Luke

Hate playing games!! just want to watch DVd's. Also that fan noise drives me mad!!

Will a tescos/Richer sounds £120.00 job be better. Also got lots of copy DVds that I wish to watch ( £1.00 from China!!)

pedestrian

Love playing games (esp GT3!) and watching DVDs so PS2 is good for me. I agree that the fan can be annoying, but only when the film has quiet bits in it.

Havent seen DVDs on anything other than a PS2 though so dont know how it compares, but I've read elsewhere that its better than some of the cheapest DVD players around, but if your spending money slightly above the cheapest DVD players then they are better than a PS2.

Can I add on another question re playing DVDs on PS2 please? Does a PS2 play region 0 DVDs?

Scooby Dooby Blue

Luke
PS2 plays DVDs just fine but a scart cable upgrade is needed. You can buy a DVD package for about £25 for the PS2. It consists of remote control, scart cable and Region X disk (allows oyu to play imported DVDs).
Alternatively, Tesco have an offer on just now. £149.95 gets you an LG DVD player and 10 DVDs. Know anyone that works for them and you'll get it for £135.

Pedestrian
I think the Region X disk allows you to play regions 0 to 6 but dont quote me on that. The disk itself (or a variation there-on) is a freebie on the cover of a PS2 mag.

Paul

Mark Jackson

DVD's are ok on my PS2, the fan noise is annoying but my other DVD is in my pc and the fan noise from that sounds like a Hoover.

DVD's for a quid, whats the catch, are they in CHinese then ?

C h a z

Try using the Monster PS2 S-vhs cable, fantastic pic quality. However it is £60

Carlos The Jackel

it seems fine for DVD's unless you try and pause it using the controller i always lose the place, then have to watch part of a chapter over again - doh

Bin Laden

yep the software driven controls are the worst thing but you can get a remote setup I believe

Kevin Greeley

Don't use an RGB cable to play DVDs on the PS2, the picture is green (I'm not joking)!

Games look superb though.

Dizzy

The DVD playback sux BADLY.. not only are there loads of artifacts but it even skips I'd use it if I had nothing else but £150 dvd players r probably loads better (although I've never one of the new generation DVD players).

rik1471

The Playstation2 isn't best suited to playing DVDs. I wouldn't even compare it to some bottom end players. Makes up for it with GTA3 though!

Chris T

i have used one since jan 2000 its fine - not got all the features of some - u can buy a remote though - also is seems to lose the tracking between the sound and the picture after about an hour - so u need to pause and then play - always clears it up

But - if you don't like games - why buy a ps2 ?

globbits

Luke

I've got a Messiah-chipped PS2 and a £150 Richer Sounds multi-region DVD player. Admittedly, I bought the DVD player first, but I wouldn't consider watching a DVD on the PS2. Unfortunately, the picture quality is lower. Not hugely lower, but enough.

As far as I can see, the difference is data-rate - some of the solid areas of colour are a little blocky on the PS2, whereas the other DVD player (an Eclipse) smoothes the area better.

They're both good, don't get me wrong, but the PS2 does lack a little on the finer bits.

Sorry

Scooby Dooby Blue

"A large supermarket chain" are starting a DVD event on the 27th of the Month. Hold out for a bargain.
They're also going to be offering a free VHS player with the purchase of a telly
Paul

[Edited to remove the name of said supermarket chain incase i get into trouble]

[Edited by Scooby Dooby Blue - 3/22/2002 12:31:00 PM]

RichS

Luke

I bought my PS2 because of the double bonus of GT3 (etc) + DVD.
(Obviously I didn't have a DVD player at the time.)

I think it may depend on what version of PS2 you have.
My one plays DVD's adequately without the problems that Dizzy has related above.

HOWEVER - it does have the sound problem where the lip-sync goes off after about an hour's playback.
This is easily overcome by pausing the DVD and playing again, so not a big deal, but not great.
Also, using the game controller for operating DVD is not ideal.
You can get remote controls - I've tried two of them, but neither was a Sony one, so they weren't exactly perfect.

I now have a Pioneer DVD player (about £170) which I use for films etc and my PS2 is relegated to games only.

All in, using the PS2 for DVD is IMHO fine, but a proper player is better.


Rich

Markus

Have got PS2, and like most, got it for DVD's and Gran Turismo 3 and GTA3 (pity no scoobs though!)

DVD quality? hmm, well I use scart connection to no greenscreen problem, plus I have a copy of Action Replay which includes the region X type import dvd player, cos I have region 1 dvds. Anyway, picture quality, well, it's ok, but not great, but then what do you expect?

Point in case, rent out Seven, then what you want to do is watch the investigation at the 'fat boy' murder scence. In the shots just before somerset tells mills to go outside and talk to neighbours watch the walls behind mills, you'll see pixelation, like you would on a low quality JPEG picture (hardly suprising as it's using MPEG which is kinda like JPEG) when a character/object moves, the pixelation goes, then when stationery pixelation again.

It's only really noticable when you have large dark areas, or large areas of single color or stark detail. Dark City is another noticable one.

To be honest, unless you're really annoyed by it, it is fine.

I have considered going and getting a cheapish DVD player, eg; Wharfdale M5, but think I'll stick with the PS2 for the moment as it does seem great.

As for controller problems. tis a pain, go and get the official sony remote, 1, it's a great remote, 2, you get updated dvd drivers, not sure what they do, but think, going on reports I've seen on here about some movies (R2 Robocop trillogy being one) not working, they might fix that.

If you're going to 'get into' dvd then a dedicated player might be better, plus it'll save wear and tear on the ps2!

Luke

"For Sale"!!

PS2,mint complete with puka "dual shock controller" and that crazy game !! GTA .3,Jesus its violent!! .

North London £ 150.00

No muppets or Disk kickers!!!

pedestrian

Great thread.

Just in case other people are unsure as I was; I gambled and went out and bought a Region 0 DVD to see if that will play on my PS2. The answer: YES!

mole

Luke - sorry, my mate wasn't interested in the PS2 in the end.

Cheers, Mole.

PS. I've got a *Brand New* Wharfdale DVD-750 for sale for £100. Can be region hacked

Luke

Mole

If I can sell my PS2.. And you are local (??) I am interested.

GaryC

Have 'proper' DVD in Living room (with DTS AV kit - wow!), and PS2 in bedroom. Pic quality is no where near as good, but passable to finish the movie in bed One question though..

TV upstairs isn't widescreen, yet I can't seem to set my PS2 to 'swap' to normal? thus all films are squashed? other DVD player can - can the PS2? and how?

Simon West

GaryC
I too experience the same squashed pictures with DVD films on my PSX2. i.e. Pearl Harbor, Gone In 60 Seconds. There is a method to adjust ratio, but it appears to be locked for most films. The only one I could adjust is Lock, Stock. I'm beginning to think I need to buy a new TV.

Dario

If you buy the official PS2 remote - you get a disc with the new drivers to fix the lip-sync and improve the picture quality - or just borrow a mates disc and upload it to your PS2 memeory card.

Regards

Lee