Looking for a H264 Player

[Anakin]

Hello, guys. Let me explain to you what it is I’m trying to do. I buy my films from iTunes and use TunesKit to convert them to mp4 (H264) files. This has been my thing for years. My elderly mother has started to get into films and this is where I need your help. Can anyone recommend a DVD player that will play these files directly off the discs? I’ve seen a lot of players with HDMI and USB file support, but my plan is to burn a film a disc for my mother and let her organise them as she sees fit. I don’t want to use USB as I would like something more permanent for her.

I converted some of the films to DVD resolution and burned them to DVD and they look terrible. I think HD is the only way to go now. So I would like to keep the original HD file and just get a DVD player than can support this.

Thank you for your help as always, guys!

Anakin

[jagabo]

No DVD players play h.264 video. You need a Blu-ray player -- many of which will play mp4 files off DVD data discs.

[Anakin]

If you want to burn to DVD, the resolution is limited. Did you try burning them to Bluray?

I am using DVD discs, as data discs, but HD 264 files. Most films are about 2gb. I won’t be using the DVD format.

[Anakin]

No DVD players play h.264 video. You need a Blu-ray player -- many of which will play mp4 files off DVD data discs.

Thank you. Will any Blu Ray player play H264 files as data on a DVD disc?

[usually_quiet]

No DVD players play h.264 video. You need a Blu-ray player -- many of which will play mp4 files off DVD data discs.

Thank you. Will any Blu Ray player play H264 files as data on a DVD disc?

Some Blu-ray players don't play media files at all, and others are quite limited regarding the types of media files that they will play. To find out what kinds of media files are playable, you would need to go to the manufacturer's website, download the PDF user guide/manual, and look for that information.

However, from what I recall, all current model LG Blu Ray players can play H264 mp4 files burned as data to DVD discs. Some individual mp4 files might be rejected for one reason or another, but most should play.

[Bernix]

Also my Samsung BD-J5500 is able to play h264 files from data disc. So I expect almost every will be capable, but of course check specifications first.

Bernix

[sneaker]

Note that some movies on DVD, Blu-Ray or iTunes have a protection called "Cinavia". It is a watermark in the audio that is difficult to remove without hurting the audio quality badly. All Blu-Ray players (except very old models) must detect this watermark to get a license and they will detect the watermark and then stop playing (often after 20 minutes when you just settled in).
That's why many users prefer non-Blu-Ray media players like FireTV, Roku etc. or the in-built SmartTV feature of their TV to play these movies via USB or LAN/wifi. They don't care for Cinavia.

While the majority of movies don't use Cinavia it can still be very annoying on the few ones that do.


(In my experience most Blu-Ray players do support mp4 and mkv files nowadays as long as you stick to certain codecs/settings.)

[Anakin]

Thank you, guys!

[usually_quiet]

Note that some movies on DVD, Blu-Ray or iTunes have a protection called "Cinavia". It is a watermark in the audio that is difficult to remove without hurting the audio quality badly. All Blu-Ray players (except very old models) must detect this watermark to get a license and they will detect the watermark and then stop playing (often after 20 minutes when you just settled in).
That's why many users prefer non-Blu-Ray media players like FireTV, Roku etc. or the in-built SmartTV feature of their TV to play these movies via USB or LAN/wifi. They don't care for Cinavia.

While the majority of movies don't use Cinavia it can still be very annoying on the few ones that do.


(In my experience most Blu-Ray players do support mp4 and mkv files nowadays as long as you stick to certain codecs/settings.)

None of the non-Blu-ray media players that you mentioned allow using optical drives. Since the OP has decided to burn the media files to DVD, his choices are limited to Blu-ray players with built-in media players. (The discontinued $600 Dune HD Max is the only HD media player that I can recall which was designed to play media files stored on optical media.)

[sneaker]

Since the OP has decided to burn the media files to DVD, his choices are limited to Blu-ray players with built-in media players.

I assume he didn't know about Cinavia when he made that decision. With the new information he may rethink his plan - or not. It's better to know these pitfalls before you start investing time and money in a solution you may end up being unhappy with.

Even building your own HTPC is possible if you really want to use optical media.

[Anakin]

Hey guys. Just a quick update. I have done a lot of research and decided to go with AVCHD. I bought my Mum a cheap Blu Ray player. I bought TMPGEnc Authoring Works 6. My 1280x720 mp4s were already compliant so no reencoding was needed. I’ve done my Mum a bunch of films and they play just like Blu Rays. She couldn’t be happier!

Thanks to everyone who posted!

[Cornucopia]

Or, you could just buy her the Blurays.

Scott

[Anakin]

Or, you could just buy her the Blurays.

Scott

Or, I could use the films on iTunes I’ve already purchased? If you’ve nothing positive to say, please don’t get involved.

Anakin