Anyone using XBOX as a DVD player?

[RGA]

Whar are the downsides? Compared to say a bottom of the line Sony S325.

In Canada they want $50.00 for the ability to use the unit as a DVD player. Apex however has a resonably well reviewed DVD player for $69.00.

I was thinking of buying a DVD player for the bedroom where I have a ten year old 27inch JVC TV. (It has S video capability though).

I'm not expecting high end and progressive scan has no priority with me at all.

My computer is about 5 years old - a Celeron 500 so I pretty much can't play any new games so I was thinking the X-Box is a lot cheaper to play games and what the heck a DVD player to boot.

But if it's total junk I can skip it and buy a cheap bedroom DVD player. Apex is a little suspect to me but they are still around and CNET seemed to like them. I know little of CNET and their reviewing style however.

[This Guy]

Bout 2 years ago i purchased a Apex dvd player from best buy for $120 bucks and it was absolutely terrible. The video and sound was fine when it worked. The unit started defecting it seems as soon as the warranty expired (month). Then it started freezing and starting again and it would do this on average of about 40-50 times a movie. This was incredibly annoying, and quite embarrasing when I had friends over to watch a movie. I also read reviews on the same player and everybody had the same complaints. I sold it on ebay for $50 telling the guy it basically only worked as a cd player, and i got no complaints. Do you guys have a sams club or BJ's wholesale stores in Canada? If so you could buy a toshiba,rca, or panasonic I believe for $60-$80, which is the way i would go. But if you wanted to play games on the Xbox by all means by it. The dvd player in it isn't great and isn't bad. I doubt you would be able to tell the difference between players in this price range on that tv anyway. Well thats my two cents.

-Joey

[Woochifer]

The Xbox was tested by hometheaterhifi.com a while ago, and it fared reasonably well. Nowhere near the top of the pack, but then other DVD players can't play Halo or Madden football either. The one thing to look out for is how functional the remote is. If it's anything like the remote for the PS2, you lose some functionality compared to a standalone DVD player. I know that when the Xbox was introduced, you needed to pay $50USD for the DVD remote in order to play DVDs. Not sure if they now include the remote or now allow you to play DVDs without it.

And of course, you should look at which games you intend to play. The Xbox is technically superior to the PS2, but the PS2's got a much bigger game library with more exclusives (like the Grand Theft Auto and Final Fantasy series) and can play PSOne games (many of which you can buy used for as low as $1) and DVDs as well.

Apex is a WalMart special bottomfeeder, avoid them. People I know who've bought their DVD players or TVs have all come to regret it. It's not that much more to move up to a Panasonic or Toshiba, and those units are better built than the Apex units and have warranties longer than 90 days.

[recoveryone]

For what your needs are I would go with the XBOX or PS2, the extra ablility of playing games would be a big plus if you are a gamer. Playing on a large screen 27" makes playing games better. And XBOX and PS2 have S-video output so you will still get the better picture, digital/Toslink sound output also for 5.1 to a compatible receiver.

[RGA]

The Xbox was tested by hometheaterhifi.com a while ago, and it fared reasonably well. Nowhere near the top of the pack, but then other DVD players can't play Halo or Madden football either. The one thing to look out for is how functional the remote is. If it's anything like the remote for the PS2, you lose some functionality compared to a standalone DVD player. I know that when the Xbox was introduced, you needed to pay $50USD for the DVD remote in order to play DVDs. Not sure if they now include the remote or now allow you to play DVDs without it.

And of course, you should look at which games you intend to play. The Xbox is technically superior to the PS2, but the PS2's got a much bigger game library with more exclusives (like the Grand Theft Auto and Final Fantasy series) and can play PSOne games (many of which you can buy used for as low as $1) and DVDs as well.

Apex is a WalMart special bottomfeeder, avoid them. People I know who've bought their DVD players or TVs have all come to regret it. It's not that much more to move up to a Panasonic or Toshiba, and those units are better built than the Apex units and have warranties longer than 90 days.

I know little about the video games. You're talking t a guy that remembers Super Mario Bros. and Mr.s Pac-Man. Though I do like the doom style games and baseball. Bu my computer is kind of limited so I play mostly Baseball Mogul and OOTP so I can wheel and deal as GM and club owner.

Yes they charge $43.99CDN for the remote to play the X-Box.

I have been very careful on the warranty. In Canada whatever you buy in the electronics department comes with Wal-Marts 1 year exchange warranty. Future Shop provides the manufacturers warranty. The folks bought a JVC VCR so I asked about the warranty and it's 1 year parts but only 90 days labour. Since the VCR is $100.00Cdn and labour would eat the biggest chunk of a repair...basically you get screwed with the Future shop...no wonder they charge and push extended warranties so much.

Future Shop carries the XBox with two games(Tetris and one of the Star Wars games) and a controller for $229.00CDN) with the 90 day warranty. But then add another $43.99 for the Remote and it's getting up there.

If I take the $43.99 out of the picture I can use that for a Toshiba. They're all pretty cheap these days, Apex by the sounds of it is pushing the envelope TOO cheap. They look very flimsy.

I was thinking of this the other day. All the raging debates over cd players differences etc. But you know what. DVD players are digital to anolog converters and there is DEFINITELY a difference in picture quality. It's still basically a DAC. And if all DAC's sound the same the converting video digital bits should all look the same....and they don't. Just an aside.

Well, I'll see what's out there - I really should not be spending any of my student loan money...but what the hell you gotta live a little too.

Receiver, Xbox, DVD player, surround speakers, LOL.

[recoveryone]

In my son's room I have their PS2 hooked up to a 19" Sanyo TV and Kenwood DPL receiver, basic RCA center and fronts, Optimus Pro X77's in rear and Optimus 10" 100 watt sub. They watch DVD's ( remote and signal unit is dirt cheap for PS2). The games sound awesome ( Madden 04, GTA, SOCOM.......). I seen a friends XBOX in action and it was nice also, big advantage is the HardDrive ( record your own music to play with some games). Both units have online ability (online unit is about $25 add on for PS2) XBOX built in I think, most games are free to play online.

[uncooked]

i have a yamaha dvd player and a ps2 hooked up to my receiver. "optical"

i must say that the ps2 does a good job exspecially if you have the new progressive scan one.

i had my ps2 in my room for around a year and i was using it on a little 24 inch tv. it looked awsome.

i then bought a 61 inch sony and put it in my basement. i had nothing for it for a while so i hooked it up in my basement to the tv and it wasnt very clear on such a large tv.

also it froze slightly on all the layer changes........? it never did that once in my room.

i went out and bought a 5650 yamaha amp and a 5650 yamaha dvd player and the picture is awsome now. the layer changes still come through on old movies and even some new ones like x men 2. but much much better then the ps2 could handle it.

[joel2762]

also it froze slightly on all the layer changes........? it never did that once in my room.

It's weird that this never happened before. I get the same thing on my Sony dvd player, however it states in the manual, layer change may trigger a slight pause.

[recoveryone]

It's weird that this never happened before. I get the same thing on my Sony dvd player, however it states in the manual, layer change may trigger a slight pause.

On the more carefully edited Disk the layer change is placed within a scene change, so you would not notice as much. On others placed mid scene (Older DVD's have this bad) you will see the slight layer pause. Some players handle this better than others, but if the layer edited is done right you will not notice it as much. this is my own observation (over 100 DVD's in stock and counting)

[uncooked]

so layer changes are normal? i went through this huge huge battle trying to get rid of them for like a moth. i probably bought over 10 dvd players and tried them at home. i finally got a yamaha with a buffer and it works great. i never even see the change on most. but there are some movies i do. "x men 2" they didnt do a good job.

[recoveryone]

so layer changes are normal? i went through this huge huge battle trying to get rid of them for like a moth. i probably bought over 10 dvd players and tried them at home. i finally got a yamaha with a buffer and it works great. i never even see the change on most. but there are some movies i do. "x men 2" they didnt do a good job.

Layer changes are needed to fit the full film on 1 side of a disk. I have some older DVD's that you have to flip the disk mid movie that are single layer ( like the old laser Disk). So when first generation DVD players came out it was a big stink about the single layer disk being no better than laser (avarage Joe) didn't know about the picture quality or sound ability/quality of DVD's. Just as today when I see people buying progessive scan players and see no differences (they need a compatible TV thats supports it) Compaines have been working on the the layer changes pause for years, I like the yammie plan (just like the Walkman Problem, Buffer the pic)