is your drive?

[jagabo]

Download the Divx Test CD:

http://www.divxtest.com/What-is-DivxTest-Where-can-I-find.html

Test from a CD, then copy the files to a hard drive or flash drive and try the different test files there. Included are different resolutions, bitrates, GMC, QPEL, audio codecs, etc.

[TBoneit]

Couple of things I like this player but I wish the Component out would upscale. Look slike only via the hdmi. Component seems limited to 720 by 480 progressive. Other quibble is the remote has limited buttons and has to be pointed right at the player to work. I am using it with Divx/Xvid on a external drive but I can't imagine trying to navigate through 300 gigs worth of files. Slide show function seems lacking too.

[maby652]

Slide show is a bit funny, but I just recently picked this up on a whim, since the ol' DVD-VHS combo finally died..
And this is a great machine. For the Price, and all the great hints on this site, it's well worth the under-$80 I paid...
I've watched DivX I've made from camcorder footage, DivX from friends and the 'net, and all from the external drive, works fine on old analog TV's. Gotta try the LCD with HD later this week..
Thanks for all the great posts so far!

[vhavle]

HI, I brought DVP5960 last week, I was amazed with the USB feature. This was the only DVD player with DIVx and USB what I was looking for. I tried playing files with my card reader, it worked fine even I could watch movies this is great.

This week I brought WD Hard drive and trying to connect it to DVD. I have gone through this forum and formatted my hard drive to FAT32 and connected external power too, but to my bad luck, the player does not recognize this device, it says "Device Not Supported". I tried to reformat using Fat32Formatter as well as swissknife but still no luck. My hard drive is WD Dual Option Combo USB/Firewire with USB HUB. Did any of you tried this hard drive? This drive has three USB ports one for system which I am using and other two for connecting other USB devices (like flash drive). Please anybody help me.
Thanks in advance.

[anomie]

I bought this yesterday and am probably going to take it back, unless they charge a ridiculous restocking fee.

I have had the DVP642 for a couple of years and it has basically served the purpose I bought it for, playing DivX/XviD files. I don't have an HDTV, so I could care less about HDMI and all of that. I thought after 2 years, Philips would have greatly improved their DVD/DivX players, but that's not the case.

Problems:
1. It is only able to play a few more videos than my 642. Not enough of an improvement to justify spending another $60, especially given the 642 is better in other areas as well, in my opinion.
2. It takes longer to load pictures and videos on the 5960 than on the 642.
3. Unlike the 642, it does not automatically advance from folder to folder. When files are finished in one folder, it returns to the menu and you have to manually navigate out of that folder and to the next one.
4. The directory only lists 4 files at a time. That's a waste of screen space.
5. File names are still too short like the 642.
6. The video playback appears worse on some video files.
7. The tray is even flimsier than the 642's. Still no useful buttons on the front of the player either, like FF, RWD, Menu, etc.
8. Remote has less functions than the 642's. It's designed in a way that is difficult to tell which direction it is facing without looking down at it. The 642 remote works with it though.
9. It has worse IR reception than the 642. You have to be really close or aim the remote perfectly, otherwise it doesn't pick up.
10. Oddly, the 2x RWD speed is much faster than 2x FF.

I didn't bother testing the USB port, though that was one of the main reasons I bought it. I'll have to format a drive in FAT32, transfer files, etc., which is not worth it if I don't like the player.

Unless you don't have a DivX player, I suggest waiting a bit on this one or looking at a different brand. It's possible Philips will fix these problems in firmware updates, but not guaranteed.

I believe the Oppo DV-970HD uses the same chipset (MT1389 or MT1392E, not sure), so if anyone has that player, maybe you can compare. If the Oppo doesn't have similar problems, then the problem is with Philips firmware. For those more interested in video quality, the reviews of the Oppo DV-970 are far more positive. Of course, it's $60 more. You get what you pay for.

I have my eyes on the new LG or RCA players now. Anyone tested them? RCA DRC247/257 (if they use Vaddis 888), LG-DN191H, DNX190UH. The last one is a European version of the DN191H, but with USB instead of card reader. I can't find it anywhere in the US. They use the Zoran Vaddis 888 chipset, which handles more file formats.

[John667]

lets have a discussion as to which HDD's work well with the 5960. i am currently using an older 60 gig WD, and it generally plays fine. I am wanting to get something about 300 gig or so. how has everybody's experience been with larger drives? also what RPM is your drive?

Hi youngthile,

Good idea, lets make a list of drives that WORK 100% with USB port

I have external 300Gb hard drive, formatted to FAT32. It works fine with USB port, no issues whatsoever.


ATMT 300GB (7200RPM) USB 2.0 3.5" External Hard Disk Drive
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0007OJY8I/202-0667107-2702208?v=glance&n=560798&s=...teway&v=glance

[cifrancgx]

A big thanks to everyone in this thread! Good info. I just bought the 5960 today for the sole purpose of using it with a standard def TV so I could play DIVX files and for the USB port (I have an OPPO OPDV971H hooked up to my 60" Sony SXRD HDTV so I don't care about HD). I picked the 5960 up today from Best Buy. I believe it was less than $80. Anyway, I tried my USB flash drives and they worked fine. When I tried my external 250GB hard drive (an IDE 7200RPM Hitachi Deskstar in a USB 2.0 enclosure) it didn't work at first. I then found this thread and found out my problem was that the drive was formatted NTFS. So I reformatted it to FAT32 with Windows XP. I then tried it and it still didn't work. I then tried the Ridgecrop Consultants fat32format that someone recommended in this thread and that didn't work. I then used Partition Magic 8 and formatted it again as FAT32 and it still didn't work. I was about to give up but then I then I read the post about SwissKnife and used it to format the drive as FAT32. Lo and behold it worked!!! So thanks for that! I wonder what it did differently than what Windows XP or Partition Magic didn't do right? Anyway the few DIVX movies I have tried seem to work well with no stutter. I haven't tried a lot of files yet, but so far so good. I picked the player up at Best Buy for under $80 I think it was.

[jman98]

That really really sucks that you guys are having to use FAT32 on these external drives. That's really pathetic as FAT32 has lots of disadvantages, such as file size limitations, that NTFS overcomes.

[cifrancgx]

That really really sucks that you guys are having to use FAT32 on these external drives. That's really pathetic as FAT32 has lots of disadvantages, such as file size limitations, that NTFS overcomes.

Yes I think everyone realizes that. But to be able to hook up a large and reuseable hard drive to a DVD player that has a USB port and that plays Divx/Xvid etc... is huge and way too nice a feature to pass up. The alternative was to have to spend time and waste money burning DVD's.

Sure it sucks you have to hook up a FAT32 drive, but FAT32 is more compatable with devices (flash drives, cameras, mp3 players etc..) than NTFS is. It also sucks that it only handles 8.3 file names. But I can live with that. This is a step in the right direction. Hopefully next time they will make improvements such as adding NTFS support (which I am sure like FAT32 they need to pay Microsoft to add) as well as long filenames.

[gll99]

That really really sucks that you guys are having to use FAT32 on these external drives. That's really pathetic as FAT32 has lots of disadvantages, such as file size limitations, that NTFS overcomes.

If the 5960 is anything like the 642 fat32 file size limit wouldn't matter anyway. The dvp-642 doesn't play beyond the 2gig barrier. If you load a file over 2 GB it seems to read it but stops at the limit. It can't seem to address anything past that point.

Wish list:
I wish Philips (or anyone) would develop the best all feature recorder/player with hd profile format divx record and playback, upsample playback for simple profile files and Qpel and GMC support along with the usb capabilities of the 5960 but as you say NTFS file capabilities.

btw) I saw a small camera on the Shopping network that has mpeg4 record capabilities. It's advertised as a 5 or 6 megapixel picture unit but with video recording to mpeg4 format on memory cards. The recording technology obviously exists and the price was a mere $200 canadian. It also had a dv or usb port (can't remember which) but it wasn't clear which direction (in/out) was possible with the port. It shouldn't be too hard to design a standalone divx video recorder.

[redrob]

I can confirm that hooking up a psp with the 5960 also works!

Still I would like a little more advice on which USB drive to buy.

When buying a Western Digital for example:

Western Digital 320GB USB seems to work
Western Digital Essential 400GB USB doesn't

According to Virginian.

My question is: what type of drive was the 320?

My Book Pro
My Book Premium
My Book Essential
WD Dual-option Media Center
WD Dual-option Combo
WD Dual-option USB 2.0
WD Essential USB
WD Extreme Lighted

ATMT 300GB (7200RPM) USB 2.0 3.5" External Hard Disk Drive
this one works. Any reason for choosing this one John667?

[Yosho]

does this player have aspect ratio control such as x/y zooming?

[Bodyslide]

New Firmware for the Player:

http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dcbint/cpindex.pl?slg=ENG&cat=DVD_PLAYERS_RECORDERS...=Link_Software

[John667]

Hi Redrob,

No specific reason. I had that drive (ATMT 300GB (7200RPM) USB 2.0 3.5" External Hard Disk Drive ) before I’ve got player. Only thing is it had to be formatted to FAT32 (used SwissKnife V3 for this)
With this drive I haven’t had any problems mentioned in this forum.

[sweetcheese]

Ok so what external hard drives are reconized as a removable hard disk.

Or in layman's terms, what hard drives work with the Philips DVP 5960/37.

[Virginian]

I can confirm that hooking up a psp with the 5960 also works!

Still I would like a little more advice on which USB drive to buy.

When buying a Western Digital for example:

Western Digital 320GB USB seems to work
Western Digital Essential 400GB USB doesn't

According to Virginian.

My question is: what type of drive was the 320?

My Book Pro
My Book Premium
My Book Essential
WD Dual-option Media Center
WD Dual-option Combo
WD Dual-option USB 2.0
WD Essential USB
WD Extreme Lighted

ATMT 300GB (7200RPM) USB 2.0 3.5" External Hard Disk Drive
this one works. Any reason for choosing this one John667?

redrob,

I tested WD Dual Option USB External Drive (320 GB)

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=167

[Virginian]

New Firmware for the Player:

http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dcbint/cpindex.pl?slg=ENG&cat=DVD_PLAYERS_RECORDERS...=Link_Software

Bodyslide,

Thank you for a good news!

[passat25]

Bodyslide,

After I did the firmware upgrade for the DVP5960/37, my Phillips DVD player stopped working...Now, I get no picture or sound at all...I was pretty stunned it messed up my DVD...I did follow the instructions carefully how to upgrade firmware version on .pdf file...Upgrade was supposedly going fine (tv screen was showing the message "upgrading..." but player stopped working afterwards...

http://www.p4c.philips.com/na4/d/dvp5960_37/dvp5960_37_fur_eng.pdf

I called Phillips tech support and they assured me firmware upgrade has been tested and should work...However, tech guy mentioned about hardware issues with the DVP5960 series...

Thanks God, Circuit City replaced my player with a new one without asking anything... Now, I am afraid to try it again...

Has anybody tested new upgrade???... Does it work???... Need help... Keep us posted... Thanks

[ytsejam]

I did the upgrade and all went fine. It even retained my region free settings.

[esojmc]

I just did the upgrade and everything is working fine. Following is what you have after the upgrade:

Version 37.06.42.29
SUB-VER 00.00.04.08
8032 05.00.06.05
Servo 89.05.20.00
RISC 05.00.06.05
DSP 07.03.00.66
Region Code 0 <--- Changed by me

One thing I have noticed with the new f/w is that AVI's played from the USB does not studder anymore.

[John667]

passat25, (and all)

I’ve updated mine without any problems. I think, this is just my guess, the problem could be in trying to update player with wrong firmware. There are variations of this player sold in different countries. Firmware link in post above is incorrect for my player. I had to look for update for DVP5960/05 player, Firmware Upgrade for my player is V.12.06.36.34
My guess is in the States is sold as DVP5960/37 and firmware version for this one is V.37.06.42.29

So my recommendation would be to check what player you have and search for correct firmware.

[Bodyslide]

Here's the link to choose which player you have...

http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dcbint/cpproduct_selector.pl?submit.y=8&session=200...VP5960&slg=ENG

Upgrade worked Great on my Unit. Sorry to hear about your issue passat25...

[vhavle]

Thanks for the firmware link.

I am want to play DVD movies copied into my 250GB wd mybook harddisk with this DVD player, but the movies are studdering (breaking). I thought after this firmware upgrade it will improve as "Esojmc" improved his AVI playback. But after firmware upgrade also the movie still studder. Any body experienced this problem? any solution. I have so many DVD movies in my hard disk, I want to watch them all once before burning them if I like.

[passat25]

Bodyslide,

Thanks for posting in regards to new firmware upgrade...Believe me, I know what I am doing when it comes to which version I am supposed to download...I am still puzzled why my DVP5960/37 got messed up but I want to share something...These were my settings when burning file to CD-R using NERO recommended settings on .pdf file...

File system: CD ROM joliet
File name length: max 31 chars (ISO level 2)
Mode: 2/XA
Character set: ASCII
Single session ---- Mine was "Multisession"
Write speed: low

I am afraid having my session setting to "multisession" may have been the problem since file must be the only file on CD-R...Still, tech guy from Phillips was not sure 100% if this was the reason why my DVD player got screwed up...One more thing, how long did upgrade take place??? did actually take 3 to 5 minutes or less than that??? My upgrade took less than 2 minutes, the tray then closed and player power off and on itself...After that, my DVD player stopped working...I will appreciate your feedback in regards to it...Thanks

[jagabo]

There's very little error detection/correction in mode 2.

[Bodyslide]

My upgrade was done in about 3 minutes.....