Posted by <normanstrong on 10/05/07 17:07

I've gone through 5 DVD players looking for an inexpensive one that doesn't
have bunch of significant flaws. Every one of them has an inexcusable
design failure--usually more than one! As I rejected one after another, I
made up a list of what a decent player should do:

1. Cost less than $50
2. Have an informative front panel display that can be read in normal room
light.
3. Remote control that can be operated without actually reading the label.
i.e. one that isn't simply a rectangular array of identical buttons. If
properly designed, you should be able to find the function you're looking
for without reading the instruction manual, or using a flashlight.
4. Should play everything, including homemade DVDR's; and that includes
dual-layer ones!
5. It should play DivX, compressed audio formats such as mp3, mp4, wma,
etc.
6. It shouldn't be picky about the quality of the DVD; I don't like
frequent hangups or pixellization.
7. Can remember where you left off when interrupting a movie to play a
different one. 2 of my players would remember where it left off--IF you
didn't remove the DVD from the drawer. But that's not good enough.
8. FF and REV should have a full set of speeds differeng by a factor of 2,
such as X2,4,8,16,32. None of my existing players has all the speeds;
there are always a few left off.

I finally read a post from someone that had good results playing DVD+R
dual-layer discs on the Philips DVPS140, which sells for $50 at Target. I
bought one--and it's wonderful. It has all the features mentioned above,
and it will remember where you left off on the last 5 discs played. I have
yet to come across a disc it won't play. Best yet, my wife can operate it
with only one day of instruction. She never did manage to learn any of the
others.

Check it out!

Norm Strong

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