LG BP330 - Seeking Advice

[THRobinson]

Just realized that my families DVD player is about 8-10yrs old, still works but, only plays avi files, and older codecs.

I run an HTPC so digitized everything long ago, and almost all MKV/MP4 files... so playing my movies on our DVD player is getting very difficult.

Was hoping to find info about the LG BP330 here, but, not many comments in the DVD Player list. Thought I'd see if anyone here may happen to know the answer to a few questions...

1) USB... plays MKV/MP4 just fine? Says plays video from USB, but, sometimes these things have a 'but'... like, plays video but only avi, or only from a powered drive not usb stick, or only under 1gb, etc... also can the USB power a small external? I have a pair of old 40GB 2.5" laptop drives that I may stick into USB powered cases.


2) WiFi... does it allow me to setup streaming video from my HTPC? or does the WiFi only work for features like NetFlix? I use to stream to my PS3 through ethernet, can't recall what the protocol was called, but... hoping can simply connect wirelessly to my PC and stream. (EDIT - DLNA is what I was thinking of).


3) MP4/MKV playback... does it seem to have a wide range of codecs? or is it really hit and miss?


4) Does it have Cinavia? that's what made me build an HTPC and quit using my PS3.

I'm not looking to spend a lot, if there is a better/cheaper player, even if DVD only I'm also willing to look at other brands/models available in Canada. What we have now is an LG (also the same make/model in the kids TV room) and both have been real work horses so, leaning towards LG.


Thanks

[usually_quiet]

The LG BP330 is Cinavia compliant for DVD video discs and Blu-Ray discs. All Blu-Ray players approved after January 31, 2012 must comply with Cinavia. It is a requirement for AACS licensing, which is necessary for the player to decrypt commercial Blu-Ray discs. I am not sure if it is Cinavia compliant with respect to media files stored on USB devices.

[THRobinson]

That's my main concern... everything I have has been converted to mp4/mkv because easier than rummaging through shelves of movie cases. WiFi would be a bonus, but would be more than happy if USB worked.

Though will admit, not 100% certain how Cinavia works... is it something on all files even if I made them myself from originals? or just something on pirated stuff?


How about the rest of the features on the BP330?

[usually_quiet]

That's my main concern... everything I have has been converted to mp4/mkv because easier than rummaging through shelves of movie cases. WiFi would be a bonus, but would be more than happy if USB worked.

Though will admit, not 100% certain how Cinavia works... is it something on all files even if I made them myself from originals? or just something on pirated stuff?

Cinavia is an audio watermark. If a compliant player determines that it is not playing the original disc when it detects the watermark, then then it will stop playing the audio and display a warning.

The Cinavia audio watermark survives re-encoding, and will be present on files you converted yourself as well as pirated material. If the player looks for the watermark within media files and not just on authored discs, then it will stop also playing audio and display a warning. From what I have heard, LG Blu-Ray players have so far only looked for the watermark on authored DVD and Blu-Ray discs, not on media files. However, there is no guarantee that this can't change in the future if the player receives a firmware update that includes instructions to look for Cinavia in media files.

If you only play your movie collection on the original discs, or rent movies on disc and use Netflix etc. a Blu-Ray player is great. That is why I bought one for my parents last year. They liked renting movies on disc and playing their original discs, plus the occasional TV show that I have recorded for them on disc or a USB stick.

If you are playing your DVD and Blu-Ray collection as media files and not from the original discs, put your files on a hard drive and get a good hardware media player instead. It will support more formats and will not look for Cinavia.

[jman98]

My understanding is that Cinavia detection on a copied disc stops both video and audio playback and displays a visual warning. usually_quiet's post seems to suggest that video playback continues with no audio and I do not think this is correct, but as I have never personally seen Cinavia triggered, I cannot say for sure. My apologies if I am wrong about this.

[THRobinson]

Ya... it's looking more and more like I may have to dismiss a player altogether... was looking at stuff like the WD TV Live, and small units like that... problem of course is no DVD drive for playing what they have already. Debated a cheap used computer and making it into a server running XBMC like I have myself, but, sadly, I need something VERY simple to use. I mean... very simple.

The LG BP330 was a good price, and does have DLNA but, if they can't play what I have it's as good as what they have now. WDTV Live seemed good, but no DVD drive (unless I connect and external one, no idea if will work and drives the cost up) plus apparently the newer model of the WDTV doesn't decode DTS??? Kinda a step backwards?


Anyone think of anything I'm maybe missing?

[THRobinson]

Well I remember my PS3 when streaming media with DLNA from my computer, did on occasion pop up the message and shut the audio off, then I think after a minute shut the file off.

I have a LOT of movies and problem was I didn't want discs damaged, and if someone decided to not put a disc back in the right case it was a huge pain to locate it. Plus the amount of room it took up. Now I have bins in the basement, out of sight out of mind, and my entire collection fits on a hard drive. WAY WAY nicer... but, rest of the house wants access.

[wulf109]

My LG BP125 is triggered by Cinavia in media files as well as BR copies. When triggered it stops audio playback but the video continues with a large waning box on screen. My Sony BDP-S370 ignores Cinavia even with latest firmware update,it seems immune to cinavia.

[THRobinson]

Weird... if anything I'd have thought it be reversed... Sony was the first onboard with the whole Cinavia thing if I recall correctly.

Wow... just checked on Amazon, they want almost $260 for that. Bit more than the $88 for the LG.

[Tom Saurus]

If the original poster converted his files quite awhile ago before Cinavia was around; wouldn't his files play as long as they met the specs of the type of files the player will play? I would think only new Blu-Ray and DVD disc conversions would be a problem. If I am wrong on this please correct me. I don't have any Blu-Ray discs and have been too lazy to rip our DVD collection; but I do have my own recordings from the capture card and the HD PVR and they play just fine. I have a LG 3D Blu-ray player and I bought it back in January. I am really pleased with it. It plays YouTube files and my .divx and .mkv files. I think you should take a chance and buy a LG Player, but look at the specs to see what type of files it will play. If your ripping new Blu-ray and DVD discs, Cinavia is here to stay and you will have to follow the advice given to playing those type of files. I sometimes get Cinavia and Clamidia mixed up and they are two very different things.

[THRobinson]

Well... converted them a few years back, but continue to convert as new stuff comes along.

Debated the LG BP330, since plays everything I want/have. Since it's kinda for Xmas, thought maybe buy something now, hook up my 3TB backup external drive and just try it out a few days. Old stuff, new stuff, etc... if fails, return it and hopefully still have time to shop around.


I do like the looks of the WD TV media player and similar products... but so small. Some aren't even heay enough to weigh down all the cables attached. Also saw that the latest WD doesn't decode DTS... so some stuff won't have sound since it's an older LCD TV that likely won't handle DTS either. Plus... no DVD drive and I don't think supports an external drive either. Great for 80% of what I have, but screws you for the other 20% plus any/all movies the rest of the family already owns.


Kinda stumped... another HTPC would be ideal, but outta budget and too confusing for them to use. Media players have no DVD drives. DVD/Bluray players have Cinavia.


:S

[Cornucopia]

Again, Cinavia works when it:
1. Finds the hidden watermark
2. Sees the program as not residing on original media

Titles that were created before Cinavia was applied to them won't have the watermark to begin with, and so to Cinavia it will act just as if it was a home movie - ignoring it and letting everything work correctly.

@Tom Saurus, I'm guessing what you are thinking is something like Gracenote which would compare the content signature with the signature in their database. At least CURRENTLY, that's not something Cinavia can do.

I also have an LG BDP670, and love it. Doesn't do everything, but I haven't been hampered by much. No Cinavia problems so far. Of course, I ALSO have a media server, media players & HTPC, so I'm not worried regardless.

I would NOT go with the Sony if you are worried about Cinavia. That must have been a fluke. BTW, devices like the PS3 which often update their OS / firmware from online could probably ADD Cinavia recognition after-the-fact.

@THRobinson, you may have to make use of ebay, or even pawn shops, etc. to find a near-new model of player that is pre-Cinavia. The problem then would be finding one that ALSO allowed wide mkv file playback. General media players (added in addition to a disc player) looking better and better...

Scott

[Tom Saurus]

THRobinson: I believe I have read that the media players and the Blu-ray players do not like the 3 TB hard drives. I have used a 2 TB hard drive with no problems. I think the newer LG Blu-ray players still have a network slot where you can plug in a network cable, but go and look into the specs to make sure; so maybe if the WiFi isn't to your liking you can use the network cable and the player will be able to access the files that way.

Some advice to those who have a bunch of .flv files. You can run them through video to video converter and you can change the container to .mp4 or .mkv without re-encoding. I mention this because I found that the LG Blu-ray player will play .flv files but it doesn't allow you to pause or fast forward them; however once they have .mp4 on the end of the file names you can pause and fast forward them and that is quite convenient at times.


Cornucopia: You have given THRobinson some great advice. I wasn't thinking about Gracenote as I never heard of that before. I was just thinking pre-Cinavea files would play as long as they didn't have some odd specs that the player didn't like.

[THRobinson]

I prefer wired vs wireless, but, house is from I think the 1920's so, not the easiest thing to run cables through... in fact, the walls are so heavy and thick with plaster and wooden slats, I'm assuming that whatever I go with, won't stream media. It'll be a bonus, but I'm more relying on USB and DVD playback.

Disappointing about the 3TB, but, not a real problem. It's my backup drive anyways... I mirror my internal drive once a month and keep it stored on a shelf nice and safe. External drives are nice and cheap these days, if they want one they can grab one. Likely we'd mostly be using DVD and up to a 16GB thumb drive.


Too bad the DVD player list on the site, didn't have a way to search for Cinavia Free players.


Makes me wish the family were more tech-savvy... for under $100, could just buy a used SFF desktop, throw XBMC on it and never have a problem. I have a Core2Duo e6600 cpu here that I used on my media server for the past 2yrs until a week ago... and a 1GB low profile video card with HDMI as well... maybe I'll do that and just hope they eventually figure it out.

[Tom Saurus]

THRobinson: Well your house sounds like it is nice an solid and that is a good thing. It sounds like for most of your videos the LG Blu-Ray player will be just fine. Just have the family watch the newest stuff on the computer screen via a software player. This Cinavea stuff is definitely here to stay; as Cornocopia wrote you have do some research and go to the pawnshops looking for certain models that is pre-Cinavea. I like the USB thumb drives they sure come handy to test files with on the Blu-Ray player or to play a file off of. I am thinking of getting a second LG Blu Ray player as a spare.

[THRobinson]

Ya... bit of a pain. Haven't had to buy a new player in almost a decade... was way way simpler back then. If it played DivX that was pretty much all I had to look for.

Anyone know of a good pre-cinavia player that handles mkv/mp4 and has USB?