Philips DVP642

Philips DVP642 DVD Player Review

Tap into multimedia fun with Philips' broad-format, high-style, and ultra-slim Philips DVP642 DVD player. The Philips DVP642 is not only a high-end progressive-scan DVD player equipped to offer scintillating images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs, it's a tech-savvy player that spins your MP3- and JPEG-encoded recordable CDs (as well as Kodak's and Fuji's variants of the same) and CDs loaded with MPEG-4 and DivX video (3.11, 4.x, and 5.x files), perfect for viewing Internet-sourced content in your home theater. Want more? The Philips DVP642 player also converts Region 1/All Region PAL-formatted discs (the video standard in Europe) for viewing on standard NTSC televisions (and vice-versa, if only for video CDs).

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the Philips DVP642 stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs.

Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. Playback options include five-disc resume, which lets you pick up where you left off on your five most recently viewed DVDs (not applicable for MP3 or JPEG CDs), disc-lock

The Philips DVP642 progressive-scan functionality allows compatible TVs to display the even and odd numbered lines of an image in a single pass. This minimizes screen flicker, which is easier on your eyes.

The player will play JPEG images one by one automatically, letting you zoom in, rotate, or flip the picture vertically or horizontally. For MP3 playback, the player offers track time display, album and track selection, and repeat (disc/album/track). The DivX media format is MPEG-4 based video compression that lets you save large files like films, movie trailers, and music videos on recordable media.

Philips' 4x video upsampling offers smoother images even when viewing interlaced (nonprogressive) signals through the player's component-video, S-video, or standard composite-video outputs. SmartPicture provides optimum picture settings for color, brightness, saturation, contrast, sharpness, etc., to enhance your overall viewing experience at all times. The player will play JPEG images one by one automatically, letting you zoom in, rotate, or flip the picture vertically or horizontally. For MP3 playback, the player offers track time display, album and track selection, and repeat (disc/album/track). The DivX media format is MPEG-4 based video compression that lets you save large files like films, movie trailers, and music videos on recordable media.

A set of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.

What's in the Box?

Philips DVP642 DVD-Video player, remote control with batteries, a user's manual, and an analog audio/composite-video interconnect.

So what Features Does the Philips DVP642 Have?

� Color: Silver

� Disc capacity: 1

� Progressive scan: Yes

� Region playback: Compatible only with discs coded for Region 1 and for All Regions

� Progressive scan: Yes

� Switchable 480p/480i: Yes

� 3:2 pulldown detection: No

� Memory card slot: No

� Playback formats: DVD-Video (NTSC, PAL), VCD, SVCD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, red book CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 CD, JPEG picture CD, Kodak Picture CD, Fuji color pictures, MPEG-4, DivX 3.11/4.x/5.x

� PAL/NTSC conversion: Converts PAL signal to NTSC, converts NTSC signals to PAL from VCD discs only

� Horizontal resolution: PAL: 625 lines; NTSC: 525 lines

� Aspect ratio control: Yes

� Dialog enhancer: No

� Integrated receiver: No

� Front-panel operation: Yes

� Quick play: No

� Multi-angle viewing: Yes (with applicable discs)

� Black-level adjustment: No

� Picture enhancements: Smart Picture for personalized image settings

� Video DAC: 54 MHz/12-bit with 4x video upsampling

� Audio DAC: 192 kHz/24-bit

� Audio signal-to-noise ratio: 105 dB (at 1 kHz)

� Audio dynamic range: 100 dB (at 1 kHz)

� Audio crosstalk: 105 dB (at 1 kHz)

� Distortion plus noise: 90 dB (at 1 kHz)

� Chapter preview: No

� Custom bookmarks: No

� Frame advance: Yes

� Still/freeze frame: Yes

� Jog/shuttle dial on unit: No

� Karaoke: No

� Multilingual support: Yes (English, Spanish, French)

� Remote control: Universal

� Parental controls: Yes (disc lock)

� Picture zoom: Yes

� Random play: No

� Recording capability: No

� Repeat play: Works with DVD/VCD/audio CD/MP3 CD: chapter/ title/ all, or track/all; DVD/VCD/ audio CD: A-B repeat)

� Resume play: Yes (last 5 discs; works with DVD/VCD/audio CD)

� Track programming: Yes (tracks, chapters, or favorite track selection)

� Reverse-frame step: Yes

� Screen dimmer: No

� Screen saver: Yes

� Slow motion: Yes

� Text display: No

� VCR capability: No

� Audio outputs: 1 stereo analog (left/right), 2 digital (1 optical, 1 coaxial)

� Headphone jack: No

� Video outputs: 3 (composite-, component-, and S-video)

� Surround-sound output: Dolby Digital 5.1-channel passthrough

� Simulated surround sound: Yes (3D Sound)

� THX-certified: No

� Power input: 110V, 60 Hz

� Power consumption: Less than 10 watts (standby: less than .8 watts)

� UPC: 0 37849 94601 5

� Item width: 17.1 inches

� Item height: 1.7 inches

� Item depth: 9.3 inches

� Item weight: 4.4 pounds

� Shipping weight: 6.6 pounds

� Warranty: 90 days exchange; 91 days to 1 year reduced-cost exchange

Conclusion

Philips DVP642 DVD Player - Dreaming of a player that plays practically any disc format while enjoying flawless, true-to-life picture quality? Now you can! With Philips DVD players, indulge in great movie and music entertainment experience delivered right to your home. Smart Picture for personalized image settings Component Video Input Dolby Digital outputs

Best DVD Recorder Reviews Rating

8.5/10

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