DVD and MP3

A new generation of standalone DVD players is hitting the market with intriguing new features, such as the ability to play compilations of MP3 audio songs on CD-recordable discs. These standalone DVD players allowing the production of audio discs with more than 10 hours of music on them. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the models on the market with this capability.

Sony sells a model manufactured by Labway, Inc., for a suggested list price of US$699 (but a recent eBay sale offered it for about half that much.)

As detailed at http://mp3.com, the Raite/Yamakawa AVPhile 715 is MP3 capable. It is sold at Fry's for about US$239 (and has been on sale at prices as low as US$149 back in December). An eBay page provides details.

There's also a better-equipped model called the AVPhile 713. (yes, the unit with the lower number is more full-featured!). This model also has  Dolby Digital (AC-3) output.

Both support the playback of MP3 files on regular data CDs. If files are on root directory, the unit's LED display shows 18 chars; if they are in subdirectories, 8 chars of directory name + 8 chars of file are displayed. They are not DVD region locked.

The first versions, users report, had issues with variable bit rate MP3s, such as those produced by the Xing encoder. These files made an odd chirping noise. Also, Macrovision couldn't be disabled, but these issues were resolved with a firmware update. However, even with the new firmware, there is no shuffle play, you can't search within tracks and titles are truncated. There are, however, great tools to prepare some onscreen lists with full names built either from the id3 tag or the file name. And, best of all, you can make it code-free, allowing the unit to play DVD discs with foreign "Region codes."

http://www.futureshop.ca/ sells a unit developed in China by Visual Disc and Digital Video Corp. (VDDV) and sold in the U.S. and Canada by a company called Apex Digital. The Apex DVD AD-600A (about US$149-$169.99) has problems with audio sync while playing some -- but not all -- DVDs. Sync problems have been reported with the first Austin Powers movie and the Billy Madison DVD. According to one report, there are times where the audio is a good 1/4 second lagging the video on the latter title.

AD-600A Key Features:

• High Resolution DVD Video Player
• Color Difference Video Output
• Surround Sound Output
• Video CD/Compact Disc Playback
• Spatializer 3D Audio
• Karaoke
• Remote Control
• Parental Control
• Multi Angle
• Weight = 10 lbs

The video quality is good (S video out) and it, too, plays compilation discs of MP3s on CD-R or CD-RW, with a few limitations. Most notably, the file names are truncated to 8 characters. The navigation tools used to select MP3 songs provide only the most basic functionality, although a Shuffle mode provides an easy way to play files (or standard audio discs).

The unit has the following connectors on the back: Y, Cr and Cb video (three RCA plugs) as well as S-Video (four-pin SVHS plug) and standard composite video (RCA plug). There are two sets of L/R Audio out (four RCA plugs) and a composite Dolby Digital out (RCA plug). The unit does not have an optical out for Dolby Digital like most other DVD players. Additionally, there are two Mic inputs in the front of the unit (1/4" plug) -- apparently, for Karaoke purposes. A Wired.com review provides additional details.

The eight character limit is by far the unit's worst limitation. Here's what happens. First, for any duplicated characters in the first 8 chars, it immediately chops off two characters to put a 'N' and '1' to '9' to handle the duplicate names. If it hits more than 9 duplicates it chops off another 4 characters (leaving you with 2 unique chars), putting a 4 digit hex checksum of some sort, then a 'N' '1' (assume that's there on the 1 in 65536 chance of a duplicate hex checksum).

Thus, as a user named AmishStyle on the Ars Technica forum notes, it's really quite hard to figure out what the tracks are!

Even when playing a track, he says, there is no extra info, no more filename, no track number, and no MP3 tags. There's only an elapsed time for that track, which defaults to off; you have to use the display button to get it.

Also, reports a user named Speedbump, it can only display the files 12 at a time, and you have to go to the next "page" to see more. Moreover, there doesn't seem to be a page down button, so you have to skip songs until you get to the one you want, although you can enter the song number to jump to it, if you know it. There is no fast forward or rewind in the songs themselves, only skip forward and backward.

On the DVD end, the image quality is good, and the feature set (zoom, slow, etc.) is on par with most other players.

Early units also had a secret menu that, well, let's just say that the Apex DVD player has been banned from sale on eBay at the request of Macrovision, on the grounds that it violates Macrovision copyright. Unfortunately, units with the accessible hidden menus were taken out of the retail channel on May 15, as Apex Digital recalled the remaining inventory and updated the units to disable the menu access. The MP3 features, remain, however.

Where to get it: purchasers have picked them up at Circuit City stores at prices as low as US$149. In Canada, Future Shop sells the unit at C$349 -- a rather inflated price, we think, considering that Apex is a Canadian company.

There are several other (non DVD-capable) devices on the market that can play MP3 compilations. MamboX makes a a portable player that plays MP3s from CD-Rs and CD-RWs. As with most portable disc players, this portable model uses a 45 second buffer to avoid skips when the unit is bumped. The company also offers a home CD player that plays MP3s from CD-R AND CD-RW, and says it will soon have an automotive version. The portable model costs about the same as a Sony Discman.