# Review: Philips DVP5960/37



## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

This is a nice low-cost DVD player that has some impressive upgraded features. 

Upconverts up to 1080i
Very thin footprint (1.5" tall)
USB Port
Plays DiVX
Plays MP3s
The foremost reason I got it was because I ran some of the tests for artifacts on DVD players and mine was horrible. It is one of those things- if you don't know what to look for, it doesn't bother you, but once I read about the artifacts- I couldn't watch anymore. Galaxy Quest, Monsters Inc, etc. had specific chapters and menus to look for- I reran the tests on this unit and it passed perfectly. 

The second reason I wanted it was that it did upconversion. My projector is native 1366x768 LCDs. Playing 480p is ridiculous- so, I wanted the upconversion (even though my PJ has a good scaler, figure scaling done digitally will be better). It is an upconverting DVD player- but only through the digital interface. For some reason, the studios do not let anyone make an upconverting player through component output. This doesn't make any sense to me since I can do it on my PC, or inside my projector. Anyhow- just having the higher quality (no artifacts) was good enough to keep it. Footnote: some players (I think Oppo is one) are ignoring the studios and allowing upconverted component output by going through a couple of simple menus. When I finish my HTPC, then I won't worry about it.

As far as the other features- DivX and MP3/JPG playback... well, it is one of those things they list- but you probably won't use. I plugged a USB drive into it and it flipped thorugh the photos- but was agonizingly slow- and it showed them at a weird scale and low quality. I only played with DivX for a little while and couldn't play the one movie I tried, but I'll go back to that another time.

Now the cons:

The remote is stupid. Non-backlit (no biggie, this is a budget player), but it is designed to used by people from parallel galaxies. :raped: Let me explain- unlike something designed to be used by left-or-right handed, when you pick it up without looking at it, you can't tell which way to point it- it feels just as natural having the sensor pointing at you as at the player- perfectly symetrical in a mirror sense.

Major Con: WILL NOT PLAY DTS. This one blows my mind since all the player has to do is pass along the output- no decoding needed. I guess to save a nickel, they left that out. I only have a couple of DTS movies, but that really irks me. *UPDATE: with firmware update, it now plays DTS.*

Annoyance: There's a red LED on.. when it is off. Why do they do this? In my industry (telecom), a red light means an alarm.

Annoyance: The first thing I do is put a DVD into the player- why do I have to turn it on- then push the open button? I'd rather the unit turn on and open it when I push the open button. (My other dvd player worked that way and I liked it).



So- I'm happy with my purchase. For the price, you can't go wrong. It is a good looking box, with HDMI output and upconversion. The lack of DTS is bizarre- and that may be enough to make you look elsewhere. Honestly, had I known about that, I wouldn't have bought it- but just being artifact-free is good enough to keep it. I paid $70 for it, but the price is $80 now, maybe you can find it on sale at Circuit City.

Other review: http://reviews.cnet.com/Philips_DVP5960_37/4505-6463_7-31871079-2.html?tag=sub


----------



## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

Amazing timing- I complain about the remote... and it quits working. New batteries didn't help. Not sure if it is the remote or the unit itself. Grrr. I take back the recommendation.


----------



## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

Okay, just a case of dead batteries on the remote.

Awesome news: one of my problems with the player has been resolved: IT DOES DTS with the firmware upgrade. (thanks to Rollsroyce for the find)

Here's the link for the firmware. 
http://www.usasupport.philips.com/p...=DVP5960/37&subCat=DVD_PLAYERS_SU_US_CONSUMER


----------



## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

Right now, Circuit City has this player on sale, $60 after rebate. http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/prod...ty.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&u=c&qp=0&oid=147185


----------



## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

It seems like this player is the internet favorite because it can be used as a standalone Divx player through the USB port.

It also can be region-freed, etc. The reason I'm reading up on it is that I'm selling it now that I got my A2 which does also does a better job scaling regular DVDs

http://www.phunkyfish.com/article/4/philips-dvp-596012


----------



## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

No divx in the A2 though, that bums me out. I'll be keeping my Oppo along with my A2 for this reason. My philips, however, got donated to the school I work at, when the oppo came home.


----------

