£30 DVD players - yea or nay?
Discussion
I'm currently trying to decide on how to play DVDs in my place (currently through the playstation)
Can you get the same quality through a PC DVD ?? does it need any clever sofware ?? I've already got an excellent soundcard but I guess I'd need a specific 6.1 channel job, dunno really.
I don't mind ripping the films to HDD and playing from there (in fact it's probably preferable) just wondered how much and what sort of card to get the video out, to get to the same quality as a decent DVD player
Can you get the same quality through a PC DVD ?? does it need any clever sofware ?? I've already got an excellent soundcard but I guess I'd need a specific 6.1 channel job, dunno really.
I don't mind ripping the films to HDD and playing from there (in fact it's probably preferable) just wondered how much and what sort of card to get the video out, to get to the same quality as a decent DVD player
Most of them are built in China so Multi-region is part of the package. Don't expect it to be well built shipping costs mean the chassis are as light as possible. It will be quirky one I have has a loading draw that means you still have to post it as the cover is too far out over the mechanism. Picture quality is good but don't expect it to be better than a "quality" player over a 28" screen size.
£30? Nah, £20 mate.... 
Actually got one of those Ronin ones from savastore.com (Watford Electronics) on offer and its perfectly fine. Ok, quality aint great and there are a couple of little "features" which annoy. But other than that its a great little unit for say watching kids movies on.
It breaks or they muck with it? Just replace it with another. As a primary DVD player? Nah, not that good. But what do you expect? Surround sound and progressive scan?
Actually got one of those Ronin ones from savastore.com (Watford Electronics) on offer and its perfectly fine. Ok, quality aint great and there are a couple of little "features" which annoy. But other than that its a great little unit for say watching kids movies on.
It breaks or they muck with it? Just replace it with another. As a primary DVD player? Nah, not that good. But what do you expect? Surround sound and progressive scan?
Nothing wrong with them at all. They're just a basic unit that plays DVDs, which is all you want really, like a mobile phone that just makes phone calls.
Ironically, you'll find when you take the thing apart that it probably shares many internal componants with things over twice the price.
Ironically, you'll find when you take the thing apart that it probably shares many internal componants with things over twice the price.
Or buy a branded one new in box from eBay. I recently bought a new TV and it came bundled with a DVD player (a reasonable panasonic). I've already got several units, so I put it on eBay where it fetched £35. Result - everybody happy, buyer with cheap good quality unit and me with £35!
davidy
davidy
How about one of these?
www.aria.co.uk/productinfocomm.asp?ID=15247&SpecialStatus=1
Plays just about anything under the sun (DivX, Mpeg, video cds etc), SCART, analog 5.1 and digial coax outputs.. What more do you want for £32?
I've got one, picture quality is fine on a 28" tv using SCART and the 5.1 analog audio out is ok too. Its not going to compete with players costing hundreds of pounds, but for the number of movies I watch and the quality of the rest of my kit its more than adequate.
www.aria.co.uk/productinfocomm.asp?ID=15247&SpecialStatus=1
Plays just about anything under the sun (DivX, Mpeg, video cds etc), SCART, analog 5.1 and digial coax outputs.. What more do you want for £32?
I've got one, picture quality is fine on a 28" tv using SCART and the 5.1 analog audio out is ok too. Its not going to compete with players costing hundreds of pounds, but for the number of movies I watch and the quality of the rest of my kit its more than adequate.
Incorrigible said:
I'm currently trying to decide on how to play DVDs in my place
I sound like an asdvert for the place don't I...
B17NNS said:
But what's the catch?
Ever heard the phrase you get what you pay for?
Buy a quality budget Tosh for £70. Performace in a different league.
Pah, my Cyrus DVD player cost £1200... The picture and sound is thankfully a little better than a £30 jobby.
If you've got the TV and audio to make the most of a good one, then spend the money, if it's a small TV then a cheapy will be fine.
Really pissed me off.... The GF's £30 player would play my Clarkson Hot Metal DVD and my Cyrus wouldn't
It's back with Cyrus at the moment.Having tried a couple of cheapies (at that time cheap was £100!) - i ended up taking them back and spending near on £300 on a panasonic. I've had it nearly 5 years and its been absolutely superb on all fronts.
Cheaper players often take longer to load menus/scenes etc and have a longer pause when they switch layers halfway though the film (on mine the switch is barely noticable, whereas the cheapo ones it was a good second and a half). I guess this is down to the quality of the components. I also didnt get on with the build quality and general aesthetics of the cheaper products.
If you are buying with a view of setting up a decent system then avoid them at all costs, but if its to replace a clapped out VCR, or for occaisional use or a child then go for it
>> Edited by lockstock2sb on Monday 27th June 14:16
Cheaper players often take longer to load menus/scenes etc and have a longer pause when they switch layers halfway though the film (on mine the switch is barely noticable, whereas the cheapo ones it was a good second and a half). I guess this is down to the quality of the components. I also didnt get on with the build quality and general aesthetics of the cheaper products.
If you are buying with a view of setting up a decent system then avoid them at all costs, but if its to replace a clapped out VCR, or for occaisional use or a child then go for it
>> Edited by lockstock2sb on Monday 27th June 14:16
scruffy said:I was looking for something a little higer quality than that Scruff
I'm currently trying to decide on how to play DVDs in my place
I really want to run it through a PC if possible, but if I can't it as good as a (guessing) £300 player then I'll just buy one of those
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