Hello All,

My Panasonic DVD E-55 is on the way out and I need a new DVD player. I cant afford a BC2, and DVD1/2 are rubbish, and I don't need/want BR so a PS3 is out as well.

I currently use a B&O DVD Controller so if the new player can utilise that would be an advantage. A HDD would also be nice but not essential. Anybody have any recommendations?

Thanks, Ian

What about a Harman Kardon DMC1000? A state of the art HDD music/media player coupled with a state of the art DVD upscaling player capabilities? And expandable storage via USB? Not sure whether this will be compatible with the B&O DVD controller though. Priced around 1800 pounds. I would have totally gotten this if not for the limited storage and less than convenient music navigation. Otherwise, most Denon DVD players will be light yrs ahead of the BC2 in terms of sound and vision. 

Happy hunting!

Alexander

I had to make a similar decision recently but also wanted freeview recording. And as my DVD player sits on a shelf under a BC6 it also had to look good.

I settled on a Sony HXD-R890 (160GB hard drive) with digital and analogue tuners. Styling matches pretty well and so far I can report that it works well - there is no visible difference between TV live and recording.

Don't bother with the HDMI ouput - upscaled DVD image looks pretty much the same as RGB scart output!

Unfortunately, the most recent Sony recorder on the DVD controller list is, however, the 1010 model from 2005 and that was not a digital tuner type.

I don't know if the 1010 setting will work OK with later Sony models but I'm planning to get my PUC flashed at some point to find out - unless someone else out there knows the answer?

My sister has a Panasonic DMR-EX77. Analogue and digital tuners. DVD writer and a 160 Gb hard disk. It upscales to 1080p. There is the same model with 250 Gb HD (DMR-EX87). It is in the PUC list to be controlled with the Beo4 and I just uploaded the xml file to be controlled directly with the Beo5.

Quim,

Your XML file for the Panasonic DMR-EX77 is available for download from the Beo5 web pages HERE

It is available for use with the current version 2.20 configuration tool and the previous version.

You might consider a Mac Mini. This would fit all of your needs and much more. The apple remote code is in the current B&O PUCs. The Frontrow interface is very nice and includes a dvd player. You can also rip your dvd collection onto a hard drive (internal or external) and the dvds appear in frontrow with the very same menus as when using the physical dvd. Moreover, this will open you up to the iTunes movie store for rentals/purchases. Adding Boxee will organize any divx movies (and more) that you might have. Also with Boxee, you can stream movies from Netflix. 

Wise choice on staying clear of the BC2. In a comparison, I have found the quality of dvds ripped to iTunes and played via my Apple TV is far better than dvds played on the BC2. The BC2 has always suffered the shortcoming of lacking the ability to internally upconvert from standard definition. While many might claim that a tv or Beosystem could do that job, it is still a gross shortcoming for such an expensive dvd player. The results of my BC 2 connected to a Beosystem 1 are unacceptable.

Does the BC2 really suffer for not having upscaling on board? Any TV with inputs other than HDMI/DVI must be able to scale the input to the display. I think that built-in upscaling on a standard DVD player is more about the manufacturer wanting to include HDMI connectivity than improved image quality. However, many standard definition inputs - whether they are scaled at the source or the TV - can give poor results on a 1080 HDTV.

That's a valid point about an HDMI connection being necessary for upscaling. Still, my main point was that I have never been satisfied with the quality of a BC2 connected to a Beosystem 1 via s-video connection. I find the image to be much better when a dvd is ripped into iTunes via Handbrake and played on the Apple TV. This is quite unfortunate given the price of the BC2.

Does anyone have any experience of controlling a DMR-EX77/87 from a Beo 5, through a Beosystem 3.  Mine does most things but if you use the fast forward/reverse buttons in DVD mode,  they work but then seem to lock everything else out so you use loose the functionality  and need to reset.  Tantilizingly close to seemless but not quite there yet

Pete:

Does anyone have any experience of controlling a DMR-EX77/87 from a Beo 5, through a Beosystem 3.  Mine does most things but if you use the fast forward/reverse buttons in DVD mode,  they work but then seem to lock everything else out so you use loose the functionality  and need to reset.  Tantilizingly close to seemless but not quite there yet

Hi Pete

You said you use the Beo5 through a Beosystem 3 to control the DMR-EX77/87. Does it mean you use the IR blaster to control the Panasonic, or you have downloaded the xml file to use the Beo5 directly?

I am afraid I think it won't work if you need to press and hold the button preset with the Beo5 to do fast forward/reverse, if you are controlling the Panasonic directly with the Beo5.

I don't know if it works with the IR blaster, sorry.

Regards

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply

I have the EX87 driver loaded into my Beosystem 3 and using the IR blaster. Like I said the fast forward and reverse works you can even change the speed of wind/rewind, you just can't stop it, once its in that mode. You dont need to press and hold the preset button just press 1 to 4 times depending on the speed you want

Regards

Pete