Philips DVP5960 and USB

[jagabo]

The ISO file system on DVD supports up to 2 GB. UDF on DVD supports up to 4 GB. I'm Not sure exactly what the 5960 can handle though.

I've seen reports that the 5960 can can read NTFS formatted USB drives but I'm not sure if it's true. NTFS supports files over 4 GB but again, even if the 5960 does read NTFS, I don't know what file size limitation it has.

Many file systems use 32 bit integers to indicate the file size. Depending on whether those are signed or unsigned integers, that would give a limitation of 2GB or 4GB respectively. The DVD spec only allows 1 GB VOB files for some reason.

[lacywest]

I just won one on Ebay ... for 57 Bucks ... I plan on watching Divx movies with it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140047852213&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=004

[therampant]

Hi. Ive just spent the last few hours reading through this thread playing about with my 5960. I too tried an NTFS drive to no avail. A quick salvage from an old PC gave me a fat32 4gb drive which worked perfectly within my external harddrive case. Thanks for the headsup on that on.

I want to be a little more ambitious though. I want to fit an external usb hardrive into the 5960.

If this were successfull, I would be able to plug my laptop into an existing or newly added usb port to add files to the harddrive.

Ive opened the case up and there is not enough room for a standard 3.5" harddrive to sit amongst the other components of the player. Incidently i measured my 3.5" drive to be 4" wide.

I am assuming that a 2.5" drive will actually be 3" wide - (can anyone confirm this?).

There may be enough space for a 2.5" drive to sit between the screen and the main circuit board.

If there is enough room, maybe an external 2.5" case could be taken appart and the parts used inside the 5960. The main issue with this I presume to be the power supply.

The only major issue I can think of, is being able to access the harddrive from a laptop/pc, once it is inside the 5960 case. I dont have a solution to this off hand. I cant imagine that there isnt a way to do this.

[tashayar]

I've just read through this whole thread hoping to find an answer to my query or perhaps someone with some experience.

So far the USB works with my Sandisk 2gb cruzer w/u3 for avi files beautifully.

However, when I recently tried a Western Digital 60GB Passport Portable external HD which comes formatted as FAT32, it could not be read. This is a small device with no external power supply. Has anyone been able to successfully use this with the USB port?

This is what it looks like with the specs.
WD Passport 60GB

Before I return this I would like to explore all possibilities as it is nice and small and could definitely hold a lot of my avi files.

Thanks for the help.

[therampant]

the usb port on the 5960 wont supply much current. You need an external harddrive with its own power supply, or maybe, you could use a usb splitter cable to get the extra power from a computer usb port.

[tashayar]

therampant, thanks for the reply. Guess I will have to try one of my other seagate drives which I have in an enclosure or see about a splitter.

[synchro505]

What do you think the maximum size hard drive (powered externally, of course) this machine will read? 128GB?

Sorry for the off topic but, does anyone know of a good universal remote I can use with the DVP5960? I have a Sony regular TV that's a few years old. I need to be able to control the volume from the same remote as the DVD player. Thanks

[jagabo]

does anyone know of a good universal remote I can use with the DVP5960? I have a Sony regular TV that's a few years old. I need to be able to control the volume from the same remote as the DVD player. Thanks

Get a learning remote and you can program (using another remote) the buttons to do whatever you want.

I use the older Sony RM-VL900:

http://www.remotecentral.com/vl900/index.html

It's no longer available but there are others like it. They usually come as Univeral Remotes (ie, many common devices already programmed) but you can reprogram the buttons to work with other devices or to perform other functions.

[Bodyslide]

What do you think the maximum size hard drive (powered externally, of course) this machine will read? 128GB?

Sorry for the off topic but, does anyone know of a good universal remote I can use with the DVP5960? I have a Sony regular TV that's a few years old. I need to be able to control the volume from the same remote as the DVD player. Thanks

I have a 200gb WD drive in external case that I use with mine.

[benefarius]

What do you think the maximum size hard drive (powered externally, of course) this machine will read? 128GB?

Sorry for the off topic but, does anyone know of a good universal remote I can use with the DVP5960? I have a Sony regular TV that's a few years old. I need to be able to control the volume from the same remote as the DVD player. Thanks

320GB is the highest I've tried and it works just fine.

[synchro505]

Thanks for the replies. I'll look into some good ext. HDs online and that Sony universal remote.

My wife loves the concept of playing movies off of USB flash memory on a DVD player. I only wish she felt that way about my other electronic hobbies! I used to have a client who used to say something funny when he was amazed by an electronic gadget: "How do it know??"

[jagabo]

Philips makes inexpensive learning universal remotes too. For example the PHDVR8L:

http://www.remotecentral.com/phdvr8l/index.html

[lacywest]

Here is the one I put a 100gb maxtor drive in.

http://www.xpcgear.com/ue350au2bk.html

Did you have stuttering problems ?? ... I got the DVP5960 a couple of days ago ... I really wish it had a S-VHS video output.

I will probably remove the Pioneer DVD Recorder I have connected because I rarely use it ... I use my Panasonic EH50 with the 100 GB harddrive mostly for playing DVDs.

And connect the DVP5960 to the Video component outputs on my Pioneer VSX-1015TXK and I will get a HDMI cable and try it out too ... if I don't already have a HDMI cable laying around somewhere.

Pioneer VSX-1015TXK 7.1 Channels Receiver
Description >>> http://www0.epinions.com/content_196528017028

The Pioneer VSX-1016TXV-K is a 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver Featuring 1080p HDMI and XM-HD with Neural Surround.

Link >> http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/products/pioneer/vsx-1016txv-k.html

Not sure how all this will work out ... playing Divx videos appeal to me but using the HDMI feature sounds cool too ... I will try it out. But that means switching to a different Video input when watching a movie through the Sony 51" HD TV ... the Pioneer 1015 converts all the video inputs into Component Video out ... but the 1016 wont do this for an HDMI output ... darn it.

My wife already spoke her mind about getting another Pioneer Reveiver ... and it wasn't favorable.

To summarize this ... does it play DIVX movies decently or not ... will I see stutter.

USB harddrives ?? ... I've got a bunch of USB 2.0 external enclosures and I can use Partition Magic to format the drive from NTFS to FAT32.

I've got one external USB 2.0 enclosure laying on the rug next to my side of the bed ... wrapped up in a piece of foam rubber ... inside a plastic grocery bag ... laid there for a few weeks before I looked inside it. And yes there is a hardrive in it ... size ?? ... oh it's most likely a 80 GB or bigger.

Looking for USB 2.0 enclosures - look here

http://www.coolerguys.com/hadren.html#top

The enclosures I have the most of ... were bought at CompUSA and at CoolerGuys is this one >>> http://www.coolerguys.com/840556020950.html

[Goofproof]

Here is the one I put a 100gb maxtor drive in.

http://www.xpcgear.com/ue350au2bk.html

Did you have stuttering problems ?? ... I got the DVP5960 a couple of days ago ... I really wish it had a S-VHS video output.

Not sure how all this will work out ... playing Divx videos appeal to me but using the HDMI feature sounds cool too ... I will try it out. But that means switching to a different Video input when watching a movie through the Sony 51" HD TV ... the Pioneer 1015 converts all the video inputs into Component Video out ... but the 1016 wont do this for an HDMI output ... darn it.

My wife already spoke her mind about getting another Pioneer Reveiver ... and it wasn't favorable.

To summarize this ... does it play DIVX movies decently or not ... will I see stutter.

I flashed the firmware on 4 units, DIVX does fine on mine. For more output options, this will do.

They do make a DVD Recorder Model , Philips DVDR3400, It is in the $159 to $200 price range. It has S-Video and USB, and Camera inputs. It would be a nice upgrade, but I couldn't have afforded 4 of them, I would have been sleeping with the dog. But the Dog would have had a heck of a video collection. Jim

[Bodyslide]

I have had no issues with stuttering on the 100 WD gb drive, I also have a 200 gb Maxtor drive in another case and it works with no issues as well. The largest files I have are about 1.7 gb. I only have mine hooked up to a 25 inch TV and a Sony All in one Surround System. I have had no issues with it yet....Good Luck

[drstew]

Can you play MPEG2 files from a hard drive? Is there any issue with the data rate because of the USB1 connwction?

[Bodyslide]

I have played a few mpeg files from the drives, mainly shows I have captured on the PC via ATI AIW card. Screen resolution is 352*480 which is 1/2 full DVD quality at 3.6 megs per second. No issues with stuttering at all.

[lacywest]

I went to Wal-Mart and got a HDMI cable ... $64 Bucks for a 12 foot. Suckers are expensive ... I then got some sleep.

And then around 4PM ... I hooked it up ... on my Sony 51" ... Video 7 input is with the HDMI cable and Video 6 is with the Component Video connections. I tried a DVD with WMV videos ... nope wouldn't play the videos. I tried a DVD with some XXX movies archived off my computer from 2 years ago ... YEP ... they played great and looked great.

I then used my Memorex Travel Drive USB pen drives ... I have two of them ... 1 GB each ... I cleared some room off one of them and copied two episodes of the TV show ... Threshold ... on to one of them and was totally happy with what I was seeing on the 51" TV screen ... the shows were originally HD broadcasts and filled the screen without any horizontal black bars.

Maybe about twice a little spot messed up ... but that could have easily been the broadcast station itself ... and I watched 3 episodes before needing to get ready for work ... which is what I'm doing right now ... working

But ... I'm wanting to take two DVD disks of the same movie and play them the same time on the DVP5960 and my Panasonic EH50 and switch back and forth ... using my Pioneer 1015 remote control and compare the video height and such ... I watched a little bit of Constantine and the black bar on the bottom was ... like 3 inches and the black bar on the top was like 2 inches. I'm not sure if I am as happy as I could be.

But playing DIVX movies ... It is doing great ... I have not tried hooking up one of my USB 2.0 external drives ... YET.

I will most likely get another DVP5960 and use it in the bedroom AV system ... and watch some ... movies ... with my wife ... that I've collected over the years ... that have been archived on my computer harddrive(s).

[lacywest]

12:30 AM Monday Morning Thursday 13th 2006

The DVP5960 isn't showing Dolby Digital on my Sound System.

I noticed tonight before going to work that my Pioneer VSX-1015 wasn't showing Dolby Digital. I do have a HDMI cable connected to my Sony 51" HD TV.

I am wondering if ... if that HDMI cable is connected to my TV ... will it some how shut off the AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 signal going to my Pioneer Receiver.

Is that the reason I am not getting Dolby Digital 5.1 into my Pioneer Receiver ??

I already heard their is a problem with DTS but Dolby Digital ... too ??

I watched Constantine last night before going to work tonight and I was having a hard time catching what was being said and that is when I noticed ... that Dolby Digital was not being displayed on my Pioneer receiver.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2:55 AM ... I've done some research

Well ... I'm still at work but there is a Firmware update ... and here is what it says ... this looks like it might fix the problem ... but I wont find out until I get home at 9AM.

1 Introduction The upgrade version of this software is Version 37.06.42.29 This software can be used to upgrade the following Philips DVD Players: • DVP5960/37 After you have completed the upgrade procedure, your DVD player will typically perform better. What improvements are made depends on the upgrade software you are using as well as the software that your DVD player contained before the upgrade.

2 Key Features This software version includes: • Fix for Multichannel output via coaxial out • Add Lip Sync feature for HDMI • Fix for Multichannel output via coaxial out when connected to HDMI • Fix intermittent video “Jerky”

3 Preparations You will need the following items: • Personal Computer • CD-R/RW drive and writing application software • 1x blank CD-R

4 Software Version Verification Procedure It’s important to write down the Software Version information of your DVD player before you start the upgrade procedure. This information is also useful in case you need to call Philips Customer Care Center. 1. POWER ON the set 2. Press SYSTEM MENU key to enter SETUP menu 3. Press < or > to navigate to GENERAL menu 4. Press keys 1,3,7,9 successively

5 Download Software 1. Click the link to download Firmware upgrade to your PC.

Hopefully this will fix the problem ...

Looks like the program ... AVI ReComp ... might come in handy.

The program allows you to recompress your AVI files. Uses only XviD codec to recompression process. AVI ReComp can be very useful for users who want to clear their AVIs out of GMC or Qpel functions to prepare the clips for standalone DVD players. The program contains a feature of embedding subtitles into video.

[kappa85]

Hi! I'm italian, sorry for my english :P

I would like to buy the philips DVP5960 drive, and the external disk linked here http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/catalog/product.jsp?language=it&country=IT&ca...00_IT_CONSUMER

It has got external power supply... did someone try this hard drive with the dvp5960? Does it work well? Do you think it will work?

Are 480Mb/sec enough to play files well from the hd?

Thanks

[Uncle DondaDONDONDON]

I upgraded to the latest firmware off the Phillips site (37.06.42.29) and I have a 232gig "Western Digital Extreme Lighted" external hdd (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144214)



The hdd is formated Fat32 and connects USB and Firewire. It also has a power cord so I know that power via USB is not an issue. When I hook it up the player says "Device not supported" and that is all.

Can anyone help me?

[Uncle DondaDONDONDON]

aww man, I think it is the HDD. I tried a usb memory card reader and I could display my pictures Now I have to get another External HDD. Any suggestions?

[Bodyslide]

I have 2 of these one with a 100 gig Maxtor, the 2nd a 200 gig WD both formatted to Fat32 that have no issues. Here's the case.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145347

[TBoneit]

I haven't tried the one linked by Bodyslide, I use the ByteCC ME320. Could be they both work the same. I like it because the power supply is built into the case and takes a Normal PC power cable. The cooling fan is a bit noisy. I've been thinking of rewiring it to the 5 volt feed to slow it down. The ME320 works great with the Phillips. I thought it had problems turned out to be the Old WD drive I was using going bad.

[lacywest]

I downloaded the firmware and now I have Dolby Digital 5.1 ... cool.

I was cleaning out my computer room and ran across some CDs with Divx movies stored on them.

One of the movies was the movie Unbreakable with Bruce Willis ... it was encoded using FlaskMpeg or maybe FairUse [the 1st versions of it]. FairUse back then was really good because it used High Medium Low settings. The date on the CD shows it was burnt around May 8th 2001

Using Virtualdub to check the video bitrate ... 665 kbps
Audio is 96 kbps @ 48,000

The divx codec used back then was
DivX MPEG-4 Codec install
; Version 3.2.200 Beta
; Kristal Studio ... I know this because the Codec was on the CD.

Anyways ... I tried it out on the DVP5960 and it played great ... no hiccups ... stuttering at all.

And yesterday ... I encoded Mission Impossible 3 with Dr. Divx 1.06 with Divx Codec Version DivX 5.2.1 and I set it to make the size 850 megs and I then copied onto my Memorex Travel Drive ... This also played just fine with no problems.

I also found a DVD disk with 5 Divx movies on it ... they too played just fine.

Something I noticed ... each movie was inside a separate folder ... labeled with the name of the movie ... the full name was displayed describing the folder.

And for some reason ... Unbreakable.avi ... was completely displayed ... not abbreviated.

[lacywest]

I have 2 of these one with a 100 gig Maxtor, the 2nd a 200 gig WD both formatted to Fat32 that have no issues. Here's the case.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145347

I have bought two of these [about 2 years ago] but they're the 5.25 " ones ... they still are working ... I think the fan in one of them stopped working but it still works ... I've got DVD burners installed in them.

[Uncle DondaDONDONDON]

Nice! I have a old 10gig Seagate that would work perfect in that. Thanks.

[TBoneit]

About once a year open them up, pull the fan clean it with canned air or a soft brush. Pull one side of the seal over the bearing, add a drop of 3 in 1 Motor Oil 20 weight and it is good to go for longer.

I'd still replace a non working fan. The manufacturer didn't spend the money to install it because it wasn't needed.

[lamsao]

lacywest,

Which firmware version did you upgrade to that displays long filenames?

[lamsao]

This enclosure WORKS for mehttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817119205

It has a WD 120GB disk that is partitioned into 1 FAT23 and 1 NTFS. The unit only sees the FAT32 partition.


This enclosure DOES NOT WORK:

http://startech.com/Product/ItemDetail.aspx?productid=SATCASE25OTG&c=US

It has 80GB disk that is partitioned in 1 FAT23 and 1 NTFS. I haven't tried with only 1 FAT32 partition.