When will we see low-midrange Pal Prog players

[calibos]

Does anyone know when we are likely to see Official Pal Progressive players? I dont mean £1000 Arcam FMJ's or Denons A1's etc but players in the £250-£400 range from the major manufacturers like Panny, Tosh, Sony etc?

 

[Big_AL007]

Harman Kardon DVD25 is the only one I know of, great make and about £350. Upgrade firmware is easy to get.

 

[gIzzE]

the new lecson has Pal prog @£200 , dont know if it is any good though.

 

[Dezza]

I was going to ask a similar original question as there seems to be a real lack of information on any PAL progressive scan players to come out in the near future. I have looked at the Harman Kardon DVD25 but have not found details of the latest firmware containing a PAL Progressive Scan Upgrade, can you let me know the location of this please?

On the Lecson again have yet to find anything detailing that it is definately PAL progressive scan compatible.

Any info would be gratefully received.

 

[gIzzE]

it says in one of the reviews this month that it was tested with pal prog.

hcc i think.

 

[bxd]

Hi,

I spoke to the guys at Pioneer during the London (heathrow) HiFi Show. Their suggestion was that pal progressive players would be the next 'thing' on their range and they would start to appear in the spring.
I suspect that the other major manufacturers would do the same thing.... there isn't really a great demand at the moment because there aren't very many suitable display devices out there....... the majority of people have tv's that can't handle a progressive signal.

Brian.

 

[Big_AL007]

Firmware to enable PAL prog scan on HK DVD25

http://www.dynamite.org/hkdvd25/

 

[Dezza]

Thanks for your comments, the link to dynamite looks like the same sort of thing as http://international.harmankardon.com/productlines/specs/DVD25_software.asp?language=ENGLISH

has anyone tried this or know for sure if it works in providing PAL progressive?

 

[Big_AL007]

I have tried it and am using it, it is NOT the same thing. It gives the player multi region and PAL prog scan.

 

[Dezza]

Thanks for that, can i ask where you got your DVD 25 from? The only place i have found in the UK has been homecinemaheaven. (£350)

Having downloaded both sets of firmware i notice the difference in creation dates, as you say they are different.

 

[Big_AL007]

I purchased mine from Frank Harvey HIFI in Coventry, you may get a deal if you ask for Dale and mention AL , they are local to me. Not sure they will do it mail order though.

I believe they also sell them at hifibitz.co.uk for £349.95.

 

[chic]

Originally posted by gizlaroc
the new lecson has Pal prog @£200 , dont know if it is any good though.

i have had the lescon and its a very poor player for progressive scan

 

[Dezza]

Home Cinema Choice seemed to have a similar opinion of the lecson, they did give it 3 stars though. Personally i think the Harman Kardon is the only one in my price range and looks to be the only one in my price range this side of christmas. I think i will have to get one, preferably with the latest firmware already on it.

 

[richard plumb]

if you can, try and hold off for a week or two, to see if the fabled Philips 963sa comes out.

It might be PAL progressive too, and might offer better pictures for the same (or even slightly less) cost. SACD too if you care.

 

[Dezza]

Not really seen much on the 963SA, read a review of the 962SA and that looked fairly good, i guess i could be waiting till xmas though. Is the NAD T562 PAL progressive or only NTSC? I never knew of the complications associated with buying a projector!

Big_AL007 - I have spoken to someone at Frank Harvey and i have asked to see if they can put the latest firmware on, or how long it will be till Harman do it themselves, they are getting back to me hopefully tmw.

 

[Big_AL007]

Nice one Dezza, if they cant do it for whatever reason I can supply you with a disk no problemo

HK wont do it as it makes player multi region but the firmware must of come from them in the first place
I did my own with noprobs.

AL

 

[Dezza]

Cheers mate, obviously i'd prefer it if the shop can do it and take the risk and still keep my warranty. Also i think my CD writer has given up the ghost, it is now 4/5 years old and has burned too many vcds etc. in it's lifetime, so may need to take you up on the offer of a disk.

 

[Big_AL007]

It should not invalidate your warranty if you do it yourself as it is an upgradable function, but you never know.

 

[Dezza]

Am trying to go through the official routes, but Harman Kardon do not seem to be very forthcoming. And of course no shop wants to install unofficial software. The phillips 963sa i have now found but the release date and price is still unknown by Phillips will hopefully have more info soon.

If i am going to put new firmware on the DVD i take it the cheaper US version will stil not run PAl progressive as it does not have PAL in teh first place (Just trying to save some cost now)

 

[Big_AL007]

Dont worry about "unofficial firmware" it comes from the manuafacturers anyway they just cant admit it.
The reality is it works OK otherwise there would be much moaning on here about it....

Fact retailers install unofficial firmware to make players region free, I even know of sales reps from manufacturers who give it to the shops. This of course helps player sales

The problem you may have in buying a player from abroad is that no distributers of the product over here will service the warranty.

 

[Dezza]

I guess the point i was getting at was if i upgrade the firmware to a version that invalidates my warranty, then why not buy it from abroad and yes the warranty will not be valid, but i have paid less for in essence probably the same product with no warranty anyway, and maybe a scart socket for the UK version that i wouldn't use anyway. I seem to remember reading that the firmware upgrades will only work on teh international version with a scart though.

I suspect i will end up ordering a current player and ask you kindly to send a CD through to me Al, as i will lose my patience in waiting for companies to get back to me with sensible answers.

 

[Big_AL007]

My machine is a UK version and works fine, thousands of people makes these upgrades every year with no probs.
Also there is nothing to say it will invalidate your warranty anyway, after it is there firmware !!!! I have never heard of anyone having such probs.

 

[calibos]

I just saw a review of the new Philips Dvd1000 recorder that has pal/ntsc progressive scan but its 1000 squid. I wonder when these will come down to the 500ish mark?

 

[Dezza]

I suspect it will be the wrong side of christmas for me, also my projector doesn't have a vga input, which is how that outputs prog scan.