Badmovies.org Forum

I've got an old Panasonic beast dvd player(three times the average player size, nowadays!) and I'm sick of the old 'it predates every other format type...so you're s.o.l. with anything but straight up dvd's" excuse from it.  :thumbdown:

I wanted to just grab a quick player to replace it for the living room tv, something that's up to date with DVD+R capabilities and such, but what I'm really into being able to do is play divx.

I usually download flicks from the newsgroups and a good quality(good enough for me---especially the rare s**t...yeah right!  I mean sleaze and porn  :wink: ) film is about 700 meg - 1.5 gig so I can load a bunch onto a DVD+R to store(of course, I primarily watch 'em on the computer so that's not the problem).

What I'm hoping someone can answer for me is that if, say, if I dump a bunch of divx avi files onto a dvd+r, will I be able to just plop that sucker into a DVD player that says it's divx compatible and pick whichever file to watch.

I was considering taking a shot with one of those 30 buck specials at Wal-Mart just to test the theory.  I'm not sayin' $30 is some pittance...one the contrary it would suck hard if it didn't work the way I hope, but at least it would still be up-to-date.

If anyone could give me some tips or experience I'd be greatly appreciative.  Thanks.

You can check out the Philips DVP642 (http://www.amazon.com/Philips-DVP642-DivX-Certified-Progressive-Scan-Player/dp/B000204SWE).

In addition to DivX, it also has a built in PAL converter and can be made region free with a simple code you can get at http://videohelp.com/ .

This is an older model, but you can check out some of the newer Philips models (and Walmart does carry them too). Philips has several models that will handle DivX, play PAL discs, can be made region free, and are all very economical compared to models costing twice as much which can't do half as much.

Thanks, Menard.  I'll look into those.  My biggest fear is that I'm misunderstanding how it'll work. 

It seems like I can just simply save the divx AVIs to a dvd+r then play it right in the stand-alone.

I won't go into brands and model numbers since we're probably different down here slightly, but yeah, you should be able to just copy the files onto a disc, as if it's just data, and select the file you want to watch.

Since I've never done that myself, I can't specifically comment, but I do know that the DVP642 can play unformatted raw files, so I am just presuming what you are suggesting is correct.

I have had DVD players in the past that would play the mpegs and other movie files I downloaded off the internet.

It is interesting that some of the so-called cheap players can play a lot more that the top brand players. I guess they don't have all those added features that prevent them from doing it. :teddyr:

I don't think a $30 throw-away will work for you.  A lot of hacked code free players come with a lot of extra playback features.  Checkout retailers like: http://www.regioncodefreedvd.com/

As for how players will handle AVIs, JPEGs, etc, it varies from player to player.  In my experience, most of them work just like car stereos that play back MP3s.  You can build a data DVD and store the files in various directories and the player will just scan for them alphabetically.  The back/next buttons will cycle through the directory contents.  A friend of mine had a Toshiba that got angry when a disc had more than one directory, but the Pioneer I had didn't care.  Basically, just look for a player that supports DivX playback and consult the manual before you burn anything.

You're right Menard...those cheap players CAN play more.

I have expensive home theater equipment...all Sony.
Almost $1500 worth...

My friend will loan me movies that he burned onto re-recordable DVD's and neither my Sony DVD recorder or my Sony DVD Dream System can play them.

I always get the message...

"Cannot play this disc."
or...
"Disc Error"

-------------------------------------------

Yet he has a cheapo $30 Wal-Mart APEX player that can play them.
 
What gives?   :question:

Somebody really doesn't need to spend that much on a so-called region free player. Many of the Philips models can be had for under $50 and be made region free with a simple code entered from the remote; not to mention that many of them have built in PAL converters.

If someone wants to do some pre shopping, they can check out http://videohelp.com/ which not only offers the codes to hack a player region free, but they have user feedback that will provide a way of finding out what a particular player is, or is not, capable of doing.

Thanks guys, you've all been very helpful on this.   :cheers:

And as Menard and Ash have said, there's almost no consistency to capability even among players that all purport to do the same damn thing.   A frustrating aspect to my investigation.

Check out the Oppo OPDV971H. This is what I have and it's played anything I've thrown in it so far. It also does upconverting on HD to 1080i (although I don't have an HDTV to test it on). But it does a great job of picture enhancement, can be made region free with a couple of clicks on the remote, and supports PAL and NTSC.


It's a great buy.  Make sure to read the reviews .

http://www.oppodigital.com/opdv971h.html

As for the features of DVD players playing multiple formats and whatnot, Methinks this is based on copyright issues.  Companies like Sony don't want to make it easy for you playing pirated material [even if what you are watching ISN'T] so they don't include those features.  Also, since in, say, China and alot of Asia, formats like VCD were alot more common, it stands to reason that players from those regions are more compatible with those 'underground' formats like Divx and whatnot.

This is all just guess work though, who really knows? Bah, economics...

I'm too lazy at the moment to read the other posts, but I'm with Menard on this one.  I have had that Phillips player for going on two years now and it's great.  I originally bought it for Divx playback which does work exactly as you said Soylent - burn the video files to DVD or CD even, and then pop them in.  You'll get a folder list on your screen and you choose which video file you want.  It's not always perfect as some video files, even supported ones, do not play on the player but I assume that to be a codec issue.

I didn't realize it was region free when I bought it, but after searching around and punching a short numerical code in, I unlocked it without any problems.  It plays any DVD I throw at it now.  It's not the best DVD player in the world, but for me, it gets the job done.