DVD player troubles

[Handruin]

This isn't really computer related so I'm posting in the P&B. My DVD played has been acting weird lately. Recently a few movies won't load into the player and it says the media isn't supported.

I loaded a movie today (the matrix) and it wouldn't play. So I put it into my PC and it plays perfect. I checked the disc and there isn't a scratch or smudge to be found. The movie has always worked, it was the first DVD I purchased. After 10 attemtps to load the movie, Laura gave it a few tries and it eventually started. (Woman's touch must have been required as I was about to pull a CougTek on my DVD player)

This is the third movie to do this on my home DVD player in the last coup0le months. Could my original copy of the matrix gone bad, or start to go bad, or would you suspect the DVD player? I guess the next step is to bring my movie to someone else's player to confirm. I don't really want to buy a new player...just curious if anyone has had a DVD movie die. (I've heard it happens)

 

[timwhit]

Maybe the lens of your DVD player is just dirty. Try opening it up and spraying canned air in there.

 

[Mercutio]

That's characteristic of DVD players that are dead or dying. I'm sure you've run into the same thing with CD players that don't read CDs any more and CD burners that lose their ability to burn.

Fortunately, your new DVD player will cost a lot less than your old one.

Since burners are also cheap, and we all know the joys of DVD Shrink, I recommend one of these. 400 discs + SACD support. Yum.

If your needs aren't quite that high end, I'd suggest one of these. 7 discs, progressive scan, able to read all the writable formats, and DVD-Audio support.

 

[flagreen]

Darn that Sony unit is actually a decent price considering it holds up to 400 DVDs. Great way to store your disks and be able to play them whenver you want. No scratching disks or piles of jewel cases laying around. Nice.

 

[Mercutio]

I found mine through froogle.com. A yahoo store. It was $380 including the shipping. Not bad when I think about how much I paid for my first DVD jukebox.

Also, Sony jukeboxes, in one of their great redeeming qualities - I'm not a fan of Sony electronics but in this case no one else has a comparable product - can be daisy chained so that three 'boxes can be treated as one logical unit for control and interface purposes.

 

[Handruin]

I'll try giving the lense a quick cleaning, but I was afraid the DVD player may be on it's way out the door. I've definitely run into the same thing with CD-ROM drives on my PC, but I was curious if my DVD's were starting to rot.

The JVC unit you recommended would be in the price range I'd like to spend if a replacement was needed. The Sony unit is nice, but if these things don't last very long, I don't want to shell out $400 for a unit like that. The JVC unit is higher-end than my system is right now anyway. I don't even have a progressive scan TV.

Do you know if that JVC unit will play DVD-RW or DVD+RW? I looked the unit up on dvdrhelp, but not very many people have responded.

 

[Mercutio]

Yes to both.

 

[Pradeep]

I would buy that Sony in a heartbeat but unfortunately it lacks the following two must-haves for me:

Playback of any region DVD.
Playback of PAL on NTSC.

For now my Cyberhome 500 will have to do the job.

 

[Mercutio]

No consumer electronics are made to last. You know better than that.
From examination, I can even say that Pioneer's inexpensive jukeboxes are identical to Onkyo's high-end megachangers (there might be some differences in internal components, but since the shipping weights are within a few ounces, so I doubt it).

Carousel-type units do seem to last longer than single-feed models (er, until you hit "reference" product lines, but for $3500 I'd want something that does more than play a single disc). The worst units are the cartridge-based models now most common in car audio equipment.

Anyway, none of my jukeboxes have out-and-out broken. I have 3 different 400 disc CD changers and 3 different 400 disc DVD changers, and they all work. Some of 'em are six years old now. Only one has had to be repaired, and that was in warranty.

Pradeep, if I have to play PAL on NTSC, I'd do it through a PC. Unlocking regions is 30 minutes of work with DVD Shrink... and then put the resulting disc in the changer with everything else.

 

[SteveC]

Does anyone have any experience with the current cheap (~$50) DVD players. I want to get one for my bedroom, now that I've transfered the last of my tapes. They'll be played on a 20" TV, so picture quality isn't as important as different format compatibility.

 

[Mercutio]

The less expensive ones are actually made with computer parts. Some even have replaceable DVD drives in them.

I uh, don't normally pay attention to low-end electronics, but I bought a KLH DVD Player as a get-well gift for someone the other day. That model at least reads -Rs.

The other thing you might want to look at is the DVD walkman-type units. A few weeks ago they were $80 at Target. No display, but they can be plugged into a TV. I'm kicking myself for not buying one. I think they're normally $150 or something.

 

[Buck]

Wow, that KLH DVD player seems real decent. For someone like me who would use it for playing purchased DVDs, CDs, and CDRs, the price is good.

 

[SteveC]

I uh, don't normally pay attention to low-end electronics, but I bought a KLH DVD Player as a get-well gift for someone the other day. That model at least reads -Rs.

I saw that one, but it's sold out right now.

The other thing you might want to look at is the DVD walkman-type units. A few weeks ago they were $80 at Target. No display, but they can be plugged into a TV. I'm kicking myself for not buying one. I think they're normally $150 or something.

They still have one for $80.

 

[Handruin]

What about this unit for $50? Looks like it is fairly compatible with media.

 

[Mercutio]

Apex is evil.

They're the company that uses computer parts. They need to. I had five or six of 'em - the 150xwhatever model - back when it was the only thing that played MP3 CDs and was the only thing easily hackable, and the story is... I had five or six of them. The first two I bought, took home, didn't work, so I took to testing them in the store. Drove the Circuit City people nuts.
Anyway, I had a few more of 'em faill over a two month span, and that's when I decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

 

[blakerwry]

There's been plenty of DVD players listed on bensbargains.net in the past couple weeks.

 

[SteveC]

I've heard too many stories of Apex players dying after only a couple of months to consider them. I'm sure they're be more sales as the holidays get closer, but I hope I can get one online because I hate fighting the crowds.

 

[DrunkenBastard]

I have an Apex 1200. Cost about $50-60. Worked fine but recently it won't play any kind of DVD-R or DVD+R disc. It used to do that fine. And retail DVDs work fine. I wouldn't get another. Especially when I have the Cyberhome 500 which is all-region and playsback PAL on NTSC for my Buffy viewing pleasure. And component out if I ever get a decent TV.

 

[Mercutio]

Radio Shack has 'deep's Cyberhome deck for $50 this week.

 

[SteveC]

Hmm, plays nearly every format, progressive scan, does PAL/NTSC conversion, component out. Not bad for $50.

 

[DrunkenBastard]

Mine is the CH-DVD 500 but it looks like the 300 does everything mine does in a smaller form factor. For $45 bucks it's a steal. Might get one for the in-laws for Christmas.

 

[SteveC]

It was listed as $50 last night, but when I got to the store today, it was $45. So far, it's played everything I've tried, including regular MPEG files just burned to a CD. And I like the small size.

 

[CityK]

I've also seen many people write about their non functioning Apex models. However, to their benefit, the only person I actually know who has one, has the same model that Merc mentioned and his has worked flawlessly for the past two and whatever number of years its been.

I hate fighting the crowds

Although I do at times hate fighting the chrismas rush, there is a certain element to being out and in amongst the crowds that I like......provided no fires break out or anything else which might generate a stampede mentaility/reaction....moo....moooooooo!

 

[Handruin]

Anyone know if this JVC unit is good? JVC XVN55SL.

I read a few reviews on circuit city's and dvdrhelp.com, and and it looks good for the money. I've been reading many mixed reviews about the CH-DVD 500 and CH-DVD 300. I'm looking to buy this as a gift for Laura's family.

CNET gives it a poor review.

amazon reviewers give it good reviews. I don't know if one of the reviews is true, but the guy admitted being the person who wrote the firmware whiched cause the problem (I believe) CNET complained about. ("Stuttering playback on panning shots") The stuttering has been fixed.