Well, through trial and error I've found that the Toshiba 6200 DVD player is indeed compatible with the Zenith in the progressive scan mode. Not only is it compatible, but it does an EXCELLENT job removing the occasional annoying interlaced artifacts from some DVDs. To my knowledge the Toshiba may be the ONLY progressive player that is compatible and fortunately it's a good one.
Now the catch. I'm reasonably certain (from my experiences and discussions with Zenith) that only the EARLY production runs of this unit will work properly. As an example, I went to our local Wiz to buy the 6200 today and got home only to find the notorious "line down the middle" in the progressive mode (no problem in interlaced). I noted the production date was 12/2000. I returned the unit and asked to look at the display unit. It's manufacturing date was May 2000. I asked the Manager to swap out the unit with the demo. Sure enough I got home and the new (old unit) worked perfectly!! Apparently Toshiba added some type of Macrovision later in the production run which the Zenith didn't like.
My advice to Zenith owners frustrated with progressive scan DVD incompatibility? RUN, don't walk, to find the Toshiba 6200 with a manufacturing date in the same May 2000 ballpark. I'm not sure exactly how much later in the production cycle the change was made, but I think you may be safe with this vintage or earlier. BTW, I paid $379.
Now the catch. I'm reasonably certain (from my experiences and discussions with Zenith) that only the EARLY production runs of this unit will work properly. As an example, I went to our local Wiz to buy the 6200 today and got home only to find the notorious "line down the middle" in the progressive mode (no problem in interlaced). I noted the production date was 12/2000. I returned the unit and asked to look at the display unit. It's manufacturing date was May 2000. I asked the Manager to swap out the unit with the demo. Sure enough I got home and the new (old unit) worked perfectly!! Apparently Toshiba added some type of Macrovision later in the production run which the Zenith didn't like.
My advice to Zenith owners frustrated with progressive scan DVD incompatibility? RUN, don't walk, to find the Toshiba 6200 with a manufacturing date in the same May 2000 ballpark. I'm not sure exactly how much later in the production cycle the change was made, but I think you may be safe with this vintage or earlier. BTW, I paid $379.
