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.

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.

Thanks, y'all.

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.

The 642 does indeed play DivX.

The 642 does indeed play DivX.

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

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.

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

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.

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.