DVD player recommendation?

[Schurkey]

Do any of you have a carousel DVD player that actually works right, and which would be worthy of recommendation?

I am back in the market for a DVD player. I've owned several, they have pretty much all been J-U-C-K-I-N-G F-U-N-K, and I'd like to not make that mistake yet again.

The Harman-Kardon DVD-50 carousel had a drawer that wouldn't open reliably. Very unsatisfying to have to push the "drawer open" button multiple times before it would actually open. It went back for warranty repair to fix a totally jammed drawer; but even afterwards it would occasionally fail to open the drawer.

I had a very hateful Toshiba carousel that couldn't play all five discs consecutively. That unit was a COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY, I'll NEVER NEVER own another Toshiba product.

The Yamaha DVD-C750 carousel won't read a disc without skipping, locking up, or just failing to read it at all. I am so sick of having pristine discs that still can't be read from beginning to end without having at least one--and usually multiple--sticks and lockups.

Does ANYBODY make a carousel DVD player that just plain WORKS RIGHT?

The idea player would:

1. Actually work properly. Drawer opens, discs play without skipping or locking up. Carousel rotates to the next disc when done.

2. Not be made by Communists. I'll accept an Asian import; but I REALLY HATE supporting Communism.

3. Have a multi-disc carousel--5 or 6 disc capacity. I don't want a 400-disc unit. A single-disc player is acceptable if that's what it takes to get one that actually works.

4. Have analog multi-channel outputs, analog 2-channel outputs, and a digital (Dolby + DTS) output. I own ONE SACD and zero DVD-A discs--but--I'd still prefer the ability to play both formats. I need component video, and progressive scan. Upsampling would be a bonus but not required. In short, I expect what should be common multi-format compatibility but I don't actually care about Blu-Ray or HD. Getting Blu-Ray or HD is not even a bonus.

Oh, sure, I'd prefer high-quality construction; I'd prefer that they used GOOD digital and analog parts and circuitry design; I'd prefer that it had a lifetime warranty, had remote codes compatible with a Phillips Pronto Neo universal remote, etc, but I just don't have much expectation for stuff in my price range (< $600) I could stretch that some if I absolutely had to; particularly if I had some confidence that the extra money was actually buying a player that would PERFORM PROPERLY.

Thanks, folks!

[wizop]

My Onkyo 6 disk works fine for me. I bought a reconditioned slightly older model with component output because I didn't need the HDMI of the current model, but I'm happy. Looks like the HDMI model is available reconditioned from the outlet store now for $129 which is probably what I paid last year for the older model. Sometime this year I'll probably add a Blu-Ray but it will be a single and I'll keep the Onkyo changer for music.

[oldenough]

2. Not be made by Communists. I'll accept an Asian import; but I REALLY HATE supporting Communism.

Would you accept a communist made player if it met the rest of you criteria?

[Schurkey]

2. Not be made by Communists. I'll accept an Asian import; but I REALLY HATE supporting Communism.

Would you accept a communist made player if it met the rest of you criteria?

I'm ashamed to say that I would. I'm so desperate for a player that genuinely works I'd even buy Chinese. It's not like there's much choice, the Communists are winning the trade wars; and American industry is totally in the toilet. It's a hateful situation, but it's also "the real world" right now.

I'm looking at a Marantz VC-6001. At ~$500 it's well within my budget; and --supposedly-- works well although I don't see many consumer reviews of it. The 3-year warranty is a strong selling point. It too is Chinese.

[Canadian_Dude]

Denon also makes this DVD player. Has all you ask for except the communist part. I use a Denon receiver and it sounds great and is great quality. Plus I also think the Denon looks better than the Marantz.

[Arky]

I have 2 of these. 1 old 1 new...both work perfectly.

[anarchist]

Wow. I have a Toshiba ($39), a JVC, and a Sony. Never had any of the problems spoken to here - the Sony (10 or so years later) no longer reads dvd's but still plays CD's with no issue (which is all I use it for).

The next player... Likely a blue ray.

[RichardP]

I don't have a player recommendation, but your phrase "...a hateful Toshiba carrousel..." made me LOL.[]

I do recommend, however, that once you have found a good one, take the old ones you mentioned out to the nearest field, along with a baseball bat, and recreate the fax machine scene from the movie Office Space. Could be a very cathartic experience, from the sounds of it.

[theplummer]

I've had a Sony DVP-NC615 for at least 5yrs now with no troubles. I will say that its a little finicky with dirty or scratched discs, That's what happens with three children.

I would not be afraid of buying another sony. This one was only $175 new at Circuit City.

[Schurkey]

I don't have a player recommendation, but your phrase "...a hateful Toshiba carrousel..." made me LOL.

What can I say? It takes a SPECIAL kind of BONE HEAD to build a 5-disc carousel player--that won't play all 5 discs in series. That Toshitba player would HOLD 5 discs, but if you wanted to listen to all five, you had to MANUALLY advance the carousel at the end of each disc. There were other problems as well, but that was the one that caused it to leave the house.

Put another way: the HK doesn't work well for whatever reason--got too cheap on the plastic gears and motors maybe. It "should" open the tray, but sometimes it won't. The Yamaha doesn't work well--it "should" read discs reliably; and it doesn't. But the Toshitba wasn't even INTENDED to work properly--the engineer clearly decided that there's a difference between HOLDING discs and PLAYING discs; and he just wasn't interested in playing them all. Every single one of them came off the assembly line and went into plastic bags that went into happy little cardboard boxes--and NOT ONE of them functioned like a carousel should. Why would a company that did that get a second chance?

Toshitba used to make good transistors. Maybe they were good at building other individual parts--I don't know. I haven't seen any of their consumer products that looked to be worth a crap ever since I got boned on that DVD player.

I do recommend, however, that once you have found a good one, take the old ones you mentioned out to the nearest field, along with a baseball bat, and recreate the fax machine scene from the movie Office Space. Could be a very cathartic experience, from the sounds of it.

I'm gonna clean the laser on the Yamaha; and give it to a guy I know. If it works for him--fine. If it doesn't--at least it's out of my house.

"Office Space" is sitting on the pile of un-opened discs; I'll have to watch it when the new player shows up.

The H-K is in a second system that rarely gets used. I actually like that player--if you can get the drawer open.

[Islander]

Most Yamaha DVD players work well, but the local dealer told me a couple of years ago that they'd had some issues with the DVD-C750 and weren't recommending it at all.

[Schurkey]

I'm looking at a Marantz VC-6001. At ~$500 it's well within my budget; and --supposedly-- works well although I don't see many consumer reviews of it. The 3-year warranty is a strong selling point. It too is Chinese.

Update: The Marantz VC-6001 just came back from repair (under warranty, thank God) Drawer wouldn't open, made popping/ratcheting noises, and immediately afterward the player wouldn't read discs. They repaired the laser circuitry; and apparently greased the drawer 'cause the drawer now works better than when it was new.

$500 for a stinkin DVD player, and it lasts just over two years before sh!tting the bed. At least Marantz' warranty is for three years, and the service and turn-around at the repair facility (United Radio, NY) was first-class. Cost me shipping one-way; about $20.

Oh, yeah. One more thing. This Marantz player looks JUST LIKE the crappy Yamaha it replaced. Like it came out of the same friggin' Chinese factory. Different front panel, but the "guts" inside are remarkably similar. Apparently, Yamaha and Marantz (and who knows how many other brand-names) are sourcing their product from the same nameless, faceless Chinese factory.

Why does it have to be so impossible to get reliable and functional consumer electronics???

[jamesV]

Why does it have to be so impossible to get reliable and functional consumer electronics???

How else would they make money...

It is great to hear that it was under warranty and fixed for free, to bad it still happened. Hope now that it will last longer then the original 2 years before breaking again.

James

[dtel]

They want them to be disposable, so they can make 9 billion of them.

I would and will try try an OPPO next, probably Blu-ray, the 80 model or 83 if I can pass the extra cost past the people at the top ! [8-|]

[theplummer]

If you don't mind, I'd like to hijack this thread for a minute. I've recently decided that I need a DAC converter to connect computer S/PDIF to my old adcom GTP-550 Pre-tuner-processor, as I have recently added a pair of KG-.5's as surrounds to the current Heresy II, 2.1 setup that I have. Odd thing is, my computer has line out mini jacks, which are fine, but I have to use the 2.0 configuration in order to get all the information sent by the computer, because it has two other mini-jack outs for rear's, center, and sub signal, all separated internally. The only way I can get all of the signal sent to the ADCOM is through the SPDIF jack, and My ADCOM is so old it does not have a Digital In.

Now that I've described the delimma, I'd like to identify possible resolutions. I first thought of finding an old ADCOM GDA-600 or 700 DAC converter. Turns out those things are rare and pricey (when I can even find them). I though about other brand and the price of those is even higher (I even saw one on A-gone used for $24,000.00, OUCH!)

I have seen cheaper ones (less than $100.00) on Ebay, but it seems that those are most likely Inferior products and I don't trust them.

Well, I had a thought last night, Since I'm too cheap to buy what I want, I wonder is there anyone out there that makes a DVD or Blue Ray player that has Digital inputs to use the onboard DAC within the player.

My thought is, I might feel better about springing a little more for a product that does more than just one thing, And if a Blue Ray will do, I get an added bonus, becaust I don't have a Blue Ray player yet.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.[]

[dtel]

My thought is, I might feel better about springing a little more for a product that does more than just one thing, And if a Blue Ray will do, I get an added bonus, becaust I don't have a Blue Ray player yet.

This thread got me looking at DVD players and how to solve another problem, I wanted internet radio, this is what I found so far for $250, looks good. ?

I put it in another thread.

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/p/135418/1371839.aspx#1371839

[Strange Odyssey]

The 2010 Sony blu-ray players are fantastic! They all (from the $179 base up) play SACD, feature Pandora and Slacker for radio, plus Netflix, Amazon, and a bajillion other services!

For a changer, I've been using a Sony SCD-CE595 SACD changer bought from the SonyStyle online store for a whopping $59. It's worked flawlessly for me for the last 3 years and may be a good option since it's considerably faster than a DVD changer -

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11035730

It comes and goes in and out of stock, but if you find it it's more than worth the admission price.

[kelA]

I'm looking at a Marantz VC-6001. At ~$500 it's well within my budget; and --supposedly-- works well although I don't see many consumer reviews of it. The 3-year warranty is a strong selling point. It too is Chinese.

Update: The Marantz VC-6001 just came back from repair (under warranty, thank God) Drawer wouldn't open, made popping/ratcheting noises, and immediately afterward the player wouldn't read discs. They repaired the laser circuitry; and apparently greased the drawer 'cause the drawer now works better than when it was new.

$500 for a stinkin DVD player, and it lasts just over two years before sh!tting the bed. At least Marantz' warranty is for three years, and the service and turn-around at the repair facility (United Radio, NY) was first-class. Cost me shipping one-way; about $20.

I dont want to rain on your parade but I would NOT be surprised if you have to send it in to have the laser unit replaced in a years time; being it is a Marantz and D&M Holdings. Fortunately you have a 3 year warranty. The lasers they use (Denon & Marantz) are pure JUNK. I had a Denon 3910 ($1500 unit) that I had bought and within a year, right before the warranty expired, the laser went bad. It would not load or read CDs. It would always display 00 00 00. I sent it to Denon to be repaired under warranty. Roughly 11 months pass, and I have the same problem. It is a ~$300 repair out of warranty. There are a number of reports for the same problem on AVSFORUM. There are also detailed descriptions of how to fix the unit yourself if you are at all mechanically inclined and have basic soldering skills for about $15.

[theplummer]

If you don't mind, I'd like to hijack this thread for a minute. I've recently decided that I need a DAC converter to connect computer S/PDIF to my old adcom GTP-550 Pre-tuner-processor, as I have recently added a pair of KG-.5's as surrounds to the current Heresy II, 2.1 setup that I have. Odd thing is, my computer has line out mini jacks, which are fine, but I have to use the 2.0 configuration in order to get all the information sent by the computer, because it has two other mini-jack outs for rear's, center, and sub signal, all separated internally. The only way I can get all of the signal sent to the ADCOM is through the SPDIF jack, and My ADCOM is so old it does not have a Digital In.

Now that I've described the delimma, I'd like to identify possible resolutions. I first thought of finding an old ADCOM GDA-600 or 700 DAC converter. Turns out those things are rare and pricey (when I can even find them). I though about other brand and the price of those is even higher (I even saw one on A-gone used for $24,000.00, OUCH!)

I have seen cheaper ones (less than $100.00) on Ebay, but it seems that those are most likely Inferior products and I don't trust them.

Well, I had a thought last night, Since I'm too cheap to buy what I want, I wonder is there anyone out there that makes a DVD or Blue Ray player that has Digital inputs to use the onboard DAC within the player.

My thought is, I might feel better about springing a little more for a product that does more than just one thing, And if a Blue Ray will do, I get an added bonus, becaust I don't have a Blue Ray player yet.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.

Ok, I think I've answered my own question. Seems the ADCOM GCD-750 has a Digital In.

Now, If I could only find one for sale at a decent price. I've seen the GCD-600 & 700's for decent money, but they don't have the digital in.