Zenith DVB 318 & LG 7832 DVD Player merged thread - Page 17

Does anyone know of other online retailers that are selling the Zenith DVB 318 with the build unit date March 2004 and earlier? I stumbled onto this thread after my Philips DVD player started to freeze the picture. I've cleaned the lens with one of those lens cleaning DVD's with a brush, without much improvement.

Best Buy online has the Zenith DVB318 for $179. One of my two Panasonic CP67 changers with the Faroudja FLI2200 chip recently began flashing the H07 error. Hopefully the 2nd will last me at least a year. I bought them off Ebay
for $40ea. and have been happy with the 480p over component,to my Sony 46wt510 set. Allen,I don't think your'e going to find a DVB with the old firmware installed but,both the old and new firmware files can be downloaded and burned to a CDR . You supposedly must finalize the disc and rename the file LGROMOUT.bin in order to get the Zenith to recognize the firmware but I wouldn't be concerned with build date as you can easilly install the old or new firmware and flash it back if not happy with either. After my first Panny died I began to research alternatives and frankly there is nothing much below the expensive Denons,$650 and up that don't have some documented glitches, macroblocking, white crush , black crush , handshake,etc. I had done absolutely no research in two years on a new dvd player and am frankly amazed that in 2005,manufacturers still can't seem to make an affordable , progessive scan player,with DCDi and or DVI upconverting,without all the glitches I spent hours reading about time and time again. It's enought to make
you think about saying screw it,and buying a $50.00 Toshiba 3960 flag reading player. I owned Toshiba players exclusivly,until I bought my Sony HDTV and wanted somthing better which led me to the two Panasonic Faroudja chip players. I knew all about the spindle problem but for$40 apiece , I figured they would tide me over until HD players arrived or someone came out with a reliable and affordable DCDi player. If it turns out I can't live with the DVB 318 , I'll probably return it to my local Best Buy and cross my fingers that my other CP67 lasts me as long as the first one . Maybe by then The Panasonic 77S or some other player will be out in the $200 range without any serious design problems. I don't plan to be an early adopter for HD DVD , like I was for DVD . I plan to let some of the dust settle and let hardware improve and prices to come down,instaed of buying the first player to hit the shelves.

Allan,
I ordered one last night from Best Buy online and they were showing in stock. They are now on backorder.

Thanks for your help. I've ordered the Zenith from Best Buy and I figured if I couldn't figure out how to upload the LGROMOUT.bin file I would return it. It should be coming on Thursday. I found out the info on the LFROMOUT file on Keohi.com.

I have one last question regarding this DVD player. I currently have my Philips DVD players component vid cables feeding into my Denon 3803, which takes the signal into my Sony KV-40XBR800, a CRT monitor with Sony's DRC chip that upconverts signals to 960i or 480p.

Will using the Zenith with it's upconversion have to go straight to the TV, or will the signal stay the same after it goes through the Denon then onto the TV?

I agree with waiting on HD DVD. When I look back how quickly DVD player prices came down....even quicker for DVD recorders. Also the format wars need to be worked out.

Allan,
I'm glad to hear your getting your player Thursday, too! I paid an extra $9 for 2 day shipping , which is really 3 days. I found out it ships from Ohio, which would have been 3 Days, ground. Oh well $9.00 wasted. I think your fine going through the Denon .Let me know how you make out with the player.

I have my Zenith DVB318 running through my HK. It works beautifully! Why is the manufacturing date so critical? Mine was made in Oct 2004 and I have no problems with it upconverting on my Mitsubishi 65in to 1080i. what does the firmware do?

Oct. 2004?? Your using component video and you have not run into any discs that revert back to 480p??? I find this hard to believe. March 2004 was supposedly the last firmware without the HDCP over component video at 1080i limitation.

March 2004 was last unit with component firmware. he is watching 480p. lol

I got my player today October build. I've only watched Finding Nemo so far, but it looks amazing over DVI.

i live in singapore. any online store I can buy this that accept international shipping?

Chris,

I got mine too, going from component upconverting to the TV; after downloading the lgromout.bin file...Looks friggin' awesome!!!! Build date was 10/04. Best Buy sent it in the players box, without extra packaging, but came in OK. I'm so happy with the unit! Calibrated with Avia and even up close, very tight pixels!

The Incredibles looks great, but there seems to be a little bleeding of red/orange with the volcano lava "curtain". The other posts regarding "how do I know if I'm watching at 1080i?" very helpful. (At 1080i, there is no red at the DVD home screen...hit stop during a movie to see).

This forum is so cool. Very helpful with all A/V posts! Have fun all!

I dont recall bleding in 1080i, will have to check.

I know 480p has terrible bleeding.

I bought a LG LGDVB418 at CC for 199.99 with a build date of January 2005 and in my case using HDMI/HDMI on my 55in Sony 55WF655 TV the picture is extraordinary. I have yet to find a DVD in my collection that does not work.

Now over componet you get 480p only period. . . HDMI gives you 480p/720p/1080i with 1080i working best. . .

Any word on the 975 Sony?? Actually the Sony is the one I want. . .

Only problem is the 115.00 HDMI cable on top of the 199.99 price. . . gets spendy. . .

guy - the 975 was reviewed in soundandvision.

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/art...&page_number=1

check out the "in the lab" comments. some problem with green via hdmi, but otherwise pretty good specs.

Much abliged. . . Thanks for the link. . .

Beginning to look like the really good stuff still cost a ton, like the 3500 dollar Denon. . .OMG. . .

Can someone please email the old firmware version?
I buy a new 318 from Amazon and now Keohi's site is down.
I need the version to enable component output at 1080i.

Many Thanks,
Jeff

jeff.faith@verizon.net

Got the firmware now. Thanks.

I haven't really been following this thread, but has the banding problem been solved yet? Here are some examples of the banding problem:

http://www.twinpekes.com/photos/inde...ith%20Problems

I have spent alot of time with this 318 and I have never seen the banding on my X1.

Wow, I've never ever seen that sort of banding either using an LG DV7832 on a Toshiba 50H82 RPTV. I've also checked with my copy of Ice Age and no such banding appears.

That's very weird. I know I'm not the only person to have encountered this problem, because I saw a similar thread on AVS Forum. I bought mine a while back and I'm outputting 1080i on the component connections.

No banding for me, either.

Can you link to the avs thread? Maybe it's display dependant like the macroblocking problem.

Wes

ps I'm on a 4805 over component at 1080i

Donald Wong, are you sure it is 1080i???

480p has the problem bad as bad can be. Without the early firmware it will drop back to 480p on Copy Protected stuff. Just make sure you are really at 1080i. If it gives banding, I'd say it has to be either defective, or some other cause.


I also use 1080i out the component, quite good. I mean very very good.

Here's the reference to the other forum:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=519438

I am absolutely positive that it is using 1080i. I bought this machine a while back before they disabled 1080i on component.

Hi Guys,
It might have been mentioned here before but ther's lots of info provided by ISF'r Michael TLV on the LG and Zenith 318. (it's twin) at www.keohi.com Home Theatre section.

If its scaling to 1080i from HDMI thats awesome.

Regarding concern for the cost of a good HDMI cable, I would think that since it carries both picture and sound it could be cost effective if you add together what both coax optical dvi or component combinations are. I agree that cable wise you can reach a point of diminishing returns long before youreach stratospher cable prices but finding well sheilded audio and video cables can often be made for you at a local small electronics repair shop without having to buy theones in the expensive packaging.

Peter M.

Peter M.

Donald, none of them stated they were using it at 1080i......

Scan lines and such went away when they switched players. (480p).. I dunno.


I don't know, I can say, it is horrid at 480p or at least mine is for sure. Glorious at 1080i.

So I'm sorry if I am a n00b here, but I just purchased one of these Zeniths to replace my ailing RP-56 player.

I went to Kehoi and d/l the component firware (since I don't have a DVI HDTV), I noticed it's a .bin file. Do I just burn this .bin to a CD-R/DVD-R and run it in the Zenith player, or is there some other method?

Thanks for all the info folks, can't wait to watch LOTR EEs in the 1080i they deserve.

That should be all there is to it. Mine is an older model. But this is my understanding of it.

I think you will be very pleased with LOTR....

How exciting, I thought I would need to either build an HTPC or drop a load of cash to upscale DVDs to 1080i for my system. And this $160 Zenith does it all and has the famous F* chip in it.

Again, thanks all. Man I love the HTF.

Hey, I'm in the Denver area too....

I'd be very curious as to your results, or help if you have any issues with getting the old firmware loaded on it.