$20 DVD player vs. $100+ branded players

[zackde]

guys,

Light me up here. i got a cheap DVD player X brand on COMPUSA for $20, it has optical, dig coax, component output, even a sub output. Whats the difference between the cheap & a branded one?

1. The optic reader is low grade? I have a 3 yr old mintek, still working good.
2. Sound quality is different? I dont know I havent buy a branded yet.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

if you're using the digital audio outputs then a $5000 player shouldn't sound any different than a free player from 1997.

You'll probably notice a difference in picture quality, and in most secondary functions (load speed, layer change delay, search functions, remote control).

my parents had a $30 classic DVD player and the remote had a range of under 8 feet!

 

[zackde]

Rock&Roll Ninja,

is that picture quality noticeable?

 

[Mega2000]

the cheap-o ones usned to not have component outputs, but i have started to see the $40 range ones with them. Usually they don't have the 2/3 pulldown junk and have trouble playing DVD+/-R/RW. The one i got in my rood (a $35 from Best Buy) doesn't have a display and the worst remote layout in the world but I dont care because it is just a 24" TV that i watch before i go to sleep.

I have a JVC that i bought for $150 like 18 months ago that is pretty nice for a DVD only player. I have a CRT rear projection so I have no need to upscale to 1080i or 720p.

I think for using the DVD player on anything under a 27" TV, just go for the cheapest DVD player with the options you like because there won't be much difference in picture quallity.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Picture quality depends on the player itself, and your display.

 

[JohnA]

I got...

a Yamakawa (NOT Yamaha) DVD player for $53 bucks, it has composite, component, S-Video, Analog R/L, 5.1 Analog, Digital coax, and toslink. Region free, tons of features, and the image quality looks good on a 32", but there seems to be a slight "bend" in the image, nothing to take away from the movie, I notice it but my wife doesn't. I'm tempted to buy their top of the line DVD/recorder which is only $219.00

http://yamakawadirect.com/index.shtml

 

[Mega2000]

i dont plan to upgrade my player until i can get Blu Ray and/or HD DVD for around $200

 

[zackde]

YAMAKAWA? wow that sounds new

 

[Mega2000]

that DVD recorder from yamakawa looks like it might be worth the gamble for just over $200

 

[zackde]

in my dvd it has a audio setting selection

PCM or RAW

which will i choose?

 

[drogulus]

For DD/DTS choose raw. CDs and some stereo tracks on DVD are PCM. I'm not sure, but I think this just sets the default on DVDs with different soundtracks.

 

[MDS]

Raw is the correct setting if you hook up the dvd player to the receiver with a digital cable and thus want the receiver to do the decoding. Note that most players call this setting 'bitstream'.
This is the only way to get the DD/DTS bitstream to the receiver.

If you set it to PCM, then the player will decode DD/DTS to 2 channel PCM, do digital to analog conversion, and send the signal out the analog outputs. The receiver will only ever see a 2 channel analog signal. You could then turn it back into surround using a matrix decoder like PLII or Neo:6 but it is no longer the digital bitstream that was on the dvd.

 

[zackde]

thats right, when i choose raw it can now play DTS

thanx guys