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Help me find the right DVD player (UK)

 
 
Seth
22:13 / 26.12.02
OK, I'm hoping that someone here is an expert on this shit. This'll be my first player, and my requirements are:

- Must cost around £100. May be able to stretch to slightly more.

- Must be alright quality. I know you get what you pay for, but my budget ain't that good.

- Must be multi-region. I gather that you can enter codes to convert most DVD players to play regions 1-6, and so it'd be helpful if you can also direct me to a site that has the relevant code.

If you can let me know potential pitfalls I'd be grateful. I just really don't want to waste time and money on this.
 
 
Jack Fear
22:37 / 26.12.02
DVD hacks page.

A hundred quid should get you plenty of player. That converts to about $160 US: I just got our first player last week, and it cost less than half that ($70, to be exact, or about £45). I gather that tarriffs are higher in the UK, but I can't imagine you'd have to spend more than £100...
 
 
Jack Fear
22:40 / 26.12.02
Amazon.co.uk has a Toshiba multi-region player for a hundred quid less a penny.
 
 
Old brown-eye is back
22:43 / 26.12.02
Alright, this is going to be dull -

From my DVD-reviewing experience, your best bet at this price is something by Cyberhome or Mico (although the real companies are starting to dally between the £150-£200 mark too, if you can stretch that far.)

Once you find something you like the look of:

- Check that it's got a Scart socket and that said Scart socket is RGB-capable or your picture will be wobble a tiny bit. (And obviously that your TV has a Scart socket to hook it up to.)

- Check that it plays as many formats as possible. Most cheapie DVD players will already be multi-region because they've got so little else going for them, but make sure also that they play MP3, CD-R and all that good shit.

- Make sure it's got digital audio sockets just in case you want to buy an amp and some speakers one day.

- Er, that's all I can think of.

Your main pitfall at this price is the possibility that your player will achieve meltdown when you try to play something exotic. Oh yes, and that the picture might suck.

Hope that's helpful.
 
 
The Return Of Rothkoid
23:34 / 26.12.02
A composite output (ie: video cable that has three plugs on it, in addition to audio) will provide much better picture, too...
 
 
Spatula Clarke
01:00 / 27.12.02
As mentioned in a previous thread, I managed to pick up a region-free player for my old man from Comet (or Currys, can't remember) for around £75 three or four months ago. As far as I know it's got a decent picture and hasn't gone doolally yet. I'll check what the make is with him tomorrow, exp.
 
 
The Strobe
14:30 / 27.12.02
Pioneer's are always nice; my friend's Pioneer 350 from Amazon, for £120, is most acceptable. Basically: go for a decent brand at the price you can afford, I guess.
 
 
Seth
16:40 / 28.12.02
CHeers for the input, everyone. I ended up buying a Cyberhome AD-L528, which the reviews says was amazing for a budget player, and also plays VCDs and MP3 discs. £99.99 from Richer Sounds, and they gave me the multi-region access code, too. Sorted.
 
  
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