Philips DVP642 DivX-Certified Progressive-Scan DVD Player
Great DVD player for the money
So far I have only played commercially-recorded DVDs, but I have to say that they look great. It took me about 10 minutes to completely set up the player, including setting the video and sound options.<br /><br />VIDEO: I use the component-out video connection, and, unlike some other reviewers, had no problem with it--although I did have to go into the system set-up menu and tell it to use component-out to a non-progressive 4:3 TV, but the menu for doing that was very easy to find and use (before doing that, the picture was kind of a monochromatic grayish-blue). The picture is clear and the colors are true. I haven't seen any jitter or weird artifacts in fast scenes. **edit: I read other recent reviews that complained using component video output to the TV resulted in a blue picture. This occured when I first set my player up with the component cables, but in under a minute, I completed the set-up and the output was \\"normal\\" and sharp. Completing the video set-up according to the directions in the user manual is quite easy and fast--though you do have to read the manual as you go. If you have an HDTV, you also have to make sure it's set to progressive output, or the picture will be distorted--the same is true for non-HDTVs--if you have a distorted picture, check the settings for your video output. The player needs to \\"know\\" what kind of TV you're using with it.<br /><br />AUDIO: The player's connected via a coax digital cable to my receiver, and the sound is very good. Others have complained about a \\"chirping\\" noise, but I haven't heard it--I suspect that it may have to do with what kind of disks you are playing. The player itself whirrs slightly, but it's only noticeable when it first starts up, unless you are standing right next to it.<br /><br />REMOTE: The remote is not programmable to control other devices, unlike so many remotes these days (to a greater or lesser degree of success), so I end up with at least 2, if not 3, remotes at my side. Since I hooked up the player to my stereo receiver using a digital connection, only the \\"mute\\" on the remote works on the sound--for raising & lowering the volume, I have to use my receiver's remote. On the bright side, this means that the buttons on the remote make sense, since there are few of them, making the remote easy to use.<br /><br />EXTRA FEATURES: The player is supposed to \\"remember\\" the last point any of the last five DVDs were at when you stopped them. At first, I thought I was doing something wrong, pressing \\"stop\\" twice, or something, that overrode that feature. **edit: The player sporadically \\"remembers\\" the last point in the DVD. There seems to be a limit to how long it will \\"remember.\\"<br /><br />The manual states that the player can output PAL VCDs to an NTSC TV (converting the PAL signal to NTSC); however, I get the impression from other reviews that PAL DVDs also play successfully to NTSC TVs on this player -- and the various promotional statements I've seen also give that impression. So I suppose this is more a question than a nitpick--does the player play PAL DVDs and convert the output to NTSC?<br /><br />I am very happy with my purchase--there could be more bells-and-whistles, but if all you want to do is watch DVDs, occasionally listen to MP3 CDs, and maybe view jpeg photoalbums, this player seems like a great buy. I hope I feel this way in a year!<br /><br />EDIT: I have had this player for approximately 9 months now, and so far, so good. It's still playing, and has presented no problems.<br /><br />EDIT #2: I have now had the player almost two years, and I've had no problems with it at all. Still reliably playing whatever I put in it. I'm still very happy with it!eceiver using a digital connection, only the \\"mute\\" on the remote works on the sound--for raising & lowering the volume, I have to use my receiver's remote. On the bright side, this means that the buttons on the remote make sense, since there are few of them, making the remote easy to use.    EXTRA FEATURES: The player is supposed to \\"remember\\" the last point any of the last five DVDs were at when you stopped them. At first, I thought I was doing something wrong, pressing \\"stop\\" twice, or something, that overrode that feature. **edit: The player sporadically \\"remembers\\" the last point in the DVD. There seems to be a limit to how long it will \\"remember.\\"    The manual states that the player can output PAL VCDs to an NTSC TV (converting the PAL signal to NTSC); however, I get the impression from other reviews that PAL DVDs also play successfully to NTSC TVs on this player -- and the various promotional statements I've seen also give that impression. So I suppose this is more a question than a nitpick--does the player play PAL DVDs and convert the output to NTSC?    I am very happy with my purchase--there could be more bells-and-whistles, but if all you want to do is watch DVDs, occasionally listen to MP3 CDs, and maybe view jpeg photoalbums, this player seems like a great buy. I hope I feel this way in a year!    EDIT: I have had this player for approximately 9 months now, and so far, so good. It's still playing, and has presented no problems.    EDIT #2: I have now had the player almost two years, and I've had no problems with it at all. Still reliably playing whatever I put in it. I'm still very happy with it!