Friend...for LCD or plasma ...the source is very important...if you input in crap...you get crap also...but since its a big screen...means bigger crap...
You know what?, I understand you cos', I also go to see big screen at care4 once...and they really dun care what they display...thats why most ppl. will get frighten after going there...
To view a Plasma and LCD as it should be, please go to mega electronic store like SenQ, Harvy etc...but sometimes Courts also play crap.

As I said previously, Jusco has cut the discounts on Panny products as they are offering Combo sets with so-call discounts....

So if my 42' panny previously cost RM4999 at Jusco now oledi back to RM5499. But if purchased together with Panny home theater can save RM500 (?) of the total cost. But the pioneer plasma and philips LCD looks attactive buy.

Do your homework first....best thing is goggle around, download its .pdf manual....or better, bring along your USB with divx files in it and try on the demo set.

Doesnt mean it from the same brand means its got the same features...you have been warned..

I've experimented with a few DVD brands and must say..Philips 'King of Playability' holds some what true...especially for those of you who like to download movies from internet or P2P and burn into DVD. Philips will not dissapoint you...

Of course other brands will also play DivX etc...but with Philips you'll rarely get those 'cannot read' thinggy.

This post has been edited by azbro: Feb 11 2008, 10:07 AM

So far most branded DVDs are durable....thats if its middle class above...those cheapo stuff dun get...even if it is branded.

I compared some DVD players together...Philips, Sony, Pioneer, JVC, Sharp and some cap ayam brands...I have all of them at my home and my dads house. OK...I dun have the latest models to compare

Playability...can't beat Philips...you can even drag and drop avi files using window and it will still play....Pioneer, Sony requires you to use burning software like Roxio, Sonic, Nero etc...or else it will come out can't read disc. JVC on the other hand is inbetween. Sharp?..sorry, my model dun have DivX features.

For the 'ahem' DVDs...the cap ayam one (depending on which you got) plays the well without skips if the DVD is damage abit....BUT...cap ayam ones dun last long...and later will skip more than the branded ones. JVC comes out next to a new cap ayam brand...rarely skips. Philips, Sony, Pioneer and Sharp are average performer when it comes to 'ahem' DVD. When it skips...pray hard that opening and closing the DVD solves it.

Karaoke...none work well, but the scoring feature on the Philips and Sharp gives it one star more...my Sony, JVC and Chap ayam models dun have Karaoke features.

PQ...well..depending how you connect your unit to your CRT, LCD or Plasma...all are acceptable...you'll live with it.

Easy to use...winner goes to Pioneer...it even has control and Dpad buttons on the units facia just in case you lost your remote...and thats what normally happens when you have kids in the house. my Philips model has limited control on the unit wherelse Sony, Sharp and JVC have minimal controls.

Anyway, I'll pick the philips anyday due to its DIVX playability.

Forgot to add Philips USB direct rocks dude...can simply play AVI files easily...

Most of the time, it will auto upscale to the LCD/Plasma prefered display resolutions. If you TV is capable of full HD...the player will auto upscale to 1080P or something like that. And if you LCD/Plasma is the normal HD ready set, then the DVD will only upscale to 720P.

But nowadays normal HD ready LCD/Plasma can recieve 1080P/i inputs,...so thats why there is a button or selection by U.I to upscale it to 1080P/i even though your TV is not capable of displaying Full HD.

I havent tried with any External HDD...but so far all USB sticks works for me...I dunno if got type that doen't work.

But for External HDD, are you using the notebook one or one that need to connect to a power supply?

You're not alone...I also downloded a 4.4GB movie (I think the res is 1280X720) but it wouldn't play when I burned the .avi files to a DVDR. What I did was to use Windows Movie Maker to make it into DVD...but in that process, loose the Dolby sound...i'm also using Philips...but mine is a new model.
I tried using Roxio 10 to make it into DVD but the image become a bit squarish instead.

OK, I've downloaded some HD type for .avi files that was titled DivX6. Actually I downloaded 3 movies...god it took me a while cos my line was slow.
All are in 1280X720 res. This is to try out my Philips that is suppose to be compatible with DivX6 and DivxUltra

After burning to DVDs (sorry, i dun have a USB that is big enough to fit the movie), all 3 movies dun play....the displayed showed 'unsupported Res'.
Two of the movie took forever to load, and one loaded but with no pictures....i think the audio also become like slow motion.

To give the philips a chance....I load the same DVDs to a pioneer set thats equipped with DivX6....also same result as the philips one...

So conclusion is need to convert it to DVD format or use the computer to play it on your TV.

Shumaky, when you convert it to DVD, did the dolby sound remain? I downloaded a few movies with over the top dolby but after coverting it (using Nero and also Windows Movie Maker), the dolby sound disappear...become like normal only. What software are you using and whats the configuration? Even when I use Dolby AC3 5.1 for the audio convertion it still plays normal.






All were 1280 X 720 for Irobot and some Imax nature stuff.

At Jusco JB they put the best plasmas and LCDs in front of an escalator, looking directly infront of the sets, Pioneer is best, but one difference i notice when I go up the escalator other plasmas and LCDs look like Sh*t when view at extreme angle but the Pioneer still delivers with aplomb the quality goods.

I dun have any experience with high end DVD players....but using HDMI is the most cheapest way to get superior video without having to spend a ton on tweaking, expensive cables or players..etc
I can say those a previous design...now the trend is all HDMI stuff....the old skool are slowly being fazed out.

Btw, Harman Kardon and Denon have high end DVD players with HDMI...

For the price Philips is SURE King of Playability.

Regarding USB performance, depends on the USB stick...I got over ambitious and bought a 8GB Sandisk MICRO Cruzer USB so that i dun have to burn .avi to DVD.
What I didn't know iS 4GB above, 90% of USB sticks in the market are slow! Tried it with my friends 8GB Kingston even worst..
My Kingston 1GB one works flawlessly. Rule of the thumb, the higher the USB stick capacity, the slower it gets.

THe effects of a slower USB stick is shuttering when high graphics scenes. Unless you wanna go High Capacity with a speed demon like Corsair GT, Sandisk Ducatti or Sandisk Contour, you should stick to 4GB below.

The good news abt the USB port is if you are a download junky, you can use a hardisk formatted in Fat32. Best is not to use a laptop hdd as it uses USB power. Get those higher speed desktop versions...better know as 3.5inch types with external power.

One more thing, some security USB sticks are equipped with hardcoded password that cannot erased ( I not talking abt the common and trendy U3 passwords that are an option to install)
These security sticks have hardware protection for passwords that simply will not erase even after formatting. These kinda USB cannot be played on the philips player. You have been warned.

I think the 5996 is the facelifted one....one thing I like abt Philips is the USB slot...if you are a download junky, using a fast USB stick is much better than waiting an eternity to burn a DVD.

Sony model I'm not familiar with.

Please take note of the Philips USB ports, if you plan to get yourself a high capacity stick make sure its a high speed one...rule of the thumb, 4GB or less. 8Gb pendrives are slower....unless its a corsair GT, Kingston X, Ducatti series etc.
Normal 8GB stick will make scenes jerky. I've tried with 8GB Sandisk Micro Cruzer and 8GB Kingston Data Traveller...both a bit jerky when come to high graphic intense scenes.

Yup, by 4GB also get a good one.

To know whats hot and whats not for pendrives:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=191462&hl=

thread goes back 2005...so read the few last pages to know the latest and the fastest.

Its good to invest on a 4gb Sandisk Ducati if you are using it for Vista ready boost and multimedia for the Philips USB...If I could turn back time...no second thoughts...Sandisk Extreme Contour also for above 4gb.
The rest of the Sandisk Cruzer just dun cut it.

This post has been edited by azbro: Aug 8 2008, 03:48 PM

So far I've never played VCD before for the Philips...hehe...

Try the setting.