AMW Pal/Ntsc progressive DVD audio player £45 delivered.

bonzobanana

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Available from dabs here;

http://www.dabs.com/uk/productView.htm?quicklinx=2X3B


Some info on it here;

http://translate.google.com/transla...l+%22dvd+audio%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Multiregion hack info etc here;

http://www.nevatech.co.uk/ronin-support-website/pages/amwp80l.htm

No full reviews on the internet that I have found but the feb issue of What video carried a review but its not accessible from their website yet (www.electrictown.co.uk). They claimed the price of the player in the review was £90.

The player is based on the same chipset as the Compacks DVD5000 but has added functionality.

The important features are;

PAL and NTSC progressive scan with a large amount of adjustment allowed to tailor it to your equipment.

The 5.1 decoder features dd, dts, 5.1 matrix options (not sure if its full on dp2 or just a virtual surround clone of it) plus full range DVD audio. It also has optical and coaxial output sockets.

Its compatible with a wide range of formats.

The dvd loader is meant to be very good both fast and very compatible with media.

The What Video review states no RGB scart output where as other sources says it has. So don't know what the end verdict is.

Would probably be an excellent pairing with these 5.1 headphones.

http://www.afterhours.co.uk/Shop/51head.htm

This shop is run for the benefit of a neuro rehabilitation unit so you'd also be helping an excellent cause.
 
Those full specs don't mention dvd audio or dvd audio capble sound resolution. Yet the german site listed does and what video claimed to have reviewed its dvd audio output with pleasing results. I can only guess a-mw's own spec sheet is out of date slightly.
 
It's a very nice looking player. I ordered one on Tuesday and it arrived Wednesday. Not bad considering I paid for std delivery.:D

The O/S menu has settings for DVD Audio so it is supported. I don't yet have a disc to test it with though. The component output produced a picture equal to that of my Toshiba 330 during a quick test last night. This players has more setting menus than I've ever seen before, you can tweak nearly everything. The inside of the unit is extremely neat and the quality of construction looks just about as good as any circuits I've encountered ( I am in Avionics Manufacturing). The multi region mod was pretty straightforward thanks to the above post.:smashin: I tried regions 1 , 2, 4 without problems and an RCE disc. I will do some proper testing with all supported formats this weekend.

All in all a very competent player so far and stunning to look at for the silly price.

Cheers Mylo
:smoke:
 
Does it have RGB scart output? How does the dvd drive cope with poor dvds, copies etc (if you have any). How does it cope with low bit rate images like vcds,svcds, single layer dvds compared to the Toshiba?

Can you make use of the progressive image and if so is there any ghosting? Some over sharpened dvd transfers and low bit rate dvds (mpeg compression artifact) have ghosting anyway so you need to test using something like a superbit dvd.

Does sound like a brilliant player for the money. One last question how many picture controls relate to progressive component output and what are they?
 
The picture controls consisted of the normal spectrum of tv controls, ie. colour, brightness etc. There are more but I left the book at home. The prog scan can be activated with one button from the remote. I tried a brief test using an NTSC disc last night but my 32zd26p did not like it and blue screened. I just tried a DVD-R heavily compressed film on it and the image quality is superb. I am currently using an old broacast quality monitor for testing (no prog scan). It has S video, composite, component and IIRC RGB scart.

Mylo:smoke:
 
not yet I'm afraid, just component. That will betonight. I did read the book briefly though to get the details.
 
VCD now tested with good results.
 
Originally posted by mylo
I tried a brief test using an NTSC disc last night but my 32zd26p did not like it and blue screened.

Any luck with this mylo? I'm a bit confused by this as you said in an ealier thread you had tested r1.

My mums birthday is in a month and I've promised her a dvd player...just go to find the cheapest MR one now :D

Jus
 
Sorry Jus, for not being clearer, I blue screened it on Prog Scan using an NTSC disc. Every thing else I've chucked at it has been superb. It will definitely have Mum approval; it is full width but only 58mm high. The mirror front and hidden display look the dogs. The remote is well laid out and nicely styled.

Cheers, Mylo:smoke:
 
Smart. Cheers mate. My mums 15 year old telly doesn't have component so I'm not too interest in that. Not sure if my mum wants some dog's b's in her living room thu :D

Thanks.

Jus.
 
just bought one of these to tide me over till my baby(arcam dv88+) comes back. then will either put it in another room or keap it for dvd audio.
 
Bit confused - does this player have DVD-audio support?

The specs seem to say no, but some of the comments above say yes.
 
I think there is some confusion as I believe early versions didn't support dvd audio but the later/current models sold do. I suspect even the early ones will support it with a updated firmware anyway. The What Video review clearly states dvd audio tested on this model.

www.cosmic450.com has some info on this model related to firmware on this model which is interesting.
 
According to the osd it definately does DVD Audio, you have a preference choice between audio & video in the setup menu.


bonzobanana, I hooked up the scart lead tonight, the results were pretty damn good.
This was only a quick setup with the scart lead being with a nest of other cables. I would say the component was a better conection, but with more setup time I think it would be equally as good.
Just need to buy some DVD audio now, after I build some new interconnects.

Cheers, Mylo:smoke:
 
Hi Mylo.
Do you have a copy of The Matrix? This disc causes problems on alot of the cheaper players in respect of the branching/white rabbit feature.
On some players it causes audio dropouts. If you have the movie and would care to test it for me, I would greatly appreciate it.
If it plays ok then I will have to join you and nab one of these.

Look forward to your reply

regards FRANC
 
Hey all,

I just orderd one of these as a DVD-A and SCVD player... great value! Does anyone know if it plays SACD? I doubt it but hell, it plays just about everything else!

Ken
 
Does anybody know if this model has the macrovision protection turned off??
as i am sure i have read this somewhere on the net!!
 
FRANC, I got hold of a copy of Matrix. The bunny rabbit test ran well. I saw the bunny pushed play and up came the special bit. There was a black screen for a couple of seconds at the end then the feature started again. Audio was fine. Only did one bunny as I hate that film.;)


Ebury, how do I test this for you?
 
mylo

cheers for help earlier today, its worth £45 just to have a jpeg viewer on my plasma:D :D :D
 
My pleasure bruv. Cool little machine isn't it. Dilema time now for me, which is the No 1 machine, the AMW or my Tosh 330 ?
Have you tested the Pscan ?
Cheers, Mylo


PS, anyone else that gets one now, try the last handset hack from the link above to get multi region.:lesson: If they are the same batch, that will unlock them all (hopefully :D )
 
this year i will only be wearing prog scan:D :D :D

yes i have it on prog scan, the picture quality is very respectable for £45 or even a few times that. my arcam as you would expect is better more detail. i havent bothered using the picture settings on the dvd player, it is nice that you get a full array of settings.

when my arcam comes back that will over the component imputs on my plasma and this player will go interlased into iscan ultra.

might hook up the dvd audio aswell:D :D :D would have to buy some then i suppose:( :( :( .

for £45 anyone would be well happy with this player
 
Is this player really as good as a tosh 330?
I stil have a tosh 2109, which I'm looking to upgrade when I get a new projector next month. I was thinking of getting a Harmon Kardon at £250, but would it really be worth all the extra money?
 
In my setup yes it really is that good. My Dvd is connected using one of my 'homebrew' cables made of Broadcast studio cable and nickel plated plugs, mains is fed via a spike proof/filtered supply, hooked up to the component inputs of a Tosh 32ZD26P.


Cheers, Mylo
 

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