Pros: Will play almost any format/codec burn or commercial DVD you put in it.
Cons: Not HDTV/HD Movies compatible.
The Bottom Line: Buy this player for your home audio/video setup while you wait for the HDTV/HD movies situation to develop. And that should be a good 24 months or more.
The absolute current model number of this player is: Phillips DVP642/37.
Take this from a guy who has run through nearly a dozen DVD players. This includes one MS Xbox used as DVD player, because prior to getting that thing, I couldn't find a DVD player that would universally play discs.
Even the Xbox didn't play all DVDs. I had TV/VCR/DVD combo TVs that didn't get the job done (Sharp 27" combo, current Sylvania 27" combo). I had several DVD players, from household names.
In my opinion, DVDs are hardly worth what they are billed up to be. VHS tapes just play. There isn't a question. They don't wear, either. Well, unless you have a Top Gun tape from 1990 that has been watched over 1,000 times (yes, that many). And you know what? That Top Gun VHS tape still plays relatively well - no fuzziness.
I once watched Top Gun 40 consecutive days in college. That and four beers to go with it. It was a ritual.
So when all the rave was about DVDs around 1999, 2000, I thought, I have to get into this. For crying out loud, I have every other bleeding edge gadget on the planet, why not go gung-ho over DVDs? Well, I tried, believe me.
I invested in backup hard drives, a new PC, ripping software, an external DVD burner, and more. All the cables.
$4,000 later, I still hadn't solved the problem. I still couldn't get a stinking DVD to completely play through my DVD player. All I heard from my friends was, "works fine for me." Huh. And they spent $100 for a player to go with that Sanyo 20" they were watching. What a way to get bang for your buck. The entire DVD experience (insert sarcasm).
If you read my material, you ought to know that I do my homework. I read reviews here at Epinions. I read reviews at Amazon. I read reviews from PC Magazine and anything that is relevantly posted online. I take it all in. I put premiums and discounts on things I read. And then I make a decision.
So how did I lose out so many times? Quite frankly, I think the DVD game is a racket. Well, that's another story. But point is, DVDs have replaced VHS tapes if for the only reason because VHS tapes are gone from the market. It wasn't my choice.
And one more thing. For the record, you need a high-end system to make detections of superiority of DVDs over VHS tapes. If you run a seldom-used VHS tape on the same system as a DVD player with a 4:3 ratio TV, you're not going to notice much at all. That's a fact.
But DVDs are the game today and I have to play along if I want to watch movies on a physical medium. I try to avoid this with my DVRs and my computer, but sometimes I just need to play that disc in my player and pull in the experience. Know what I mean?
So insert the Phillips DVP642. It says on the box "will play anything!" And you know what, that's pretty close.
I've thrown a lot at this thing. Commercial DVDs and many burned DVDs - Divx, Xvid, avi burns, .mov burns, .mpeg burns, and more.
What has worked? Almost everything. I had one (1), yes one, commercial DVD that did not properly play in this player and that was a disc from a set of a season of the West Wing. Oddly enough, it works well on my cheapo Sylvania 27" TV/VCR/DVD combo (man, I have had tremendous success on that thing with commercial DVDs - I reviewed it and it's still on the market).
Divx and Xvid burns almost always play. avi burns are more hit and miss, but more hits than misses. I'm talking some really obscure codecs here. I've download files off of bit torrent and they've played without a hitch. The success rate is around 67%. Anything I can't burn and watch on this Phillips player, I just watch with a VLC player on my Mac. I have a 20" widescreen iMac, so this machine works well enough. Just not the whole DVD experience, sound and all, know what I mean?
This player has all the necessary ins/outs. I've seen it called the "hacker's choice," probably because of what it is capable of playing. But it has the hookups to be the centerpiece of any audio/video setup.
Here are the specs. They are complete, verbatim from Phillips. Scroll down a ways for the rest of this review.
Sound
Crosstalk (1kHz) : 105dB dB
D/A converter : 192KHz/24 bit
Distortion and Noise (1kHz) : 90dB dB
Dynamic Range (1kHz) : 90dB dB
Signal to noise ratio : 90dB
Sound Enhancement : Smart Sound
Sound System : Dolby Digital (AC-3), MPEG2, Stereo
Video Playback
Compression formats : Divx 3.11, Divx 4, Divx 5, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4
Playback Media : CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DivX, DVD, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-Video, MP3-CD, MPEG4, Picture CD, SVCD, Video CD
Disc Playback Modes : A-B Repeat, Disc Menu, Fast Backward, Fast Forward, OSD, Pause, Screen Saver, Standard Play, Zoom
DVD Region : 1
Loader Type : Tray
Number of Discs : 1
Video disc playback system : NTSC, PAL
Video Enhancement : Progressive Scan, Smart Picture
Still Picture Playback
Playback Media : Picture CD, DVD+R/+RW
Picture compression format : JPEG
Picture enhancement : Rotate
Rotation : 90 degree steps
Slide show : yes, with music (MP3)
Zoom : Yes
Connectivity
Digital audio out : cinch, coaxial, optical
Other connections : ComponentVideo out Progressive, Composite video (CVBS) out, S-Video out
Output rear : Audio L/R out
Convenience
Child Protection : Parental Control
Convenience Enhancements : On-screen Display
Display Type : FTD
Ease of Use : On Screen Display
On-Screen Display languages : American, Canadian French, Mexican Spanish
Remote control type : 3141 017 90221
Accessories
Included Accessories : Audio/Video cable, Batteries for remote control, Remote Control
Green Specifications
Lead-free soldered product : Yes
Packaging material : Carton
Dimensions
Packaging Depth : 306 mm
Packaging Height : 128 mm
Packaging type : D-box
Packaging Width : 510 mm
Product depth : 235 mm
Product height : 43 mm
Product weight : 2 kg
Product weight (lb) : 6.6
Product width : 435 mm
Weight incl. Packaging : 3 kg
Power
Automatic Power off : SmartSave
Power consumption : < 10W W
Power supply : 110V
Standby power consumption : < 0.8W
...
With what's been said, it would seem that this is a complicated machine, yes? No. It is bare bones. I look at it as a computer DVD drive that functions as a stand-alone player for home use. It's as slim as can be, as indicated in the dimensions. I'm a little disappointed they couldn't make this thing a little tidier, with a lesser width. If Cyberhome can make a DVD player that is about 8x8," why can't Phillips? Well, I guess they had to throw in a bit of conventional thinking. This machine fits the length of common rack-style components for your home audio-video setup.
How about the onscreen interface?
Piece of cake. The only thing I would warn against is that if you connect component cables, make sure you make that designation as an input in the player's interface BEFORE you plug in the cables. Otherwise, you'll be scrambling, trying to hit buttons on the remote to get it to resolve. Put in those settings prior to plugging the cables. I got lucky; I punched a series of buttons with a scrambled screen and presto, it displayed.
Just a little side commentary here... I have a 27" Sony WEGA from 2003 and this was no slouch of a TV in its day. In 2003, I expected my TV to be ready for the big-time. I knew it wasn't HD, but I expected progressive scan. No deal. I learned the hard way that Sony is behind the curve these days, or at least it was for a period no less than four-five years, '99-03. I bought a VCR from them when I first went gangbusters on this endeavor; it was one of the items I bought to build my audio-video setup. The Sony VCR I have is embarrassingly behind the times. It is hi-fi, beyond that it has few premium functions. If I had done proper research at that time - '00, I would have bought a Toshiba or a Samsung. But at that time, I hadn't yet questioned Sony's street cred. And after all, if it's a Sony VCR in 1999, and it's the most expensive VCR on the market, who's to question? ALWAYS do you research. I neglected the fine point of a VCR as part of my new setup and it's still bothering me.
A little more side commentary... unless you buy a progressive scan DVD player and a TV capable of displaying progressive scan, you may as well buy a Chinese knock-off. My setup is top notch from the receiver to the speakers, the subwoofer, and digital cables - component cables and digital optical audio cables. My sound is out of this world, but the video isn't much better than VHS, even with the component cables from this player to my WEGA. Make sure you know what you're buying, particularly on the video side.
The user-interface of this player is about as simple as it can get. Very well done. It's powerful - you can set progressive scan options if you want, you can set all sorts of settings. It is very straightforward and very easy to use and navigate.
The remote for this player is incredibly simple. It's a textbook design of a remote that puts buttons where you want them, yet gives you enough buttons to get settings adjusted on the fly, etc. Yet, it is not overcrowded. The remote is probably six inches long and 2.5 inches wide. Yeah, I just looked at it. That's about right.
The summary here is that this player just plain works. There are so many DVD players on the market. Many of them cost a lot of money. Some are worth the extra bells and whistles, but ONLY if you have an HD TV and HD TV service. If you don't have HD service, then this player is definitely for you. Basically, what I am trying to say here, is that this machine plays just about anything you put into it. If you're a power computer user without HD in the picture (no pun intended), then this player is for you. If you're an average home user, this player is definitely for you.
Bonus commentary... HD TV is along ways from true realization. That is a loaded statement. But you must realize that first and foremost, you need to subscribe to HD service from your satellite service or cable TV service. If you don't get the HD signals, forget about the HD equipment. And while HD TV is gaining traction, across-the-board HD TV is a long ways coming. And when I speak of this, I mean mainstream, without paying premiums for the service. And if you do get this service, you need a tremendous amount of investment into HD equipment. You first need an HD TV (certainly a widescreen version), then an HD TV with the appropriate inputs that will be necessary for the present and future, particularly, HDMI connections. Well, you should only need one HDMI connection, but eventually, TV sets will come with more than one, much like premium TVs now come with multiple component connections. Simply having component connections doesn't ensure you compatibility with HD service. HDMI is a very secure, entirely digital connection that ensures HD-quality pictures. Beware!
In sum, in conclusion then, this player is the perfect DVD player, as close as one can get, to being your DVD player in your analog audio-video setup. That's the basis of this review - what this player can do for you.
If you want to prepare for HDTV and HD movies, I recommend moving your audio setup first. Get the speakers first. Get the audio cables first. I would wait on the TV set. HDTV's default audio setup is 5.1 Dolby surround sound. It's easy to find a 5.1 audio setup, although I recommend going with premium brands. Go with Bose or Boston Acoustics. I have Bose 5.1 in my setup. Also, be careful which receiver you buy. Make sure it has the most modern connections - ins/outs - available. You don't want to have to buy a new receiver later. You can buy a very reasonable receiver for under $300 right now that will serve your needs. When HD goes big time - TV and movies - you can upgrade then.
So the conclusion to the conclusion is that this is a tremendous, outstanding DVD player that should be the staple for any less than bleeding-edge home user. Buy this player.
... Phillips sells a line of these players, with various available upgrades, including "upscaling" to HD resolution. I would be cautious with these "upscaling" players. Be careful what you buy these days. The very first HD DVD player was only released this month, April, 2006. A lot remains to be shaken out. I would wait at least a year before investing into HD equipment. That especially includes TV sets - flat panel (plasma/LCD) or flat tube. The TV set is the key, then your receiver, then your speakers. The speakers, you can invest in right now. Beyond that, be conservative.
Take it from a guy who has invested over $5,000 in audio/video equipment over the last seven years.
Plays DVD-Video, video CD, audio CD, JPEG image CD, and CDs loaded with MP3, MPEG-4, or DivX 3.11/4.x/5.x files Progressive-scan output for seamless, ...More at Amazon Marketplace
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.