Info and forum posts by 'SmokedKipper'

RE: hmmmm

I ordered Scary Movie and the 2-dics Toy Story set on the 8th and I`m still waiting.

Processing..........

RE: Layer change spotting

I`ll come clean. My main reason for wanting to know when the change happened on my discs was to show off to a couple of mates who have had players for ages - neither of them believe that layer changes can be avoided.

I`m obviously not going to buy a disc just for that purpose so I`ll have to get them to watch a film of theirs on my player.

RE: Techtronics LG3350e

Resetting to factory settings goes some way to `buggering up your player` in my definition. Harmless enough, I admit, but damn annoying all the same. Stripping a car engine down is one thing, but re-programming the engine management system is another.

I know a few other mathematic constants (me dead clever like that) but I`ll have to find them out to six figures before I (or you) try anything.

RE: Layer change spotting

Thanks for the replies guys, but I was asking for people who HAVE seen layer chnges on some of my discs to point out roughly where they happened, if they can remember.

RE: Techtronics LG3350e

I`m sure some people have already posted this somewhere so I don`t want to sound like I`m taking credit for finding it.

The number 314156 (as used in the LG and Aiwa hack) is, as I`m sure you all know, pi to 6 figures (the maths thing - looks like a fancy `n`).

If you replace that number with e to 6 figures (271828) you get another change on the front panel. Surely after techtronics ripped people off before by selling occasional firmware updates as specialist software mods they have probably just worded out what this or a similar `feature` does and how it works to disable macro.

Everyone who doesn`t mind maybe buggering up your player! Try loads of different maths constants on your LGs and Aiwas!

Layer change spotting

I`m a recent subscriber to the LG fan club and I`ve yet to see a layer change on any of my (admittedly few) discs.

To save watching the films REALLY carefully I wondered if people could tell me where the transition takes place on some of my discs. This would really annoy some people I know who claim layer changes can`t be avoided, although I say that, technically speaking, they are inexcuseable. They do have really old players though.

Region 2
Armageddon
Chicken Run
Ghostbusters
The Dark Crystal
Labyrinth
The Matrix
Mission Impossible 2
The Mummy
South Park
Stuart Little
Tarzan (2 disc version)

Region 1
X-Men

Before anyone asks, I do intend to get a lot more R1 discs!

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!

RE: No-`chipped` LG 3350 gamble?

I`ve had a 3350 for about a fortnight now (from Bennetts Online) and the hack works fine. In fact it works slightly better than some people think. All this `power down the player and leave it for a few seconds` is nonsense - just do the hack and whack a disc in, it still works.

It didn`t have anything about a free Walking with Dinosaurs disc though. Has this offer finished or can I chase it up somehow?

This item was edited on Monday, 1st January 2001, 19:09

RE: Is the AIWA Spec on the COMET website correct??

I was nearly tricked by this as well.

If you look at their glossary page they describe a player with 5.1 channel output as one which is capabable of being used within a surround sound environment - which, by their definition, also includes those with no on board decoder which still have coaxial/optical digital outputs to dedicated surround sound equipment.

I was going to send for an Aiwa and, if the hack didn`t work, sent it back on the grounds of false advertising and so on (Jimbo will know loads of proper terms for this).

RE: ALLRIGHT, SERIOUSLY a downside to the Aiwa

I`ve had a quick look at some remote pictures for about a dozen players and so far the only one I`ve seen WITH a +10 button is a Toshiba.

Surely then, there must be another way of accessing these features.

RE: Where do I buy a LG3350?

I think we`re stuffed before Christmas mate.

The best place to buy from is probably Bennettsonline.co.uk - they charge £220.45 (free delivery) and say the player IS multiregion.

I seem to remember someone posting (maybe not here, but somewhere) that their LG 3200 from there had a sticker on the box saying it`s firmware was updated for multiregion (different player, but you get the idea).

They list the LG3350 on their main page, as an example player type-thing, but since they don`t include it in their main stock list on their web page this means, according to their phone line, that they have less than 10 in stock. In actual fact they have none. I know `cos I rang them to check before I ordered, but I`m willing to wait - unless anyone knows of an alternative.

RE: Does anywhere have the LG3350 in stock?

The remote wasn`t there.

RE: I want a player for under £200 - which one???? help!!!!

Sorry, I replied to the wrong thread! Don`t ask me how!

This item was edited on Thursday, 7th December 2000, 20:17

RE: Does anywhere have the LG3350 in stock?

I think that just leaves arson for revenge then.

Just to correct my previous wording slightly. They did say that any player "removed from it`s box and activated" (like the display model was) can not be sold at full price. I`m not saying you`re wrong (I trust your statement thoroughly) I`m just relaying what I was told.

I could comment that it was a woman who said that but I`m not that evil!

RE: Does anywhere have the LG3350 in stock?

Just rang 21store and they`ve got none in stock. The guy on the phone was great though! He said a lot of people were enquiring about the 3350 because they don`t list it as being multiregion but they say the 3200 IS.

He also said that he doesn`t know of one coming back, unwanted, so maybe the hack works for all their stock. Will it work for the next batch? They`re trying to get them ASAP but I was told LG are having trouble meeting demand.

LG 3350 and 3200 - is there much difference?

Never mind - I know now. It`s a bit cack. No wonder they`re everywhere.

This item was edited on Thursday, 7th December 2000, 10:09

RE: Does anywhere have the LG3350 in stock?

Thanks guys. It is the little things that decide between the two players. I`ve not heard of 21store before so I`ll give them a look. You sure they`ll take it back?

I`ve been in Currys and the assistant there went and got the manager when I mentioned `region coding`. They wouldn`t get one out of the box as this would mean they would have to sell it at a reduced priced if I didn`t take it. I then offered to try it on the fully-connected display model and take that at a reduced price if it worked but they said no again and that they couldn`t sell it cheaper anyway! Is it me or have they just contradicted themselves there?

They also assured me that they only sell region 2 machines and none of them can be made multiregion without `illegal` modifications. They seemed quite upset when I pointed out that I could, there and then, do a handset hack on their Thomson player. As I was walking out I noticed them removing the remote control from the Thomson display machine, just in case.

Does anywhere have the LG3350 in stock?

I`ve decided to get an LG 3350 over the Aiwa, simply because of my personal preference in remote design (and I think it`s quite a big difference). The free disc (which I would probably have bought anyway) cancels out much of the price difference as well.

The only problems is that nowhere seems to have one of the damn things, and won`t do before Christmas. I daren`t buy one from Currys and risk a region 2 only machine. Anyone know where I can get one from online? If I can get a virgin R2 one for a bit less than £200 then I could have that upgraded and end up paying about the same.

LG layer change

I know this can vary from disc to disc but, in general, what`s the layer change like on this player?

Pioneer 530/5 - is it really that noisy?

I`ve read a few reports that the drive on this player is a bit on the noisy side. I won`t be keeping one behind a glass door or anything like that so am I likely to hear it from a few metres away if I turned the sound down (or off)?

Daft and pointless question, just out of interest, what sort of noise is it? Is it a whirring or a sort of ticking or something else?

Pioneer 530/5 PAL 60?

Can these players output PAL 60 as standard (NOT just as part of an upgrade)?

While I`m at it, anyone know if the same applies to the Toshiba 100?

RE: Back to square one...

"Title remaining on the players display is a nice touch, no title remain on either the LG or Aiwa."

What do you mean by this? It`s probably obvious and I`m reading it in the wrong light but could you elaborate a little?

For the record, I don`t thing the 335/6 is a bad player, it isn`t. It`s just that there are better ones around for a little less money.

Thanks for the LG company info. Maybe they changed so they could use that cute logo!

MY UNEVEN-LEGGED TABLE ROCKS!!!
(this may become a running theme)

RE: Back to square one...

>>Hitachi RCE - Recall Coming Evercloser

When a car is recalled it`s because it has a serious fault...

Sony RCE - Really Crap Equipment

Can we get back to the point?

Scores so far:

Tosh 0
LG 1
Pioneer 0
Panasonic 0

BLACKPOOL ROCKS!!!

RE: AIWA370

Could it be a slightly modified version of the 3200 or doesn`t that sort of thing happen?

RE: Back to square one...

I had some people in mind when I wrote that post, but I won`t mention any names. There`s a bit too much "this player`s great because I`ve got one, even though it`s the only DVD player I`ve ever seen" talk going about. Strange that a reply to my message came in the same format I insulted. The Sony 735 does `rock`, I agree. But if I bought a player at that price my bank manager would take my kneecaps off. It`s the cheaper ones that aren`t all that great.

I`ve also not seen a bad review of the LG player but you know how it is when you`ve got your mind set on something.

I was all set to buy the Tosh player. Then RCE came to my attention (literally as I was logging on to buy one!), and the possibility for even more methods in the future. Since then I`ve tried to find an auto+manual player and that isn`t the Tosh. It`s a damn fine machine, I`m sure you`ll agree, and is trading for £200 with a free RCE workaround promised when available (apparently NOT a manual selection though), but I can`t keep upgrading the player each time a new region protection method comes along.

I think I`ll get the LG in the end. Hopefully I can think of some reason to ask if I can try it in Currys without sounding too dodgy. It`ll sound strange if I ask to try a player without a disc in, won`t it?

If I get the LG and it turns out to be rubbish do I have your permission to break your legs, Ironduke?

This item was edited on Friday, 1st December 2000, 19:48

Back to square one...

I was all set to buy an Aiwa 370 when I wen`t to COMET - until I had a go with the remote. It`s horrible! Also, thinking about it, if you knock off the price of the free Walking with Dinosaurs disc it`s not as good value as it`s LG equivalent. Plus the LG has glow in the dark buttons!

My choice now falls to one of four players:

Toshiba 100: great picture (I`ve yet to read a review that says it`s not the best at this price) but auto region only (future discs?)

LG 3350: seems ideal but who the Hell are LG and is it really good enough picture wise to choose it over the Tosh?

Pioneer 535: good picture, noisy drive?, worse than other two for picture?

Panasonic RV40: No RGB but 3 free discs (great remote as well)

Any advice would be welcome. I know what features they have and they all do what I want so I`m only concerned with picture quality (and decent sound).

I DON`T want:

Sony 335/6: every review I`ve read puts it`s picture quality below the Tosh (as does my own experience) and below previous Sony models, so none of this SONY ROCKS rubbish because you`re wrong. If I`ve caused any offence by this then all the better (cackles out loud in and evil way, lightening strikes in the background, you get the idea).

Anything else: too cheap and/or rubbish or too expensive and full of features I`ll never use.

RE: Aiwa 370 PAL 60?

I`ve contacted this other supplier several times to ask whether the remote hack still works or not after this supposed `firmware upgrade` and each time I was given a variation of the same answer which was that they haven`t tried it (and probably won`t do so) as there is no need to use the hack. Maybe not now but what about the future when a manual select may come in handy? I doubt there is any new firmware on there players and they have all just been pre-set to region 0 using the region hack we all know. Why not get one new and unopened from COMET (if they are in stock)? That way faulty returns are easier and you know the product has not already been opened..

I got a straight answer from someone at COMET so I`m going to buy from there as I, personally, feel they we`re better to deal with - based on an equally brief encounter. According to 2 people there all the Aiwas they know of ARE multiregion anyway.

Enter Jimbo for his reply...

Aiwa 370 PAL 60?

Can the Aiwa 370 output PAL 60 from NTSC discs as well as pure NTSC? If any one can confirm this I can get one straight away as my local COMET (or rather, both my local COMETS) has them in stock.

Aiwa 370 - worth the saving?

I was all set to buy a Tosh 100 when this RCE thing finally came to my attention. It seems that a proper manual select (not just making it a region 0 player) works around this, so that rules out the Tosh for me.

The Aiwa seems to be raved about but how does it compare in terms of picture quality only with slightly more expensive players such as the Tosh 100, Panasonic RV20, Sony 335/6, Pioneer 53x and the like? (sorry if I`ve offended anyone by leaving their player off the shortlist)

Is there any significant difference (for better or for worse)?

Aiwa 370 - worth the saving?

I was all set to buy a Tosh 100 when this RCE thing finally came to my attention. It seems that a proper manual select (not just making it a region 0 player) works around this, so that rules out the Tosh for me.

The Aiwa seems to be raved about but how does it compare in terms of picture quality only with slightly more expensive players such as the Tosh 100, Panasonic RV20, Sony 335/6, Pioneer 53x and the like? (sorry if I`ve offended anyone by leaving their player off the shortlist)

Is there any significant difference (for better or for worse)?

Yet another Aiwa 370 post - what`s the remote like?

I`ve tried and tried to find a picture of the remote for this player but I can`t find one. I`ve found a couple of pictures of the player but none of them have it on.

I am one of a growing number of people who are deciding between the Aiwa and the LG 3350 and I think a good way to compare them, since they apparently ARE the same player (except for DD), would be to choose the best remote (ignoring hackability).

Any comments on the design (links to pictures would be best, if possible) or comparisons to other remotes would be much appreciated.

One extra little query - does anyone know of an Aiwa 370 which DOESN`T work with the infamous LG hack? An entry on this site`s Region Hack page does seem promising but I`m an absolute wimp when it comes to spending more than £30 on a single purchase.