After reading some negative comments about the v1109 firmware for the Philips DVP642, I'm going to step in and argue against such claims. Although Philips has not released official details on the changes in this latest firmware upgrade, I haven't noticed any new problems since flashing my unit. What I have noticed are improvements to MPEG4 (XviD) playback since video files that had jerky scenes using the v0531 firmware play smoothly on v1109. I believe that this is either an improvement that has to do with b-frames or the "packed bitstream" setting that many current XviD files contain. Based on comments that I've read over at the videohelp.com forums, there are at least two other changes worth mentioning: 1) Audio / video synchronization has been improved. If this is the case, however, I can't say that I've noticed this. 2) Support has been added for MPEG4 files that use GMC (Global Motion Compensation). I haven't tested any such files myself, but it certainly would improve compatibility if this turns out to be true. Despite the doubt expressed by one user earlier in this thread, I urge you to upgrade to the 1109 firmware and benefit from the improved MPEG4 playback quality. This is a fantastic player for the price and the latest firmware only makes it better. LATEST DVP642/37 FIRMWARE: http://www.p4c.philips.com/files/d/dvp642_37/dvp642_37_fus_eng.zip LATEST DVP642/17 FIRMWARE: http://www.p4c.philips.com/files/d/dvp642_17/dvp642_17_fus_eng.zip As for the user who asked about RIDATA media, I can confirm that their 4X DVD+RW media works perfectly in this unit. It is likely that other media from that brand works just as well...
I have noticed that audio stays in sync a little better. It's definitely more robust when FF'ing and RW'ing, though I have noticed loss of sync on a few files. I also noticed that the amount of time needed to hold down the stop button to eject the tray has been reduced to around 1 second, rather than 2-3 seconds. It's not much, but there it is. I'm happy with my player. I just hope Philips will continue to chip away at the problems that are left (Incorrect aspect ratios/lack of long filenames/max 8X FF and RW) We can hope.....
So, there is no timer? Whats the LCD used for? Maybe they could make it a timer window, with a firmware update. EDIT - Oh the unit, comes with composite cables? sweet, i thought it would be s-video ones. I finally have a tv that has composite inputs in the back.
jrkfctry hey, you said that you are using DVD-R from "Smart buy" and don't have problems with them. Do you burn them as Data DVD? What program do you use and what are the setting for the project? What is your DVD burner? What is your Philips FW version? I am sorry i am attacking you but I have 50 pack spindel of Smart Buy DVD-Rs, I wasted about 10 of them, I tried using Nero and Roxio CD/DVD creator, tried different settings for different projects - and my Philips spits them all out. I am extremly upset and son't want to waste any more disks on that until I know the truth. Your input will be VERY helpful.
I know how you feel...this thread is huge and there are so many posts...its hard to find the straight answer. Here is what I do, and it works 100% for me. I have the dvp642/17. I recieve the movie (how is irrelevant ) I use gspot to determine the audio and video compression. If gspot finds it to be an xvid - I convert with virtual dub to a divx 5.0 format to ensure compatibility. I also leave the audio for direct stream copy (meaning i dont touch the audio) After 22 minutes of reencoding the video, vdub is done. Then I burn with nero (data cd) and Hit burn for 8x instead of 32x. That has worked 45 out of 45 times for me. If the movie I get is already checked out to be divx 4 or 5 in gspot, then you dont have to reencode the video. all you have to do is burn as data cd w/ nero. I tried riteck, imation, ghetto compusa dvds...all worked for me. Both formats as well, - and +
posuser If your post is directed to me, it isn't very helpful (sorry). Are you talking about CD or DVD. I haven't heard about 32x DVD burners, nor disks capabale of doing it. Also, I burn at 4x, so it doesn't matter. Next, the same movie that I burn on the CD plays, if I have this movie on DVD - it doesn't. (Both cases - written as DATA CD or DVD). Nero has different settings for the projects. I would like to know what are they (I mean you can write Joliet, ISO 9660+Joliet, ISO 9660:1999, UDF; there are different character sets etc.). I have DVP642/37. What is the difference between /37 and /17? One more thing: the only write method availible to me is "Disk at once". And I don't use multisession, i.e. I close disks.
I decided to try the new firmware and installed it successfully. I have a disc of a fairly bad xvid anime downloads that were all washed out and had major contrast problems with the previous firmware, now it's actually watchable, no more contrast or color problems. I recommend ya'll install this latest firmware.
[bold]Gorm[/bold] I have used several 50 packs of 4x Smart Buy DVD-Rs. My burner is a Pioneer DVR-105 with updated firmware and I used Nero 6 to burn my avi files as DVD data disks. I have had no problem with them in my new philips dvp642/37 with the latest firmware (v1109) or as DVD movies on my Sony DVD player. I use the default settings for DVD Data disks on Nero. What is you burner? Have you tried media from other brands? I used to use RiData, but on my third or fourth spindle I started spitting out coasters, so I switched to Smart Buy and have had no problems.
Hey. My burner is BenQ DW822a. I tried 3 kinds of firmware for the burner - no luck. I have downloaded the latest verion of Nero - 6.6.0.3. I wasted (kind of) a disk for each possible setting combination for the Data DVD project. None of them worked, but now I have all my movies backed up on the disks, some of them even twice. I have tried Smart Buy and another NoName disks - same effect. The thing is - as I told before - if I burn the movie as a Video DVD on the same disk - it works. About my version of FW for the philips - it's 642/37, there are also numbers 0151 on the screen. Is it the latest? I bought it in the end of september - middle of october I think. It said the manufacturing date is august. Should I upgrade? Addition. Just upgraded FW on the player - checked all my disks - no change - same big fat zero.
I was just wondering if the dvp642 plays .ogg and .mkv files? If yes, does it support the multiple audio and subtitle streams of those file formats?
I have a stupid question.. if i have Component video inputs, on the back of my TV.. does that mean, I can get progressive scan playback? Ive never seen a movie in progressive scan.. lol always been interlaced.. Oh rats, composite(I read a review about the player, and it comes with these cables in the box - right?) is a downgrade from svideo? Can you tell the differnce? I have a 27" tv and it looks like 30bucks for some component video cables.
Hi.... well, i dont this philips dvd player, i have a starlight, and it allows to play divx. well, i have 2 problems with the divx stuff.....first is that on a cd i have a specific anime, and like 8 episodes, each of them on a seperate file. well, when i play it, almost all of them have a sound sync problem, for about a sec. or 2 sec. Not all the conversions are made from the same guy, but there are some of the same guy that has the sound sync problem, and others that dont, and i think that he used the same program to encode, thats is what i dont understand. the second thing is that on another specific anime, all the episodes works fine until i started downloading that series from another group. what happens is that the episodes starts...all is great, the sound and the image, but after like 5 second it automatically stops (it appears the stop sign on top righ), and automatically goes to the next divx file. of course ive check it on the pc and it plays fine, and also when i put the remaining time of the episode, it says laike 20 minutes, not 5 sec., so the full episode is there, but i cant understand why it stops. i know this is other dvd, but i cant find anything related about this, and you guys seem to know so much . so if anyone has had a problem like this, please reply me.
I have burned DVD+R's using HP DVD writer dvd630, and a Teac burner, and both work flawlessly for dvd divx playback, unless of course the divX file has an error, in which case the player gets knocked of the rails and can't play (you'd have to turn the player off and skip the file).
Do you think, this player will ever play .ogg(dual language) format? I have so much anime in this format. lol That would be soo cool, for the next update!
don't think it will play .ogg. i did find a tool on the divx.com forums to convert ogg/mkv files and it worked well for me in short time. my biggest beef with this dvp642 is lack of .sub support. I don't have a way to get these to work.
They do work. Put them in the same folder as your movie (yes, make a folder with the movie and the .sub file) and make sure they're named EXACTLY the same thing, but make sure the subs have the .sub at the end. Then, before you start watching your movie, select the .sub file, and press "SUBTITLE" on the remote. This tells the machine that that's the subtitles, and you want to use them. then, just select your movie and enjoy. It woked for me, so I see no reason why it shouldn't work for you. plus, you'd know this if you'd gone through the manual.
LOL. You think other people read the manual! Ha! Why would they do that if they could just go on the internet and complain and ask noobish questions (and get flamed for it in the process)! That sounds far more interesting than just simply opening a manual and looking something up in the table of contents or index. "Table of contents... what's that?"
hm.. well, I think alot of people know how to do that.. i've heard it cuts of the subtitles. Maybe thats some tvs.. Oh, and the format i was talking about was ogm, not ogg. Ill be getting this player for xmas.. just way to many good reviews outweight the bad.. 69.99bucks, cant beat that
dponce80 and dlocke -- of course I read the manual. I highly resent your assertions that I didn't... the manual says files with .sub extentions are supported. However, what I think they mean by that is if you were to take a .srt file and rename it .sub, it would play. In other words, the subtitles that it supports are text based. REAL .sub files are binary files comprised of image overlays extracted from the dvd.... these are NOT supported -- read the doom9 or other forums.
detroit0, relax man. Did I say you didn't read the manual? No. I was just kidding that so many people don't read the manual and come to the internet first. Like the manual is pointless or something. Just chill. I'm like a total stranger hundreds or thousands of miles from you!
