dvd player w/scart, usb, all xvid features like gmc, qpel

[phunkdust]

Faithful ol Zensonic Z330 has been soldiering on for a couple of years now and it works well - the random lockups I can handle, but I'm finding more and more videos using gmc, qpel, etc that leaves the output looking awful.

Also I have a bizarre TV that only has SCART inputs so I'd really like to find a player with SCART

I looked at the Zensonic Z500 but I'm not that keen on the reports about reliability and stabilty, and afaik it doesnt support xvid's advanced features.

I'd also like USB so I can save on blanks by just using usb keys or a HDD in a caddy.

From my readings of this forum and others, correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am) but the only players that support xvid's full features are the ones with the Zoran chipsets? I've heard the 888 mentioned but what about the others?

If someone could shed some light on this it'd be great. I've found the player search on videohelp great but I'm not sure which chipsets support xvid properly.

I'm looking for something reliable and stable, cost is not a problem.

[jokiin]

Which advanced XviD features are you referring to exactly?

[bac]

Which advanced XviD features are you referring to exactly?

Probably 3 warp point GMC. If so, it's going to be almost impossible to find a player that fully supports it.

Regarding SCART output, you could always use a SCART to s-video & composite adaptor plug on your TV. If you want RGB via SCART, you're going to have to look at importing a Euro version player to get the SCART socket.

Cheers,
BAC

[phunkdust]

Hrm, how often does one run into 3-warp GMC? When I encode I have everything switched on in XVID... Adaptive quant, qpel, gmc, bvops, packed bitstream, chroma opt, chroma motion, motion search on their highest settings, etc.

I do want RGB scart. I know all about running composite and S-video over scart - the z330 is on S-video now. Unfortunately my tv is a little too old to also support component over scart.

So, lets change it a little. Maybe no hardware player supports everything xvid offers... So lets find something that 'ticks as many boxes' as possible?

I mean, there's nothing wrong with my Z330, except I'd like the higher quality of RGB and it often runs up against problems with XVIDs smearing. I was watching Resident Evil the other day on it and everything looked like the resolution was 1/4th of what it was... hard to explain but looked like a lot of JPG-like artifacts around edges and stuff. Played it on my laptop and into the TV via S-video output and it was nice and smooth. Something I'd not run into before.

[bac]

Hrm, how often does one run into 3-warp GMC? When I encode I have everything switched on in XVID... Adaptive quant, qpel, gmc, bvops, packed bitstream, chroma opt, chroma motion, motion search on their highest settings, etc.
AFAIK, if you turn GMC on when you encode an XVID, you get 3 warp points by default.

You may find you're better off encoding with the HT compatibility settings which disable the stuff that's most likely to trip up stand alone players. Turning off QPEL and GMC is also going to decrease your encoding times dramatically.

I do want RGB scart. I know all about running composite and S-video over scart - the z330 is on S-video now.
I don't know what sort of TV you have, but I've experimented with my 76cm widescreen Thomson TV and I'm hard pressed to pick the difference between s-video and RGB over Scart with my LG DVD player.

Unfortunately my tv is a little too old to also support component over scart.
Component video is not supported as part of the specification of the Scart interface - only composite, s-video and RGB.

I mean, there's nothing wrong with my Z330, except I'd like the higher quality of RGB and it often runs up against problems with XVIDs smearing. I was watching Resident Evil the other day on it and everything looked like the resolution was 1/4th of what it was... hard to explain but looked like a lot of JPG-like artifacts around edges and stuff. Played it on my laptop and into the TV via S-video output and it was nice and smooth. Something I'd not run into before.
Sounds very much like the CQM (Custom Quantizer Matrices) problem that I've been banging on about in these forums for some time now. When a player that doesn't support CQMs plays a file encoded with a CQM, the result is a lot of smearing and macroblocking/pixellation around the edges of moving objects, just as you've described.

You can check whether a video has been encoded with a CQM by using MPEG4Modifier.

All in all, if you definitely want the Scart support, try to find a Euro retailer who will sell you their local version of something like the Pioneer DV-696AV or one of the Oppo players (970HD or 971H) which I think are sold under the BBK brand in European markets.

I'm not sure about the Pioneer and CQM support, but I can confirm the Oppo 971 handles it properly.

Cheers,
BAC

[andw]

... and make sure it is or can be region free, as otherwise you will have problems playing region 4 DVD discs.

[bac]

... and make sure it is or can be region free, as otherwise you will have problems playing region 4 DVD discs.

Both of the players I mentioned can easily be made region free... :dD

[jokiin]

Both of the players I mentioned can easily be made region free... :dD

The Oppo is no problem, the Pioneer could be a bit more mucking around though depending on which market it came out of, I would be inclined to suggest the Oppo would be the better option of the two:)

[phunkdust]

Neither of those has USB support though?

[bac]

Neither of those has USB support though?
The Oppo 971 doesn't, but there is a newer model (the 970HD) that does. I'm not 100% sure of its abilities with CQMs, but I suspect that seeing as how the older model supports it that the newer one will also.

Please note that playing back AVIs from a USB port is a hit and miss proposition in any case as all the implementations on Mediatek players are only USB 1.1. This means that you may get stuttering in the video playback if the data rate spikes to a level that the USB connection can't sustain.

Cheers,
BAC

[phunkdust]

Thanks guys, got some info to go on now.


*buys a round for all* :boonie:

[chops]

Probably 3 warp point GMC. If so, it's going to be almost impossible to find a player that fully supports it.

Regarding SCART output, you could always use a SCART to s-video & composite adaptor plug on your TV. If you want RGB via SCART, you're going to have to look at importing a Euro version player to get the SCART socket.

Cheers,
BAC

Curiously I noticed an RGB->Scart adapter at the goodguys on Saterday ... I did not pay that much attion to it other than to think "that's curious".

Chops

[jokiin]

Curiously I noticed an RGB->Scart adapter at the goodguys on Saterday ... I did not pay that much attion to it other than to think "that's curious".

Chops

The adapter is only one side of the story, the player also need to be able to output RGB via scart, a lot of set top boxes here can but not often you see a DVD player that can:)

[bac]

The adapter is only one side of the story, the player also need to be able to output RGB via scart, a lot of set top boxes here can but not often you see a DVD player that can:)

Unless you have a home-modded LG... :D