Playing videos on a DVD player using USB or SD

[SprkLft Drvr]

This old laptop won't handle MKV's or high resolution AVI's anymore, it lags, skips and overheats and I really won't have the money to replace it this side of March. Anyway my DVD player just died and I've noticed that some of the new players have USB ports and or SD card slots.
Question is will they play the various video formats I've downloaded here on bakabt?

[Chiyachan]

Depends entirely on the video format the DVD player supports, and what you download.
Keep up the vagueness! <3

[SprkLft Drvr]

Depends entirely on the video format the DVD player supports, and what you download.
Keep up the vagueness! <3

That's the problem right there. The info available online is quite vague, the info on boxes in stores is quite vague, ask a salesperson? Yeah I was joking about that last bit. Yeah I know I could convert and burn to DVD but that takes about 3 hours per episode IF my computer doesn't crash (did I mention that it's old and the fan makes a nasty racket when it gets hot?).

I was hoping someone had tried to use one of these DVD players to play some AVIs, MKVs, XVids, etc. and could share their experience. I don't think there is a video format that I don't have in my collection, but most of it is AVI, MKV, XVid.

[Freedom Kira]

Sounds like you could fix your problems by spending $20 on a new fan and 20 min installing it.

[SprkLft Drvr]

Sounds like you could fix your problems by spending $20 on a new fan and 20 min installing it.

There is more to laptop cooling than just a fan. Heat pipes that don't work as well after 9 years as they did brand new and components such as the power supply that start to produce more heat as they get close to the end of their operational lives. Did I mention that my laptop is 9 years old and didn't have high end graphics capability to begin with? Don't think it could have handled an MKV at better than 800X450 resolution even brand new.

My brother installed a new HD a few years back and said that the case on my laptop was one of the worst he'd seen as far as opening was concerned, so I'm sure it would be more than 20 minutes for me to do it as I've never messed with laptop cases at all.

I'd like to keep this laptop working until I can replace it, I don't think watching anime on it would help there. Besides it's easier to watch with someone else on a TV than a laptop with lousy sound and graphics and we need to replace the DVD player anyway, so what's another $10 or $20 if it would give me more options for watching?

Does anybody know if any of these DVD players that sport USB ports or card slots support AVIs, MKVs etc?

[x5ga]

Most DVD-players can play DivX/Xvid video from an AVI container. I don't know any DVD-player that can read MKV containers. There are some other multimedia solutions for playing MKVs on the TV... like this thing over here (page is in Romanian, but the technical details should be understandable).

[SprkLft Drvr]

Most DVD-players can play DivX/Xvid video from an AVI container. I don't know any DVD-player that can read MKV containers. There are some other multimedia solutions for playing MKVs on the TV... like this thing over here (page is in Romanian, but the technical details should be understandable).

Thanks. Now all I have to do is find one that does and I can watch some of my unlicensed anime again. I was aware of the boxes that let you play any media and will probably get one eventually but a lot of other things have a higher priority and money is tight right now.

[fohfoh]

9 years? O_o

Err... if you're going to dump money anywhere... I'd suggest at the bare minimum maybe considering a netbook. Money on a DVD player... Somehow doesn't seem to make much sense to me. Compatibility generally sucks, and this is usually an issue to the maximum of when you spend the time to convert the files into something... like... avi. Which isn't really huge in "zomfg no options for me" factor.

If you wanted to look into the stuff like popcorn hour and the WD player... well, those work, but they're still approx like 1/2 the cost of netbooks. I'd rather spend the other half and get truly full functionality of a computer. I mean 9 years.... I'd be paranoid of that thing being on its last legs.

[SprkLft Drvr]

9 years? O_o

Err... if you're going to dump money anywhere... I'd suggest at the bare minimum maybe considering a netbook. Money on a DVD player... Somehow doesn't seem to make much sense to me. Compatibility generally sucks, and this is usually an issue to the maximum of when you spend the time to convert the files into something... like... avi. Which isn't really huge in "zomfg no options for me" factor.

If you wanted to look into the stuff like popcorn hour and the WD player... well, those work, but they're still approx like 1/2 the cost of netbooks. I'd rather spend the other half and get truly full functionality of a computer. I mean 9 years.... I'd be paranoid of that thing being on its last legs.

Yeah it is on it's last legs and I'm amazed that it even still works at this point. I will be replacing it in March or April when I have enough money. Meanwhile we have to replace the DVD player that just died and I was just curious whether it was worth another $10 or $20 to get a DVD player with a USB port or card slot or whether that would just be a waste of cash. I've got nieces and grandkids that are into anime now and it's nice when we can watch on the big screen in the living room. USB or SD will be more convenient than burning DVDs or interrupting my down/uploads to take my laptop into the living room. Sure we watch licensed stuff on DVD but as an uncle and grandfather I consider it my duty to corrupt my nieces and grandkids with unlicensed filth such as Potemayo, Manabi Straight and Minami-ke.

[fohfoh]

If you're spending less than 50 bucks, I'd say it's not bad of a deal. But I'd also believe (so don't take me 100% seriously) that you'd probably run into file type issues quickly and would have to spend time to convert a lot of stuff even if you're shoving it onto USB or w/e. So personally, I'd say that it's not a bad consideration, BUT, you'd have to look into what formats your DVD player is compatible with and you'd probably have to convert accordingly.

Idk about popcorn hour, but my friend has the WD one and it's not bad. But that's still a bit pricier. Another option (if the laptop isn't too far away) would be to consider buying additional cables that allow (you) to connect from a further location than your laptop already is... which might or might not work depending where you keep the laptop (I'd say 50 bucks is consideration for a max of like 20-50 ft depending on brand).

[Freedom Kira]

Ah, for some reason I was under the impression you were using a desktop, despite you mentioning it was a laptop in the OP.

I guess it would be difficult to find a fan for a laptop that old. Have you tried opening it up to dust it, at least?

[fohfoh]

Personally, if money really was that tight, I'd consider riding it out instead, and/or seeing if there was any way you could find random "junk" computer parts that you could get for free here and there to try and build an HTPC. It'll probably suck, but knowing 9 year old laptops, that things probably like a 1Ghz single core laptop anyways.

Then you'd have both.

But if you're dead set on the DVD player... then you'll likely have to convert a LOT of stuff.

[SprkLft Drvr]

fohfoh:

It's ok if it only plays one of the major formats, that would give me plenty to tide me over until I get a new laptop and when I do get a new laptop I'll be able to do conversions without a meltdown if I really want to.

Freedom Kira:

That's alright.
When my brother had it open a few years back he said it's sealed pretty good and the only place it'll get dust is in the fan and the heat sink it blows though. Also I'm afraid I'll kill the display, it goes out if I adjust the tilt of the screen. Get pretty decent air coming out of the heatsink even with the fan at low speed, the heat just doesn't seem to be making it's way to the heatsink and the power supply is definitely putting out more heat (a sign that the end is near).

fohfoh:

1Ghz ha try 550Mhz. Don't remember anything about the graphics processor other than that it only has 8Mb of memory. Major suckage I know but things got really pricey really quick back then if you tried to do better. No choice on the DVD player, my roommate is gonna buy a new one before the next time her grandson is over, don't tell him he can't play his Spiderman or Batman DVDs. If I don't help her get a new one then I'll have to hear about it every time I want to use it. Haven't bought any new anime except Ponyo the last six months and don't intend to until the car's payed off next year. Getting the DVD player will at least let me play my DVDs but if I want to watch anything I haven't watched already it'll have to be something I've downloaded and burning to CD or DVD is not an option (meltdown).

Odd thought -- what happens if I connect the external HD to the USB port on the DVD player? Do you have to do anything to prep your media so you can navigate your connected media or does the DVD player just let you navigate the directories on your media using the remote just like a DVD menu? 

[fohfoh]

I think there should be some type of basic nav menu available... but it really depends on the firmware of the DVD player.

[Freedom Kira]

You'd be surprised where dust can get into the system... If it's so old and not cleaned in a while there is probably dust caked in the nooks and crannies, no matter how well it was sealed.

You also won't have to touch anything related to the screen when you open up the lower part, assuming your laptop is shaped the same way as a regular conventional laptop. From my experience, Dells are easiest to open, then Sony, then Toshiba. HPs suck to open.

Ha, 550 MHz, my netbook is more powerful than that. Start saving up your cash

[fohfoh]

550Hz... I don't think I had anything at that level since like windows 95//98. And even then I was close to at least 1Ghz.

[SprkLft Drvr]

Freedom Kira:

Don't know how I'd get the case open without jiggling the display and last time I closed it I thought I'd lost the display for good. Oh yeah it's an HP. If I stop the fan there is no noise or vibration so I believe it's heat pipes bringing the heat to the heatsink, unless there's a fan that's supposed to circulate heat within the case and it died. The power supply definitely puts out too much heat.

I'm a savin', of course staying home with the internet and downloaded anime was part of my plan to avoid spending cash. While we're on the issue of eventually replacing my dinosaur, do I even have to worry about a modern laptop not being able to handle any video formats or resolutions? Don't want to spend too much but I don't want to make the mistake of being too cheap either.

[tomoya-kun]

Freedom Kira:

Don't want to spend too much but I don't want to make the mistake of being too cheap either.

My HP netbook with a 9400m can play 720p MKV no problem.

[Freedom Kira]

A netbook running an Atom N270 is probably able to play 720p no problem. 1080p is another story. Mine runs the N450 so it's got a bit more juice. Dunno about AMD's stuff; I don't really follow them.

This is assuming you're running Win7 Starter. Installing Linux would probably make it faster. Also assuming you're not using Windows Media Player. IMO ZoomPlayer is the best choice because it's lightweight, more so than MPCHC from my experience.

[fohfoh]

Isn't the coreavc combo even less resource intensive than a codec(like CCCP or K-lite) combo?