Anabolic/Diabolic is the only label that I purchase everything by. Unfortunately my Toshi(t)ba player has nothing but troubles trying to play them. Two in my last batch I ordered from adultdvdnow come up with the Check Disk message. I guess Toshi(t)ba is Japanese for Kmart.
So once again I'm back here looking for suggestions on a better player. I tend to prefer Sony. I have an Onkyo receiver with Dolby Digital. so I don't need a machine with the DD converter in there. I've checked and wondered if for price versus perfromance if the Sony DVP-S360 is the model to buy. Or should I go with another make and model entirely. I don't want to pay more than $400
What say you experts?
I'm also looking to add a DVD-Rom drive to my computer, any suggestions there? Thanks as always
Torris, IMO, unless you have an HDTV or HDTV-ready set, or desire a multi disc player (I love my 300 disc Pioneer), you can't go wrong with the Sony. I found one for a friend at Costco for $229. I have owned two Sony players and can't think of anything bad about either one of them. The only reason that I replaced them was because both of the conditions that I cited apply to me.
Whenever a friend, family member or co-worker asks my opinion on the player to buy (which happens often), I tell them the Sony.
I know you said no more than $400, but at Costco for $600 you can get the Pioneer 301 DVD changer (DV-F727) it has DTS and DD 5.1 and will play anything.
Also, if you have the need (or desire), you can link another changer to it for control of 600 discs!
My first was the Pioneer DVL-909 (DVD/LD combo $1300) and the only problem I ever had was it only holds 1 disc at a time. So I got a second one, Pioneer DV-F727 (301 changer $900) now the problem is -- Which movie do I want to watch? I also plan on a second DV-F727 for the 600 disc control that I mentioned in my previous post.
Why would having an HDTV set stop you from buying a Sony? I was thinking about getting the DVP-C660 and... eventually... an XBR400 set (which is HDTV ready)... it that not a good combination?
Why would having an HDTV set stop you from buying a Sony? I was thinking about getting the DVP-C660 and... eventually... an XBR400 set (which is HDTV ready)... it that not a good combination?
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Takeo, What is the benefit of the C660 over a baseline Sony model?
HDTV's and HDTV-ready TV's will work with many different types of input. The two most common inputs for HDTV are 1080i and 720p (1080 lines interlaced, and 720 progressive). Interlaced means that the odd numbered lines and the even numbered lines are displayed in an alternating fashion ever 60th of a second giving a full frame every 30th of a second (this is how standard TV's currently work, but with in 490i). Progressive is how your computer monitor works displaying Line 1, 2, 3... etc from top to bottom every 30th of a second.
Staying out of the arguement over whether 1080i or 720p is hte better HDVT format, let it suffice to say that given the same number of scan lines, PROGRESSIVE BLOWS INTERLACED AWAY (nobody will argue this point).
DVD's are recorded in a 480 line progressive signal, and converted in the player to 480 interlaced before the signal is sent to your TV. An HDTV is capable of receiving a signal in 480p. There are now some DVD players available the will send out a progressive signal to your TV. I beleive that they are currently avalable from Toshiba (don't worry Torris, I haven't had any compatibility problems with any discs with my 5109), Panasonic, Mitsubishi and others (I don't believe that Sony has released a Progressive Scan DVD player yet).
If you are in the market for a HDTV in the near future, and are planning on buying a DVD player. I STRONGLY recommend getting a progressive scan DVD player.
At the same time, before doing so, PLEASE do some homework, some TV's behave differently with 480i than others (for example last years Panasonic HDTV assumes that if a signal is progressive, that it is also anamorphic, and it automatically stretches it out. Panasonic's Progressive scan DVD player compensates for this, Toshibs's does not because Toshiba HDTV's make no such assumptions.
There is a good newsletter that can be subscribed to at HDTVinsider.com. One of his recent newsletters contained a list of HDTV's and Progressive Scan DVD players and what their limitations and capabilities were. I don't know if he sends the old newsletters when you subscribe, but it can't hurt. I'm also sure that since this particular edition is a few months old that there are new players and TV's available form many of the same manufacturers that have fixed the problems.
If you have more questions, or I haven't adequately explained Progressive scan players (the above description was actually the Reader's Digest version), please let me know.
So essentially, the thing is that the Sony DVD players do not send out a progressive scan signal. Considering that the XBR400 sets can handle a 480p signal (as well as a number of other high-res signals) you would think Sony would make a DVD player that sent out a 480p signal!! Anyway, thanks for the info. Maybe I'll hold off upgrading the DVD player until Sony releases a progressive scan model. I assume that such DVD players are currently very expensive?
Torris,
The main thing I'm interested in with the more expensive model is that it is a 5 disc DVD changer. Of course, being a more expensive model, it also mas more bells and whistles. If you have an amp with a 5.1 decoder though, the S360 would be fine.
p.s. Shouldn't this thread be in World News/Nonsense? Not that it matters to me... but I was just thinking :)
About a week ago, I had mentioned that Oral Consumption by Anabolic won't play on my Sony DVPS500D (I get the message "C:13:00" on the television as soon as I insert the DVD, then nothing works). The flip side with the trailers are OK.
Since then, I had a chance to try the same DVD on a computer with DVD drive, and it works fine. It does look like a compability issue between the DVD and my Sony, and your Toshiba.
I have ordered another copy of this DVD, I'll let you know what happens. All of the other Anabolic/Diabolic DVDs I have are fine.
Exactly.These players are relatively new. There were problems with Progressive Scan players that they bypassed the Macrovision copy protection processing (Macrovision protection takes place after the interlacing). Hollywood threw a shit fit when they found out about and delayed the release of Progressive Scan players for at least two years (the Sony 7000 was supposed to support Progressive Scan). Toshiba figured out how to do get around this problem late last year. The other manufacturers are now trying to catch up. Sony should have a Progressive player out next year. I'm guessing that the replacement for the 7700 will have Progressive Scan capabilities, but hopefully they will put it into one of their other models as well.They are not as bad as you would think. Toshiba has four models that are currently available (2 of the new model year and the two that they replace, 6200 & 9200 and 5109 & 9100 respectively). The 9000 series are Toshibas top of the line, and go for about $1000. I bought my 5109 when it first came out and paid $575 for it (tax included), it can now be found on the web for about $500. The 6200 is about $600 on the web. I don't know what the differences are between last years and this years models. The differences between the two levels of players are supposedly more about CD performance than DVD performance. I have heard about many people returning a 9100 for a 5109, but I have not heard about many people (if any) going the other way.
One last thing, there are currently no carousel type Progressive Scan players, but the Toshiba's (at least the 5109/6200) have dual drawers to hold two discs.
How do you know how many lines/format your DVD player outputs?
I just scanned through my manual and saw nothing about how many lines or whether it was interlaced or progressive. I did notice that it will play non-finalized CD-Rs! Kinda makes me wonder if it'll play CD-RWs.
I'm hoping to get the Pioneer Elite PRO-710HD 64" 16:9 Reference Projection HDTV Moniter along with the SH-D505 High Def TV Tuner (can be found at the same link) - capable of displaying 1920 x 1080i and auto-converts 480i inputs to 480p.
Had a quick thought but the Pioneer site doesn't mention lines/format either.
The simple answer is that if the manual and player don't specifically say that it's a Progressive Scan player, then it's not. A Progressive Scan player will also have a second set of Component Video Outputs (the red, green and blue ones) specifically labeled Progressive Out.
All players have 480 lines of output. The question is just whether it is capable of Progressive or not.
