We have to see the chimp playing hockey! That's hilarious! The ice is so slippery, and, and monkeys are all irrational. We have to see this!

Anya ,'Bring On The Night'


Buffistechnology 2: You Made Her So She Growls?  

Got a question about technology? Ask it here. Discussion of hardware, software, TiVos, multi-region DVDs, Windows, Macs, LINUX, hand-helds, iPods, anything tech related. Better than any helpdesk!


Beverly - May 30, 2005 9:18:36 pm PDT #3157 of 10003
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.

Plei, we picked up a Cyberhome mini dvd player with progressive scan for $49.95 at Best Buy. It plays dvd, cd, mp3, jpg, and vcd, "multi", NTSC and PAL.

It's the CH-DVD-300. It's also teeny, and takes up very little room. It has better picture quality than several others we looked at, and for the price is a good deal, I think. It does not, however, play Region 2 dvds, so I have to watch the Sharpes on the old Daewoo Region-free player.


§ ita § - May 31, 2005 3:53:35 am PDT #3158 of 10003
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

When I asked, I was recommended the Philips DVP642. It's pretty, cheap, and regionfreeable. I picked mine up at Circuit City, and one for my dad at Best Buy. Plays just about anything you throw at it.


Jesse - May 31, 2005 4:12:08 am PDT #3159 of 10003
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Thanks, y'all.


Gris - May 31, 2005 6:27:43 am PDT #3160 of 10003
Hey. New board.

It does not, however, play Region 2 dvds, so I have to watch the Sharpes on the old Daewoo Region-free player.

I've actually heard... somewhere... that most Cyberhome DVDs can be very easily region-freed. That said, the Phillips DVP642 is the one that can play Divx/Xvid files, I think right? That can be pretty darn useful if you want to watch a downloaded episode on your TV.


§ ita § - May 31, 2005 6:34:32 am PDT #3161 of 10003
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

The 642 does indeed play DivX.


Jon B. - May 31, 2005 6:45:37 am PDT #3162 of 10003
A turkey in every toilet -- only in America!

The 642 does indeed play DivX.

How does that work? Does the CD need to be in a specific format, a la VCDs?


§ ita § - May 31, 2005 7:00:50 am PDT #3163 of 10003
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Doesn't look so, Jon. From the user manual:

  • Load an MP3/DivX/MPEG-4/JPEG disc. The DATA CD MENU appears on the TV screen.
  • Use ^ v to select a folder. Press OK to open the folder.
  • Press ^ v or use the numeric keypad (0-9) to highlight an option.
  • Press OK to confirm. Playback will start at the selected file and continue to the end of the folder.


P.M. Marc - May 31, 2005 7:03:31 am PDT #3164 of 10003
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear

Thanks. I may try to track down that Phillips one tonight.


Jon B. - May 31, 2005 7:17:22 am PDT #3165 of 10003
A turkey in every toilet -- only in America!

Thanks, ita.

Plei - Amazon has it for $60, with free supersaver shipping if you're not in a rush. [link]

t edit That's the cheapest I've seen it in a while.


HiddenSky - May 31, 2005 9:50:04 am PDT #3166 of 10003
"There are two sorts of people in the world: those who believe Joss Whedon is a genius and those who are wrong." - Connie Ogle, Miami Herald

I had the 642 appear in my Amazon Gold Box the other night, so it might be worth clicking through to see if it appears. I don't know how they rotate those items in and out of the selection, though.

I have an older model, the Philips 727, and it works similarly with the exception of no DivX playback. I love how it reads stuff in file folder format so you don't need to burn stuff to CD in VCD or other formats. Just stick the raw file on a disc and there you go.

BTW, Beverly, you can definitely hack the Cyberhome 300 with a few presses of the remote. It's one of the cheaper and readily available hackable players out there. VideoHelp.com has info.