Layer change question...

[Wolfman]

Howdy.

First of all thanks to everyone for the wonderful community that has been created here, very helpful.

My quandry:

I am looking to rebuild my home theater system from old prologic technology with a VCR to the newest tech.

My first purchase is going to be a DVD player. I have read user reviews and .pdf files until my eyes have bled, but I haven't seen anywhere mention of layer shift pauses on specific models.
Is this a moot point?
Do all decent DVD NOT pause at the layer change?

And lastly, if anyone have suggestions for a nice DVD in the $500 range, it would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

[1138]

Most all stand alone players have a detectable pause. The severity varies from player to player but most aren't that bad.

As for which player, $500 is a bit much for a good quality player and not quite enough for an exoctic choice. I'd say spend about $300-$350 at most on your player.

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter/Moderator
Someday, I will be the most powerful Jedi ever.

[1138]

Oh, and welcome to the forum Wolfman!

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter/Moderator
Someday, I will be the most powerful Jedi ever.

[gachamann]

GRRRRR....

I know I saw a website at some point that had a listing of players and their layer-switching abilities (pause length). I forgot to bookmark it and now I'm gonna go hunting, though I probably won't find it. I'll post it if I do...

[mrkeeling]

I would seriously consider DVD-video/audio player.

[IKEA_boy]

Originally posted by 1138:
I'd say spend about $300-$350 at most on your player.

I spent $150 on mine (Toshiba SD1600) and it works like a charm. I have yet to have problem.

edit: And it has most of the bells and whistles to it. It just can't play recorded media.

[This message has been edited by IKEA_boy (edited 11-25-2001).]

[MARVEL]

Originally posted by 1138:
Most all stand alone players have a detectable pause. The severity varies from player to player but most aren't that bad.

Just to add to what 1138 said, it also depends on the authoring of the movie. I also have some movies that there is no pause at all on my player but you can see it on the same disc on a different player. But man it sure beats having to get up and change sides on LD's or changing tapes on long movies on tape.

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F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E
Florida State
Florida State
Florida State
WHOOOOO!!!!

[Lenny Nero]

Yes, all players have pauses but how noticable it is depends on where it is placed and your dvd player, I've noticed Sonys have the biggest gap, while the rest are very quick, especially my Panasonic portable and Malata multiregion.
Some place layer change nicely and strategically between scenes or in a blackout, and when there is no music or any sound going on, but some just slap it right in the middle of a scene and it just sucks, but...

Originally posted by MARVEL:
... man it sure beats having to get up and change sides on LD's or changing tapes on long movies on tape.

Indeed, or how about that Star Wars CAV LD collection, 18 sides, 6 per movie, you gotta put the disc 1 in, then flip it, then change it, then flip disc 2, then put in disc 3, then flip it.
That's like 5 whole get ups during ONE movie. Hehe, but at least I got original, non CGI butchered versions with audio commentary and loads of behind the scenes stuff.
Gotta get one of those standalone DVD recorders and transfer all my LDs and VHS onto DVD!

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"All you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun." - Jean Luc Godard

[MARVEL]

Originally posted by Lenny Nero:
....how about that Star Wars CAV LD collection, 18 sides, 6 per movie, you gotta put the disc 1 in, then flip it, then change it, then flip disc 2, then put in disc 3, then flip it.
That's like 5 whole get ups during ONE movie.

Ahhhh... the good old days, When friends would ask during the side change "what's going on?". DVD newbies have no idea the pain you used to have to go through to get high quality HT. And what it's like to see yet another $200 LD special ed. ported over to a $25 DVD like T2 and see me not get excited at all because I saw all of the features years before.

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F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E
Florida State
Florida State
Florida State
WHOOOOO!!!!

[tomdkat]

Originally posted by Lenny Nero:
Yes, all players have pauses but how noticable it is depends on where it is placed and your dvd player,

From what I understand, HTPCs wiht DVD-ROM drives do NOT have layer change pauses because the PCs have enough "horsepower" to smooth out the layer change and it becomes seamless....

I believe the Denon DV-2800 has the "smoothest" layer change, for standalone players on the market right now. The layer change with the Denon is STILL there, but very short/smooth. I have NOT seen it personally, but that is what I've read....

Peace.....

[1138]

It's not horsepower, it's memory. They have enough memory to buffer for the layer change. And from what I understand, the Dennon is a DVD-ROM drive in a player housing, so it has plenty of memory to buffer the layer change.

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter/Moderator
Someday, I will be the most powerful Jedi ever.

[Lenny Nero]

Right, DVD-Roms just "read ahead" and output the info from the buffer while the layer changes so you don't see/notice anything.
Didn't know about that Denon.


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"All you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun." - Jean Luc Godard