dvd players w/fiber opitcal output

[sonoma1993]

Why is it now a days, hard to find a dvd player that has fiber optical output. Most of the ones I see around in stores (best buy, meijers) they have the ones that have the digital output(rca style plug). My stereo only support the fiber optical input for the digtal dobly surround sound. I dont want to use the regular rca inputs for the regular ol doly prologic surround sound if I dont have to.

 

[MisterJackson]

mine has it, actually both of mine have it. My xbox 360 and my phillips 642

 

[lokiju]

I just got one yesterday and you're right, just has the digital rca type of out but thats what I used for it anyways so it works for me.

Guess this is the new route to go.

 

[KentState]

I actually had to buy a converter many years ago because my receiver only had 1 optical input and many rca style inputs for digital. The converter allowed me to hook up my PS2's optical output to the coxial connection. Really, both are pure digital so you are not really gaining anything either way.

 

[Nohr]

My Pioneer DV-588A-S has both digital outputs. I didn't think an optical output was that hard to find.

 

[EKKC]

dont get cheap $20 made in china dvd players
get $75 made in china dvd players

my $60 philips dvp642 has it fiber optical out, it the one that plays divx and etc.
its actually harder to find a good receiver with multiple component/optical inputs, i have an xbox, ps2, xbox360, and dvd player all on component-optical, i'm actually doing it cheap (as in $160) and found a nice auto signal sensing component/optical switchbox to go into my receiver...

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: EKKC
dont get cheap $20 made in china dvd players
get $75 made in china dvd players

my $60 philips dvp642 has it fiber optical out, it the one that plays divx and etc.
its actually harder to find a good receiver with multiple component/optical inputs, i have an xbox, ps2, xbox360, and dvd player all on component-optical, i'm actually doing it cheap (as in $160) and found a nice auto signal sensing component/optical switchbox to go into my receiver...

I just bought a philips dvp642 dvd player at meijers to replace my 4/5 year old samsung dvd player. They only had two dvd player models that had the fiber optical output. this one and this other which was an sylvania (spelling) it was their model with the hdmi output. Everything out was the digital rca type.

 

[EKKC]

thats weird, my older panasonic dvd player from a few years ago that i bought for 90 (back then = cheap) had the optical out

i guess they're trying to down the manufacturing cost, seeing how those av-savvy ones would not be buying 20 dollar players, and those buying the 20 dollar player would never need the optical output

 

[murphy55d]

My Pioneer DV-260 has both. I've had it for years, too.

 

[DougK62]

I bought a Sony 5-disc player at a Sears just a couple of months ago and it has the optical out. I'm also in the same boat with my receiver.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: EKKC
thats weird, my older panasonic dvd player from a few years ago that i bought for 90 (back then = cheap) had the optical out

i guess they're trying to down the manufacturing cost, seeing how those av-savvy ones would not be buying 20 dollar players, and those buying the 20 dollar player would never need the optical output

The optical out used to ve more common. Now they're removing them in favor of newer technology.

 

[EKKC]

Originally posted by: DougK62
I bought a Sony 5-disc player at a Sears just a couple of months ago and it has the optical out. I'm also in the same boat with my receiver.

well this is what i got, i forgot the vendor i bought from, but it was near 150 or 160 range, it senses you signals so you never have to touch anything (unless for overrides, say nothing is on, i turn on my xbox, so it uses that, and while my xbox is on i turn on 360, it will switch to the new signal, and when i turn off the 360, goes back to my xbox, if i dont turn off the 360 and need to go to xbox, i would have to walk to the switch and toggle, there's no remote here)

Audio Authority 1154

 

[Zenmervolt]

My 3-ish year old JVC has Fiber-Optic output, I didn't think it was anything special for a DVD player.

And my year-old receiver has a pair of optical inputs and a pair of digital RCA inputs. Wasn't anything special as a receiver either, just a basic Onkyo.

ZV

 

[Linflas]

Both of the ones I have have optical digital outputs. One I purchased years ago, the other I purchased early this year.

 

[teckmaster]

my older sony dvd player has both fiber optic and RCA Digital outputs.

I like the quality just fine through the RCA but I've heard from a few audiophiles that the fiber optic makes a big difference.

 

[Nohr]

Originally posted by: teckmaster
I like the quality just fine through the RCA but I've heard from a few audiophiles that the fiber optic makes a big difference.

I've heard that it makes little if any difference.

 

[NanoStuff]

Devices that support optical but not coax are hosers. Live and learn I suppose.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Don't most decent DVD players have optical and coaxial? I know mine (a midrange upconverting Sony) does.

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: Nohr

Originally posted by: teckmaster
I like the quality just fine through the RCA but I've heard from a few audiophiles that the fiber optic makes a big difference.

I've heard that it makes little if any difference.

It doesn't. If anything the cables are more expensive and harder to find.

To the OP: I like this model. Got a good cnet review.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: zendari

To the OP: I like this model. Got a good cnet review.

I have that very unit and I've been pleased with it. That being said, if your TV has a decent Faroudja-or-equivalent upconverting chip, you're arguably better off saving your money and just outputting 480i or 480p from the DVD player and letting the TV upconvert. The only reason I don't is that I've heard that my set (a Samsung DLP set) can exhibit display lag when it upconverts.

 

[AMCRambler]

I'm guessing because a stereo with fiber optic inputs is becoming less common too? Are the fiber optic cables expensive? I would think they cost quite a bit more than an rca wire.

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
I'm guessing because a stereo with fiber optic inputs is becoming less common too? Are the fiber optic cables expensive? I would think they cost quite a bit more than an rca wire.

Like $6-10. Circuit City, of course, will charge you like $30 and make like 1000% overhead on it.

As long as your connection is digital, upconverting on either end is similar, but the DVD player has the advantage of always dealing with 480i as opposed to a variety of sources that the TV does. But a DVD player with a high quality chip like that is going to be quite a bit more than $120.