[WBC]

Guys,

Been thinking about this for a while.........

....how does XBox DVD playback compare to standalone players?????

I've never used mine for playback, but I know a few who swear by them. What do they compare to? a £30/£100/£300 player?? Any ideas???

I'm tempted to move my pioneer upstairs and use the X but I don't want to lose out on quality. I will at some point buy a pj, will I notice the difference then????


Thanks in Advance
Stace

[GFS AV]

any stand-alone DVD player over, say £40 will most likely be better than any games console at DVD playback. I have an xbox and personally could not live with the sound from the machine whilst watching films. Apart from the noise though, the picture and sound quality of a dedicated DVD player will be far superior. What you need to think about is the fact that games consoles are made to play games (most of the technology/expense has gone into the gaming side of it). A proper DVD player on the other hand is made almost 100% purely for DVDs/CDs, therefore by all rights it should be much better. Do you see where i'm coming from?

[WBC]

Whilst I appreciate and fully understand your comments, What do you base this on??????

My now prehistoric £100 DVD player knocks socks off the £600 player I bought a couple of years previous.

Computer technology moves at an exceptional rate so in theory a 1.6v Xbox (assuming it has latest bios releases and software revisions etc) should surely compete with a low/mid range player of similar age????? I completely agree with the noise it makes but mines locked away so its not an issue!! I don't find a problem with general sound quality and with the X being Modded its certainly more than a games console (in fact I can't remeber the last time I played a game on it!!!)

I don't actually have a need to move the pioneer upstairs as I already have another up there, I'm just revising my kit and like most, look for the best possible PQ & SQ within budgets

Theres defiantely placebo when it comes to AV!! I wasn't even thinking about my kit until I sunk a couple of beers and my mind started wandering

[retro21]

Can't say for the X-Box as I do not own one but I have the new slimline PS Two and I must admit its pretty good on a normal CRT (big improvement from the original PS2). Whether that will be the case on a Plasma (my next purchase) i'm not sure.

I will personally be looking at a Denon 2900 or 2910 as I finally have some money !!

[GFS AV]

stace,

as you said, technology moves so fast, which is another reason a cheap DVD player (say £60) will be far better than a £60 DVD player of a year or two ago.

I have tried explaining to you the reasons why a dedicated player will be better, but I think you've answered your own question... if 'you' are happy with the DVD playback from your xbox - keep it!

[WBC]

I'm not sure you've actually answered anything!!

Many people will argue that a HTPC with the correct software is close to unbeatable.

On that basis, a modded xbox (with constant revisions of codecs etc) should always be able to compete, the xbox must have more grunt under the bonnet & XBMC is currently at alpha stage of providing DVD playback including HighDef so it must be worth considering, surely???

Stace

[GFS AV]

Originally Posted by Stace

I'm not sure you've actually answered anything!!

Many people will argue that a HTPC with the correct software is close to unbeatable.

On that basis, a modded xbox (with constant revisions of codecs etc) should always be able to compete, the xbox must have more grunt under the bonnet & XBMC is currently at alpha stage of providing DVD playback including HighDef so it must be worth considering, surely???

Stace

Your original question asked:

"....how does XBox DVD playback compare to standalone players?????"

I am confident I answered this question ok.

Perhaps you should have included some of this waffle:
"On that basis, a modded xbox (with constant revisions of codecs etc) should always be able to compete, the xbox must have more grunt under the bonnet & XBMC is currently at alpha stage of providing DVD playback including HighDef so it must be worth considering, surely???"

in your original question???????????

[WBC]

Guys,

Anyone out there have any technical input? Or at least something constructive to say ??

Technical details would be good..........Speak to a hacker on a Xbox forum and they'll tell you that with the right software (supports High Def, Prog Scan etc) a Xbox will cut the mustard against a mid range player..................Speak to an AV forum members and many will say the X won't come close!!

I'm just intrigued, I'm certainly to old to be arguing about it. I'm not even looking to buy new kit, I'm just trying (with your help) to decide whether to consolidate what I've got!!


.....Oh and sorry for waffling

Stace