OFF: DVD (was re: recordable CD-ROM's)

[Stephen Swann]

Allan T. Grohe, Jr. writes:
>
> What's the scoop on DVD?  I've been told that I should probably look
> into purchasing a DVD player vs. a laser disk player, since I'm thinking
> of getting the latter.  I've never looked a lot into either one,
> truthfully, and haven't seriously shopped for stereo equipment in about
> 10 years....  What are the advantages of DVD over a conventional CD or
> laser disk player?  I've recall hearing/reading that DVD players will
> also handle standard cd's--is that true?
>
> Thanks!

All DVD players that I have seen can handle CDs.  Not all of them can
handle CD-R (recordable CD), or VideoCDs, but I'm almost sure they can
all do CD.  The question is whether they can do it "as well".  There
has been some talk in the hifi rags (not always the best source for
unbiased information) about some DVD players being subject to
excessive jitter when playing CDs.

That's why I got the Sony DVP-S7000.  It's got the same circuitry
(especially D/A converters) as Sony's top of the line "ES" series
CD player.  I paid through the nose for it.

In answer to what some other people were asking:

DVD players run from about $500 to about $1000 (with some $5000
"extremist" models coming out soon).  I can't honestly recommend the
"cheapies".  The problem is that the technology is new, and the D/A
conversion sucks in a lot of the low-end units (i.e. there are obvious
artefacts left over from the digital-to-analog conversion, like
pixelization or picture breakup in complex scenes).  Basically, I
would stick with either Sony or Toshiba, whose players have evidenced
the fewest problems.  Sony is coming out with a budget version of
their S7000, called the S3000, which has the same picture circuitry,
but slightly less high-end CD circuitry.  That might be a good choice
if you already have a decent CD player.

I only have a handful of films, because there isn't a very large body
of released material yet.  The Director's Cut of Blade Runner is very
tasty.  Road Warrior is well done, but the DVD is so high-resolution
that you can clearly see what cheap, grainy film the original movie
was shot on.  Also, this movie can double as a comedy, by turning on
the French language audio track, and the Spanish subtitles.  ;-)

More movies are coming out all the time, there should be a few hundred
out by Christmas.  Someone mentioned the Star Wars movies.  They're
rumored to be planned for a february 98 release.

I refer other questions to alt.video.dvd, which is the best source
of dvd info on the net.

Steve
swann at panix.com