Yamaha S557 or Phillips 5100 Budget DivX player?

MasterMak · 05-02-2006, 4:54 AM

I am thinking of buying a budget DVD player (until I get the KiSS DP 600 or the H&B equivalent later on in the year). The main feature I would like is DivX compatibility. I have searched the avforums and have limited myself to the following list (for now...):

Phillips 5100 (no need for 5900 as I'm not going to be using HDMI anytime soon) - This would go for around £40-60?

Yamaha S557 - going for £60 http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/conten...ake~Yamaha.htm

Lafayette LFDV969 - going for £40
http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/product....98608a4a6ec1b6

Targa DP-5100x - Also has good firmware updates and playus packed bitstream. can be bought for £20 from LIDL when not sold out! around £30-40 on ebay

I'm most inclined towards the Philips as it seems to be the best supported and has many firmware updates.

Which player would you recommend? Thanks in advance

21-02-2006, 4:06 PM

Hi,

I just bought a Philips 5100 that I took back to my dealer...

Few reasons:
- No S-Video output
- No optical out for the sound
- Only RGB Cart and YUV components: Image really low quality on the RGB Cart. I couldn't see with the YUV as I have an old fashion TV (Sony 32" CRT)
- Sound quality really poor, no detail for the sub and music detail poor. I would say no 'relief' (I'm french!)
- I don't like the loading mechanism, no cart, you insert the DVD like in a car player.

So my dealer proposed me a Yamaha DVDS557!

My set is the following:
A/V Pioneer VSX1011
Sub Triangle Meteor 0.1 (100W RMS, 400W Peak)
Front JBL TI200
Center JBL LX-10
Surround JBL (small satellite)

First impressions after few tests confirm what I read in the reviews.

- Image is excellent regarding my TV set using S-Video, same quality as my old Toshiba that was really good.
- The big difference come from the sound. On all my player I use of course the digital out and let the A/V do its job.
I thought there couldn't be any difference between 2 players on the digital out... I was wrong! Of course to see the difference you have to use homogeneous components. I also had a Peekton for DivX but was not satisified with the DVD player (no multistandard out, so poor result with DVDs region 1 NTSC)
Both have a Optical out and both don't deliver the same sound!!! Even if the Peekton is better than the Philips the Yamaha is still far ahead the Peekton.

I played one of my favorites, Attack of the Clones and Return of the Jedi, and the result is impressive. The sub which I found already very good compared to my old JBL delivers strong effects and the voices are clear and present like they have never been before. It feel like I have changed all my speakers!

I hope you haven't already choosen the Philips, it doesn't play in the same category than the Yamaha. Consider the Philips if you don't have 5.1 Amplifier and just a 24" TV set.

Bonus: If you want to play multizone with the Yamaha
1 - Press Open
2 - Enter 99990
3 - Press play

Enjoy Zone free DVD player !!!

Extra Bonus: If you have bought the Philips, I can give you the Zone free procedure...

Only problem with such a sound quality, I don't want to go to cinema unless the theater is rated THX or DTS!! In most french cinemas the sound is really crap compared to what I have at home! ( even if they say it's Dolby Digital)

alan_t · 21-02-2006, 5:40 PM

go for the philips, its very highly rated with a 93%.

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/cgi-...?reviewid=6232

jerryq7777 · 21-02-2006, 6:31 PM

I have tried about 3 or 4 divx players in the last few months and they all had problems with one thing or another.I got the Targa off Ebay for £40 and once updated with new firmware and the region hack it plays everything perfectly inc packed bitrate divx.

22-02-2006, 3:19 PM

I just read the review of the Philips, but there I also read excellent reviews for the Yamaha... Difficult to get for granted the reviews.

What I can say is that I really compared both DVD players. Maybe the test was done with the YUV video output, because with RGB or Scart image is really no match with S-Video quality (which is certainly not as good as Prog-Scan components).

Regarding sound even if it's correct it's not as good as the Optical of the Yamaha.

For me the S-Video was really necessary cos my TV is no very good with the SCart RGB.

So if you can compare them it's better.

Here si the review of the Yamaha by the same magazine.

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/cgi-...?reviewid=6237

21-02-2006, 4:06 PM	#2
oliver13 Guest Posts: n/a	Yamaha much better than Philips 5100 Hi, I just bought a Philips 5100 that I took back to my dealer... Few reasons: - No S-Video output - No optical out for the sound - Only RGB Cart and YUV components: Image really low quality on the RGB Cart. I couldn't see with the YUV as I have an old fashion TV (Sony 32" CRT) - Sound quality really poor, no detail for the sub and music detail poor. I would say no 'relief' (I'm french!) - I don't like the loading mechanism, no cart, you insert the DVD like in a car player. So my dealer proposed me a Yamaha DVDS557! My set is the following: A/V Pioneer VSX1011 Sub Triangle Meteor 0.1 (100W RMS, 400W Peak) Front JBL TI200 Center JBL LX-10 Surround JBL (small satellite) First impressions after few tests confirm what I read in the reviews. - Image is excellent regarding my TV set using S-Video, same quality as my old Toshiba that was really good. - The big difference come from the sound. On all my player I use of course the digital out and let the A/V do its job. I thought there couldn't be any difference between 2 players on the digital out... I was wrong! Of course to see the difference you have to use homogeneous components. I also had a Peekton for DivX but was not satisified with the DVD player (no multistandard out, so poor result with DVDs region 1 NTSC) Both have a Optical out and both don't deliver the same sound!!! Even if the Peekton is better than the Philips the Yamaha is still far ahead the Peekton. I played one of my favorites, Attack of the Clones and Return of the Jedi, and the result is impressive. The sub which I found already very good compared to my old JBL delivers strong effects and the voices are clear and present like they have never been before. It feel like I have changed all my speakers! I hope you haven't already choosen the Philips, it doesn't play in the same category than the Yamaha. Consider the Philips if you don't have 5.1 Amplifier and just a 24" TV set. Bonus: If you want to play multizone with the Yamaha 1 - Press Open 2 - Enter 99990 3 - Press play Enjoy Zone free DVD player !!! Extra Bonus: If you have bought the Philips, I can give you the Zone free procedure... Only problem with such a sound quality, I don't want to go to cinema unless the theater is rated THX or DTS!! In most french cinemas the sound is really crap compared to what I have at home! ( even if they say it's Dolby Digital)
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22-02-2006, 3:19 PM	#5
oliver13 Guest Posts: n/a	Philips maybe if you don't need S-Video and Optical out I just read the review of the Philips, but there I also read excellent reviews for the Yamaha... Difficult to get for granted the reviews. What I can say is that I really compared both DVD players. Maybe the test was done with the YUV video output, because with RGB or Scart image is really no match with S-Video quality (which is certainly not as good as Prog-Scan components). Regarding sound even if it's correct it's not as good as the Optical of the Yamaha. For me the S-Video was really necessary cos my TV is no very good with the SCart RGB. So if you can compare them it's better. Here si the review of the Yamaha by the same magazine. http://www.homecinemachoice.com/cgi-...?reviewid=6237
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