Multi-Speed Standalone DVD players....

[Clashman]

It seems to me that a DVD in a multi-speed drive on a computer is more able to overcome scratches and defects on a disc, at least that's the case on my computer. My question is, why haven't standalone players followed suit? Nearly every single, (if it isn't every one), home DVD player is still stuck with a 1x drive. This can be a huge pain in the ass if you're playing a scratched disc. I can't believe it would really be about cost anymore given how cheap DVD drives have become.

I suppose a solution to this would be to use an X box or PS2, or hook up a computer to your TV instead of using a regular standalone player. I guess my question is aimed more at why standalones have chosen to go this route instead of progressing along with computer drives. Any takers?

Edit: this question could also be applied to CD players.

 

[cthellis42]

I guess my question is aimed more at why standalones have chosen to go this route instead of progressing along with computer drives. Any takers?

A) Cheap or not, they still save more money.
B) They'll buy more replacement DVD's which fuels the industry they're in, and only blame themselves for scratching them.
C) Gives more room to sell "advanced models" at a premium to get around that, and get more profit and better marketing to boot.

 

[RussSchultz]

A home DVD player doesn't need more than a 1x drive to perform its function. Same reason that corded CD players spin at 1x.

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

some players spin faster to offer buffer against sskips due to shock...........personal quality cd players


the speed of the DVD drive really has nothing to do with if the drive can or cannot read a scratched DVD...I would suspect that the player's error corecting ability and the severity of the scratch have to do with that......

 

[Tim Murray]

Because 1x drives are quiet. Faster drive = higher RPM = noise.

 

[RussSchultz]

some players spin faster to offer buffer against sskips due to shock...........personal quality cd players

Thats true, but they don't spin much more than 1x.

the speed of the DVD drive really has nothing to do with if the drive can or cannot read a scratched DVD...I would suspect that the player's error corecting ability and the severity of the scratch have to do with that......

I agree. The speed doesn't have much to do with the error handling, but I bet that the higher speed mechanisms are "better", either by being newer, or by requiring better equipment to handle the higher speeds.

 

[ByteMe]

A home DVD player doesn't need more than a 1x drive to perform its function. Same reason that corded CD players spin at 1x.

What about oversampling?

 

[RussSchultz]

Spinning the disc faster means you need to have a faster bit slicer to get the same number of "over samples" of the media. You're making the problem worse, not better by increasing the rpm.

 

[Bambers]

the drives CD and dvd stand alone players have always been utter crap, they're always the last to be able to read recordable and then rewritable discs properly and they're always awful at handling scratches and defects. My 6x dvd-rom from 1999 handles dvds and cds better than even the top stand alones you can buy today do.

Rpm and noise levels isn't the problem either. Drives are quite able to be silent at 4000rpm (~8x max dvd)

unlike the pc sector theres no real need to stick a decent drive in standalones since they rarely get reviewed on their ability to read imperfect media.

 

[London Geezer]

What does drive speed have to do with the ability of a drive to read scratched discs?

If the disc is badly scratched, the drive wont read it whether it spins at 1x or 2x or more.

Higher speeds will offer better buffering systems, however if the drive cant read the disc, it just won't, whatever the speed is.

My Ps2 is quite "scratch-sensitive", although it spins at 4x it won't read certain discs that are badly scrathced.

So the problem is not speed, it's KEEP YOUR FREAKING DISCS SAFE.