Philips DVP642 DivX-Certified Progressive-Scan DVD Player
Built to last -- up to 90 days
I purchased the DVP642/37 player in January and lately I've been having some weird problems with it. Every so often, maybe after 10-20 hours of use, the player will show solid thin horizontal white lines on the screen (the quantity of lines varies). The movie still plays behind the lines and pausing will hold the lines in place. Hitting play again will continue the movie with the lines still there. Only pressing stop once and then play again will resume the movie normally. I thought it odd at first, especially with a new player, and blamed the disc. Then a second one did it. I went back in the movie and replayed the area I thought bad but it was okay and the problem didn't return for that movie, or the ones to follow. Then it occured again and I was annoyed. I never know which movie will bring the lines but I know they will appear at some point. It progressively gets worse.<br /><br />Lately something else has been happening too. With some movies, when clicking a menu item, the player will just shut off. I've seen it happen three times so far, different movies and I couldn't duplicate. This, of course, began after the 90 days ran out. There is also sometimes a high pitch whine coming from the player as the disc decides to spin as fast as it can, like it's running away. The only way to correct it is to shut the player off and start again.<br /><br />So, I tried to run a cleaning CD/DVD and it takes several cycles of powering the unit off and then on in order for the cleaning CD/DVD to run (maybe to the tune of 20 times). I tried it again last night after the horizontal white lines appeared again and the cleaning CD/DVD would not run. The ironic part; the cleaning CD/DVD is a Philips products too. Needless to say, I am not impressed with this product. I've had other Philips products for years and have never had problems. I sent a similar post to this to Philips about a month ago and have not received a response.<br /><br />In the Philips documentation is states: \\"A small amount of distortion may appear occasionally. This is not a malfunction.\\"<br /><br />My guess is that this is a standard feature with the product. So stay away from this player unless you can afford to waste the money and don't mind replacing it shortly after. I'll suffer with it until it either makes me mad enough or dies completely, then I'll go for a different brand. One that lasts longer than the warranty.\\"A small amount of distortion may appear occasionally. This is not a malfunction.\\" <br /> <br />My guess is that this is a standard feature with the product. So stay away from this player unless you can afford to waste the money and don't mind replacing it shortly after. I'll suffer with it until it either makes me mad enough or dies completely, then I'll go for a different brand. One that lasts longer than the warranty.