Requirements of a good internal DVD player?

[Golem]

Hope this is the correct forum...

I am looking to get an internal DVD player for my comp. I'm not sure what are the most important specs/abilities to look for in this component. Is speed over 12x a factor? How about macrovision concerns? Is software the most important factor in quality... does that even factor in when ripping?


Currently I see Circuit City selling the Delta 12x for $20 (after $20 rebate). Would I just be buying another junk box item with it? If so, how about suggestions!


Thanks,

Golem

[sullen]

I don't know about other people's experiences, but I bought the Delta for $40 and have sent off the rebate. I have already started ripping. I wasn't going to buy a DVD-Rom, but for that money I couldn't resist. I only have a 400mhz PII. My rip speeds run around 1.5x so it is slow. My encoding is slow to AVI. My encode to MPG is slow. Everything is slow. If it wasn't for Blockbuster having 5 day rental I would never get the Clerks Cartoon DVDs ripped. Oh, and I have a small slow hard drive. But back to the drive. I find it to be a good drive. It comes with WinDVD 2000 which I think is a good program, I have no experience with any other. As for Macrovision I think that comes into play with your Video card on the video out to something. The disc has the Macro encoded, but your card decides whether or not to make it work. That is why you see questions about hacks. For $20 it is kicking some ass. You can't even buy a 50X CD-Rom for $20. Think of all the crap you waste money on in a year...will you really miss $20 if it doesn't work for you? Hell no, go get one. I was at my CompUsa and the "Manager's Special" was $70 for a generic 10X in a crappy beat up box.
*Note: All opinions in this post are mine and only mine so don't go around stealing them from my head like the aliens do!

[TIbrO]

Wow, twenty bucks... hell yeah! Mine was $60 or something like that... I looked it up on PriceWatch. It is a Pioneer DVD-116. Very nice 16x drive, and it works like a charm. Rips quickly... about 9 to 11 minutes depending on movie length and encryption I guess. I got this model because I knew there was firmware out for it which would remove MacroVision broadcasting and Region checking on it.

[Golem]

Hey sullen & TIbrO,

Thanks for the replies. I took the hop (not a leap by any standards) and bought the Delta for $20. Seek time is not bad at all and it seems to have no problems on the few movies I've tested out already. I have yet to attempt a rip so I'll keep my fingers crossed

Appreciate much the input on both your experiences!


Cheers

[statuspending]

hey i got that 12x delta drive on sunday, and this is my experience

i started out on sunday ripping @ 1.0x

now all i see for rip speeds is 3-6x. im happy

yo

[menaz]

I'm glad I read this post, $20 for a DVD aint bad . I can buy one of those now, and later worry about speed and macrapvision. Ive never ripped a DVD, how long would it take with a drive like this? As long as it its not like 4 times the length of the movie, Im happy.

[menaz]

damnit they're out of stock

[dcowboy]

Thanks for posting this!

I went out and bought this DVD and it works great!