DVD Player - Want UOP disable AND no pixelisation

[alandpearson]

Hi guys

I'm after a new DVD player.
My 3 key requirements are :

1) Must be a truly excellent picture (no pixelisation at all. Ever. On normal DVDs !)

2) Must play audio CDs at top quality (fed to amp via Optical output)

3) ESSENTIAL !! must be able to disable UOP (user operation prohibitation - that thing that prevents ffwd of copyright stuff and trailers !). It's MY DVD player and I strongly object to the fact I cannot FFWD whatever I want. I didn't upgrade from VHS to loose control !!!!!

My budget is open, but to be honest < £500.

It's all being fed into a 9509 TV, which pics up _any_ probs with the picture.......

Advice PLEASE !!!! I especially can't find any DVD player that meet the UOP modification, except cheap rubbish from Taiwan !!


Thanks in advance !
AlanP

 

[KraGorn]

As I replied to someone else yesterday (and no-one has told me I'm wrong), players with the ability to disable PUOs are very, very rare. None of the popular and commonly used ones discussed here can, I expect there's some hacked firmware around but I've never seen links to it posted here. Even players like the older Momitsus et. al. which allowed you to disable Macrovision didn't let you overcome restrictions imposed by PUOs.

 

[alandpearson]

Thanks Warren... frankly I'm surprised...
It is BY FAR the most annoying thing with DVD players, and I'm very surprised that they aren't hacked almost as soon as they hit the streets....

Anyone have any recommendations on a _really_ good DVD player then, considering the other points I've raised ??

Cheers
Alan

 

[KraGorn]

Many good players are £200-£300, if you look here you'll see mention of the Pioneer 575, Samsung HD945 and others in pretty glowing terms.

Just aver £500 you're into Denon 2910 land .. whether that's usefully better than the lower-priced machines is no something I could say. However, you say no 'pexelisation' by which I presume you mean macroblocking, which is something I think that afflicts Denons .. but then I doubt there's a problem-free player at any [sensible] price.

 

[alandpearson]

Thanks ROBIN !! (Called you warren last time but you did say you answer to many names !)
Can you explain macroblocking ?
Is this a product of macrovision ??? If so I'll be HIGHLY p1ssed !!!!!
Hollywood needs to be taught a serious less here !
Are you saying if I can disable macrovision that the image will improve ?

Cheers !
Alan

 

[KraGorn]

I barely understand macroblocking, indeed if you look back here a week or so you'll see I asked just that. As an answer I'll simply link to that thread where I was given answers.

No, it's nothing to do with Macrovision. Disabling Macrovision won't improve the PQ at all, it's an anti-copying device which was originally deployed to defeat recording DVDs on VCRs. Nowadays I'm not too sure under what circumstances it causes problems.

As for calling me Warren .. read my sig.

 

[bonzobanana]

Most dvd players suffer from pixelisation occasionally due to dirt on the dvds. When a dvd player can't read the data it often duplicates data previously read to create a momentary pixel block. Some dvd players suffer more with low bit rate dvds than others too. My old Toshiba 330 was rubbish with real low bit rate HK dvds. Yet an el cheapo Compacks DVD5000 performed brilliantly with the same dvd. I'm using a AE100 projector too with a 7ft diagonal image.

 

[YellowCows]

Just to clarify,

'Macroblocking' to put it in lay terms is a form of 'pixelisation' as you put it, visible in dark scenes as blocky and 'splotchy' digital artefacting coupled with random noise and graininess in the most severe cases. It can be very distracting.

FYI, it is not a Denon player problem, rather a glitch exhibited by the Faroudja de-interlacing/scaling chips (FLI23xx) used in a number of products (Panasonic, Yamaha, Denon, Samsung, Crystalio, even Meridian). Any player with an FLI23xx deinterlacing chip will be afflicted to some degree. Faroudja does not have a complete solution yet.

As for UOP, your best bet for a DVD player that will allow you to defeat this is a chipped player from one of the more reputable chipping outfits - they usually name this 'FBI-skip' or some such....won't be cheap though!

HTH

Moory

 

[KraGorn]

FYI, it is not a Denon player problem, rather a glitch exhibited by the Faroudja de-interlacing/scaling chips (FLI23xx) used in a number of products (Panasonic, Yamaha, Denon, Samsung, Crystalio, even Meridian).

My comment that it 'afflicts' Denons was accurate then, particularly in the context I mentioned it.

 

[loz]

Sorry, but UOP is something that lasts a short time in the great scheme of things. I can't see a reason to make a fuss about it.
Spend a couple of minutes getting your self comfortable, making sure the popcorn tub is filled, there's a cold larger to hand, and you have taped over the wife's mouth so she isn't going to gossip all through the film (that's by far a bigger annoyance ).

 

[alandpearson]

Loz
I don't agree at all. UOP is a MAJOR inconvience. Especially now as in Shrek 2 they are taking the p1ss and forcing you to watch the trailers.
Highly annoying. I get to choose what I watch... NO ONE else !
Copyright protection is one thing... but FORCING content on me is another. I paid £2.50 to watch the film NOT the trailers... Sorry this really really annoys me.

Yellowcows... thanks for the info... very helpful. Can you recommend anywhere ?

Thanks all, and sorry for the rant !

 

[shortround]

you may want to consider a denon player. someone posted in another thread that denons have a feature built in to skip the trailers. stick the disc in and press stop before it has the chance to load up. now press stop again to do a full clear and then press play. with most discs, the player will then skip straight to title number 1 which is usually the main feature. you can then go to the main menu from there or just carry on watching the film. i can confirm that this works on my A11 but can't vouch for the other denon players, but i see no reason why it wont.

 

[YellowCows]

My comment that it 'afflicts' Denons was accurate then, particularly in the context I mentioned it.

Only in so far as it afflicts the Denon players with Faroudja/DCDi FLI23xx chips. Namely, these are the 1910, 2910, 3910, and A11. Older models such as the 2900, 3800, A1 etc. use the Sil504 for deinterlacing, and hence do not have macroblocking. Neither does the new flagship DVD-A1XV. For added example, Macroblocking 'afflicts' the Panasonic S97, the Samsung 745 and 945, Yamaha S1500 and even the high-end Meridian G series players - all of which employ the FLI23xx chips. Saying that MB, and I quote 'is something I think that afflicts Denons' without qualification gives the impression that it afflicts all Denons and only Denons, which is not accurate. There was no context to speak of. Indeed, Denon was the first manufacturer to tackle the issue directly with Faroudja, and to date there seems to be no solution that totally eliminates the issue on any player using this family of chips.

Alan, for the hacked players with user prohibitions disabled, the most reliable company I've heard of is DVDUpgrades Click Here. Two ppl I know swear by them, but they ain't cheap, and they're by no means the only source. Why not do a little phone canvassing with the ads in a Hi Fi mag?

Finally, the Denon 'skip to title' feature is standard on all Denon players - it's written into the core operating firmware of all their players.

HTH, Again

Moory

 

[KraGorn]

There was no context to speak of.

I suggest you read my original comment again:

Just aver £500 you're into Denon 2910 land .. whether that's usefully better than the lower-priced machines is no something I could say. However, you say no 'pexelisation' by which I presume you mean macroblocking, which is something I think that afflicts Denons .. but then I doubt there's a problem-free player at any [sensible] price.

Clearly I was referring to the 2910 which by your own admission IS afflicted, along with all Denon's other current products, except as you note the new as-yet ununavailable UK product (AFAIK there is no retailer able to supply these yet).

If you wish to split hairs with this then I agree, my comment was innacurate. :shrug: