[rmanaka]

I kept waiting for the Aspire 1100 DVD to reappear at Buy.Com. While I was waiting, I decided to try a number of low cost DVD players...


Here is what I found:


Cyberhome 300 (~$37.00 at Sam's Club) Almost a great player, but will not play Standard RTV files directly burned onto a CD-R. Pixellates and sticks horribly. Medium and HighQ RTV files play OK. Plays all DVD+/-R and DVD+/-RWs. Will also play a CD-RW. Cannot directly play an ISO CD or DVD without remote (displays root directory and not first file on root).


Norcent DP-313 (WalMart) A horrible player for RTV files. MQ burned on CD-R Plays with serious skipping and stuttering. most SQ - won't play at all; displays "Wrong Disc". MPGs in root directory of CD-R; displays "Wrong Disc". MPGs in root directory of DVD-RW; displays "Wrong Disc". MPGs in root directory of DVD+RW; displays "Wrong Disc".


Apex 1225 (WalMart) Won't play SQ RTV files!


Apex 1130W (WalMart ~$27.00) Plays just about everything, albeit with some occaisional hiccups at dvd-lab chapter points when playing a miniDVD (CD-R) Without chapters, files play fine. Will play edited and non-edited SQ and MQ RTV MPGs on root directory without using the remote...first file in root directory is selected, can just hit play. Plays miniDVD, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, ISO and DVD formats. Even played a miniDVD that was overburned (703MB)


Bottom line is that I purchased a second Apex 1130W for $23.00 over eBay and installed it in the home stereo, replacing a $150.00 Sony and a $150 Panasonic (Sony played DVD+R, +RW, Panasonic played DVD-R,-RW).


Any others with similar experiences?

 

[Robert Simandl]

The Lite-On LVD-2002 is in a higher price range ($100-$120), but in addition to the usual DVD-/+RW, VCD, etc, can play plain ol' mpeg files burned to a CD-R, DVD-/+R/W, and can even play DivX/XviD/mpeg-4 AVI files burned directly to disc!


And it actually does a better job of playing scratched or otherwise defective discs than my $1000 Sony ES machine.

 

[steverap]

Quote:

Originally posted by rmanaka ... Apex 1130W (WalMart ~$27.00) Plays just about everything, albeit with some occaisional hiccups at dvd-lab chapter points when playing a miniDVD (CD-R) Without chapters, files play fine. Will play edited and non-edited SQ and MQ RTV MPGs on root directory without using the remote...first file in root directory is selected, can just hit play. Plays miniDVD, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, ISO and DVD formats. Even played a miniDVD that was overburned (703MB) ...

Interesting... it looks like the 1130W is almost identical to the 1110W (I have a 1110W). The faceplate is different, but they both play pretty much everything, and the dimensions and weight are exactly the same:


Apex AD-1110W: http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/prodde...&linenumber=49

Apex AD-1130W: http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/prodde...&linenumber=72

 

[rmanaka]

Just thought I'd mention...my local WalMart just received a whole palette of Apex 1110W's. Seems like they're selling them at $43.48 right now.


Question for anybody with a 1110W.


If you burn a Standard (Low) Quality or Medium Quality MPG from ReplayTV with chapter points (no menus just chapter points) on a miniDVD (CD-R with DVD formatting) does your playback tend to skip content around chapter points?


My 1130W does on occaision, but skipping back to previous chapter point plays the video that was skipped over.


I'm just guessing that this is a player issue and not a dvd-Lab issue.


Thanks.

 

[glenburg]

i just picked up a dvd player by terapin the tt 1800 at fry's for 35 dollars; it does progressive scan; has lots of features and plays mpg files from replay; i have only tried standard so far; but it played very nicely on a rw dvd +rw;


only problem is that there is a small counter in upper left which i can't get rid of; emailed their customer support and they said it is not removable because it is part of the kodak??? standard they use which will be visible on mpeg files.


but other than that seems to be a nice unit; fry's sale ends today on these normally they are $60 in case anyone has an interest

 

[rmanaka]

My Apex AD-1130W does the same, showing a counter in the upper left corner when you insert a raw mpg disc.


You can, however, make it go away with the "DISPLAY" key.

 

[AndrewF]

I bought the terapin for $20 AR at the Fry's grand opening in Renton Washington. It is sitting in a box upstairs waiting for a wedding. It is good news to hear that the terapin like's Replay, you should update the dvd compatibility website (google for it).


I have to update the Mintek 1600... skips on replay files, but can recover by pressing setup twice. Chokes on HQ.

 

[Revwillie]

I have had a ch-300 for about eight months. I loved it for all of the formats it could play and how small it was.


But, two weeks ago, the output from the composite video out became so weak or dim that we can barely see a picture. I have no way of testing the progressive scan video out unless maybe I take it back to radio shack and ask nicely to hook it up.


I haven't tried the svideo out yet. That's probably going to have the same problem as the composite (i could be wrong, but I think they are the same output with different jacks)

 

[WannabeSQ]

Instead of starting another thread, im gonna ask in this one, are there any current DVD Players that play raw replay MPEG files? I looked on walmart's site for the Apex ones, and they aren't listed. Anyone? Bueller? Fry?...

 

[rmanaka]

I use the Apex AD-1130W, the Magnavox MDV455 and the Magnavox MPD700 (7" portable). They all do a good job of playing raw mpg files.


I bought the Apex at Walmart, the MDV455 at BestBuy and the MPD700 at Target.


Watch out with all the newer players from these manufacturers as they do NOT play raw mpg or cDVD (miniDVD) files (be sure to try before you buy or make sure that you can return the player).

 

[wen-king]

I am sure there are such players, but the turn-over rate for cheap

players is so high that ones that are known to work often are not to be

found in stores anymore. I ended up getting mine from ebay. There is

an Aspire AD-1100 up for bid right now. I bought one and it works

fine.


Store sales people often cannot help. The display units are not hooked

up to power and are too far from any TV for a customer to to try them

out. I wonder if there are any electronics store employees here on

this forum who is willing volunteer his time to do some testing. I am

sure someone on this forum will be happy to donate pre-recorded DVDs

for the experiement.

 

[Robert Simandl]

Anyone tried the Philips DVD player at Target for $69.99? It plays DivX and XviD files burned to plain ol' CD's, so I wouldn't be surprised if it also plays Replay mpegs too.


The Target near me is out of stock (only have the display which isn't plugged in) so I wasn't able to check myself.

 

[deepInSF]

I'm looking to get a new DVD player but I want a 5 Disc Changer -


thus, does anyone know of DVD player that:

a) plays raw ReplayTV MPEG files

b) Has progressive scan output

c) is a multi-disc changer?


I hope so! Please let me know....

 

[DavidEC]

Just a note: I would purchase most 'Cyberhome' hardware again.... I have an older model [18 months old] DVD player which unlike most companies.. the "Cyberhome" postes and updates their system "BIOS's so that an end user with a CD-burner can update the systems BIOS.


Any ohter companies do this?