Need a new DVD player. Any suggestions?

FishStalker · Mar-11-2006, 10:12 AM

I have a Sony DVP 550D that I've had for about 5 or 6 years. Bought it back when dvd players were going for 300-400.

Awhile back, I noticed that if I turned it off and then turned it back on later, I would be this diagonal line noise on the screen. It 'seemed' to go away when the unit warmed back up. Well, yesterday, my cleaning lady turned it off (I always leave it on) and the lines are back, however this time they won't go away.

I'm running signal to my receiver through an S-video cable. I tried a different cable and a different input on my receiver so I know it's not the cable or the receiver. I have 2 s-video out ports and both of them cause noise. I also tried using the composite video out and it does the same thing so it's definitely electrical noise in the circuit.

This has nothing to do with the disk. The noise is there even when there is no disk in.

So anyways, I need to get a new player since it will probably cost more to try and fix this one than to just get a new one. Anyone have any suggestions. I need something with s-video and digital coax audio outputs.

bburrito · Mar-11-2006, 12:27 PM

It depends on what kind of TV you have. If you have a regular tv, any dvd player will do. If you have an HD tv, you DEFINITELY want to buy at the very least a progressive scan dvd player(480p) though. If you have a bit larger budget, you will want to spring for an upsacling DVD player which upscales the picture to a 720p/1080i High Definition picture. But, if you have a bit more money... Blue Ray and HD-DVD standards are coming out in the next 30 days and hardware and movies are going to be available by May.

I suggest you read the forums at avsforum.com where there is a section that deals specifically with input devices and there is a full review and price comparison of the top 20 or so upscaling DVD players from the $100 models on upto the $1000 models. And yes, there is a difference in the picture quality between them.

the hook · Mar-11-2006, 12:29 PM

Go to Frys.

FishWiz · Mar-11-2006, 04:13 PM

Just don't drop big bucks into features, most never end up using most of the features after once or twice. Run of the mill, name brand, progressive scan, on sale with the monthly Best Buy discount coupon is a good bet.

I have a 5 disc table changer in my sound system, and a single DVD R/W component. I use the single DVD R/W for everything because I can open the door, stick in a disc, sit down and hit play faster. Never even use the changer anymore, takes too long to open table, spin it to the open slot, blah blah blah. You only watch one movie at a time. An example of useless features.

Hooked · Mar-11-2006, 05:08 PM

Check Circuit City online. I purchased the Panasonic DVD Player (DVD-S29S) . It had good reviews and I got it for under $65 plus a $10 rebate. It is a progressive player too.

I bought it a few weeks ago and it works well. It will also save your spot in a DVD movie. You can stop the movie, turn it off, turn it on the next day, and pick up where you left off.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/produ...m_keycode=8360

michael · Mar-11-2006, 05:13 PM

Like bburitto said, get a name brand DVD player with progressive scan.
You can choose 480i or 720i/p output.
Almost all of them are going to have the coax / optical digital out.
I prefer the Sony DVD players, but they are all the same really.
Should cost around $100.

FishStalker · Mar-12-2006, 08:07 AM

Well, I ended up finding a vanilla toshiba progressive scan player withe s-video and coax audio out for $50 at Costco. This should bridge the gap until I end up getting a HD set and need to upgrade.

BTW, I avoid Best Buy like the plague and don't go to Fry's much more often. Their customer service has really taken a shit in the last few years.

hoodie2 · Mar-12-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishStalker

Well, I ended up finding a vanilla toshiba progressive scan player withe s-video and coax audio out for $50 at Costco. This should bridge the gap until I end up getting a HD set and need to upgrade.

BTW, I avoid Best Buy like the plague and don't go to Fry's much more often. Their customer service has really taken a shit in the last few years.

See, I told ya you'd find one there cheap! Surprised you didn't go for the Sony they are carrying. It was only 80.00 and looked like a better player.

Gary

FishStalker · Mar-12-2006, 09:24 AM

They only had ONE dvd player and it's the one that I got. They had about 3 dozen HD tv's though. Guess their focus is shifting.

FishWiz · Mar-12-2006, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Their customer service has really taken a shit in the last few years.

Most of the big consumer electronic stores have shitty customer service. The business is so competitive, all they can afford for sales people are high school kids paid via commission. They don't know shit about electronics. I've laughed my way out of many places after asking a simple question and had some kid try to baffle me with bullshit pretending they know what they are talking about. The turnover is so high, by the time they can spell TV, they quit. A couple of the stores are trying to hire and really train the sales people, but those are the more expensive places.

FishStalker · Mar-12-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishWiz

Most of the big consumer electronic stores have shitty customer service. The business is so competitive, all they can afford for sales people are high school kids paid via commission. They don't know shit about electronics. I've laughed my way out of many places after asking a simple question and had some kid try to baffle me with bullshit pretending they know what they are talking about. The turnover is so high, by the time they can spell TV, they quit. A couple of the stores are trying to hire and really train the sales people, but those are the more expensive places.

Yeah, but with Best Buy, there's alot more than shitty customer service. It seems to be a corporate mentality:

www.bestbuysux.org