Please help "confused" about divx/dvd player

[sra]

I would like to tap into the very superior wisdom of the people who come here if I may.

I wish to get a dvd player that will play divx files and other region dvds. We have a yamada 6600 which plays nearly everything but since being upgraded all its instructions are in japanese (?) - our other one is a Toshiba 340 which has been a real pain ( it jumps, sticks and takes offence at some disks) and although was replaced by Unbeatable it is still unreliable.

I want to replace the Toshiba but with what? I have looked at lots of really good pages here but I am not at all technical so get lost very quickly and so hours later I still haven't ordered anything.

My son, who I have made sit and read the posts too!, thinks that it is down to a newer Yamada 6700 ( " it has played nearly eveything we have given it ") and the Pioneer 575 ( but this is twice the price and doesn't do the compressed thing). We also thought about the DK Digital 339 and 500 but didn't know if the 500 was better than the 339 and also whether it was multiregion.
Please help this confused female - which would you get ? I was going to get this as a post A level results treat but it is turning into a headache !!
Thanks guys.

[RichB]

I believe the DK Digital 500 (newer model) is just a snazzier version of the 339, it has a karoke mode (no thanks!) and plays some special 'nero' discs. I would guess the whole divx/xvid playabck of the 500 would be the same as the 339

I have no experience of the pionner model you mention, but also had a very dodgy tosh 340 and have a yamada 6600

I went for the DK Digital 339 and am happy with my choice

[rwniel]

sra,

I thought I'd start with the straightforward points first - both the DK Digital 339 and 500 models can be made multi-region with a simple hack (- see Here (http://www.area450.com/players/otherdkdvd339tour3-functionality.html) and Here (http://dkdivx.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7)).

The '500' is essentially an upgrade to the '339' - it should play everything that the 339 plays but adds support for some more recent encoding options such as Nero Digital Standard (mp4) files and DivX VOD (Video On Demand). Whether these are useful to you does depend on what you'll be playing on it. It also has Progressive Scan (- if you can make use of it then it's useful) and Karaoke Function (- a minor difference unless absolutely required), as well as the features the DVD339 has (Playback of Divx, Xvid, DVD's, mpeg2, mp3 etc.). The DVD500 model has a more modern chipset and should be slightly more future proof.

Divx playback is notoriously fussy due to the numerous different codec settings, so it's a good idea to look for a player that has regularly upgraded firmware. Even so, you'll probably still find files which play on one and not the other. The Yamada 6700 is certainly a good choice (as is the DVD339/500 - both have their vocal supporters); an example of a cheap and cheerful player though with average build quality. It really depends on what kind of use it's going to get - the tray is a bit flimsy on this model.

Divx compatibility generally isn't as good on the Pioneer models, but image and build quality is a bit better as a regular DVD player. If you do buy a Pioneer, make sure it's multi region out of the box as otherwise you need a special remote.

Also, just to complicate things a bit more I thought I'd throw another model into the mix - the LG DV-8931H (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump.php?url=http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/click^QS^p=15797^QA^a=60823^QA^g=120943^QA^url=http%3A//www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/104173/art/lg/dv-8931h-dvd-divx-player.html) - it's cheap, but at the same time a well known make and generally well regarded. I think it's the same player that was previously rebadged under the Targa name at Lidl.

Hope that helps.

Robert

[pjclark1]

the DK digitals are good

[rwniel]

I just thought I'd throw in another option - I've heard the Sigmatek XM-400 (http://www.sigmatek-players.com/xm-400/index.php?page=essai-sigmatek-xm-400-1) is supposed to be a good divx player though I don't have any direct experience of it. It might be worth a bit more research.

By the way, the '339' was recently discussed here (http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=375333).

Robert

[TELREA]

Beware at the moment the DK-DIGITAL 500 are in need of a firmware upgrade to cure a problem they have outputting divx files onto a widescreen tele.Nearly every file i have played in mine has had really large letterbox effect,whereas on my 339 no probs,plus the remote is naff

TEL.

[sra]

Thanks to all of you for your help .... I am always impressed with the support and patience of you all.

In the end we went for the Yamada 6700 as the one we already have (6600) has played nearly everything and today my son has finally found an upgrade which has got rid of all the chinese menus... hurrah !!!

Thanks again.

[Sammy709Sony930]

Where did you purchase this Yamada from and how much?

[sra]

We went to Amazon and ordered through them (Umax) - £45 including delivery and is supposed to arrive middle of next week.
Are you thinking of one too ??

[Sammy709Sony930]

I'm in the hunt for a DIVX player. Targa seems No1 right now but Lidl ain't selling any.

[TELREA]

sra i take it you are ordering yours through Amazon Marketplace Amazon (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump.php?url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00068O804/thedvdforums-21) no longer have these in stock themselves,I was very close to buying a Yamada myself,heard nothin but good things about them,but in the end i went with the DK range,as it seems Yamada simply bring out a new player everytime an older machine is in need of a firmware upgrade,luckly there is a few good third party firmware upgrades about-One word though these machines seem to be hit and miss when upgrading the firmware,alot of peeps have experienced dead machines even though they followed the firmware instructions to the letter....

TEL.