I swear -- my fourth DVD player has just bit the dust -- these things don't seem to last worth a crap. My Toshiba is now playing the stop and start game after about 2½ years of use. It will be replaced and in the garbage tomorrow. In another two years, I expect to do it again.

I just bought a Marantz PMD970, seems to work very well

__________________
2000 Ford 7.3 Powerstroke 4x4
2006 Mazda Tribute
1983 Black 300 D (donated to charity)
1993 Teal 300 D (160K) Sold
"I love the smell of burnt diesel fuel in the morning, it smells like ....VICTORY"

Semper Fidelis
USMC 1973-1976

I'd personally avoid Sony. I've owned three in the past couple of years and they have all developed loose connections at the back. Two were on the speaker connections and one on the video connection. When I took the last one to be repaired the guy said it was quite common because the solder joints tend not to be very strong on some connections.

I suppose it depends how much you want to spend really. I'm not sure what brand I'll go for next, but I'll probably pick up a Home Cinema magazine and have a look through the reviews.

__________________
Oliver

Got none I recomend.........the last three I had died too....decent ones.

DO what do now, I just buy whats on sale for $29.95...they last just as long, and I don't get upset when they die in a year. Thats all the more expensive ones lasted.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

The best one I've ever had (and still have) in an Onkyo. With 4 years on the clock and a dozen 3 year old child accidents it lives on.

Plus I love the optical and coaxial auido outs.

I have had my Hitachi for 4 years with no problems whatsoever. Its gets plenty of use. From the looks of it, it will last another 4 years at least.

__________________
Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

My Panasonic DVD was hooked up and reconfigured maybe 3 times, and lasted just fine. Its' only problem - 480p doesn't cut it with my new HD tv. I want 780p baby, and I want it NOW!

__________________
"HEIDI" White 1998 E-300TD 176K
European Delivery is a HOOT!

2002 Harley "FatBoy"

Apex AD-600A

I bought one at Circuit City because it was cheap. Turned-out to be the best drive on the market because it is so easily hackable. Change country codes, ignore copy protection, whatever.

I'm not in favor of pirating stuff. But I don't like the prohibition against copying and I don't like different prices for different countries. That model Apex gives you easy 'options.'

B

From CR



PROGRESSIVE-SCAN, MULTI-DISC PLAYERS
1 Panasonic DVD-F86 $115 • • • •
2 Panasonic DVD-F87 $115 • • • •
3 Toshiba SD-5915 $95 • • • •
4 Toshiba SD-6915 $130 • • • •
5 Onkyo DV-CP802 $390 • • • •

__________________________________________________________________

Panasonic DVD-S47 $100 • • • • •
7 Panasonic DVD-S27 $80 • • • •
8 Pioneer DV-578A $130 • • • • •
9 Harman Kardon DVD 22 $195 • • • • •
10 Sony DVP-NS575P/B
DVP-NS575P/S $80
$80 • • • •
11 Sony DVP-NS775V/S $125 • • • •
12 Toshiba SD-5970 $135 • • • • •
13 RCA DRC240N $80 • • • • •
14 Yamaha DVD-S1500 $320 • • • •
15 Pioneer DV-275-S $85 • • • •
16 Philips DVP642 $70 • • • •
17 Kenwood DVF-8100 $110 • • • • •
18 Mitsubishi DD-8050 $200 • • • • •
19 Toshiba SD-4960 $120 • • • •
20 Zenith DVB413 $60 • • •
21 Denon DVD-1710 $150 • • • •
22 Toshiba SD-3960 $60 • • • •
23 Samsung P341 $100 • • •
24 Samsung DVD-HD841 $170 • • • • •
25 JVC XV-N310B
XV-N312 $85
$75 • • •
26 Samsung P241 $60 • • •
27 JVC XV-N410B
XV-N412 $90
$90 • • • •
28 JVC XV-N510B $120 • • • • •
PROGRESSIVE-SCAN, SINGLE-DISC PLAYERS WITH BUILT-IN VCR
29 Samsung V4600 $100 • •
30 Toshiba SD-V592 $180 • • • • •
31 Zenith XBV443 $100 • • •
32 Toshiba SD-V392 $100 • • • • •
33 Zenith XBV442 $95 • • •
34 Sony SLV-D550P $150 • • • •
35 Sony SLV-D350P $140 • • • •

From CR

Attached Thumbnails

 

I've got a 4 year old Denon that has never seen so much as a hiccup, also the victim of multiple incedents involving my young son. The other one is a Pioneer Elite that, although not as high mileage, has yet to have any issues. It's definately a "get what you pay for" market. Nicer audiophile gear seems to lack the disposable, non-servicable quality that is so prevalent in the the bargain box Best Buy crap that is found in the majority of homes.

I think you may have nailed the problem. Although I have picked up high quality speakers and audio components from top-end audiophile retailers, I think I bought each of my DVD players at Best Buy. I also concur with Oliverp and w126 -- Sony seems to be pure crap.

Your post brings back memories. Back in 2000 when the hack features were discovered on that player, I bought about 25 of them - cleaned out every Circuit City within a few miles radius of my house. I then sold them on eBay for anywhere between $75 and $150 profit per unit. Made around $2,200 if I recall correctly. I think I read about it on http://www.arstechnica.com at the time.

As for current player, other than the 5 PCs with DVD drives that I have in the house, I use a $25.00 off-brand Chinese-made player I bought at Best Buy 2 years ago. It works just fine and has survived frequent moves (including a cross-country move) as well as temporary use in our minivan when the in-dash DVD player needed repair. It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

__________________
08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

My newest on I believe an Oritron el cheapo has SVideo, Component, RGB, progressive scan and digital and optical audio out...and Cost me $29.99 on sale at Compusa a couple manths ago.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

$30.00 unit from best buy. I couldn't tell the difference in quality between it and the higher end stuff, but that might be my crappy vision.

When it breaks, I'll replace it with a $14.99 unit from BB.

__________________
'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E