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Also jumping on the code-free MALATA DVD-N996 bandwagon (1 Viewer)

Mike H

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 10, 1999
Messages
76
I haven't had any issues with using DTS DVDs or CDs. I've used the DTS Demo Disc 4 & 5, a DTS music sampler, American Beauty, Jurrasic Park I, II & III on the Malata and all have worked fine. Not a single drop out yet. I use a Sony DB-930 for my receiver. I also use an optical connection.

Mike
 

Paul E. Fox II

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 5, 1998
Messages
354
Ron,
I was the person that requested a link...sorry, for some reason or other...I didn't notice the red link in your original post.
Thanks, but I'm still hoping on reading a full review when you get the new player up and running.
Stacy,
Yep, I'm still around...I just don't have the time to post as much now (and truthfully, the inclination...but that's another subject all together). The HT is still moving, albeit very, VERY slowly. We are now nearly done with the drywall (after only a year and some months...). Obviously, I'm in no particular hurry as I want to put some nice gear in there and I don't have the cash at the moment.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 1999
Messages
22
In my post above, I reported having perfect DTS audio from my Malata N996 via my Denon 5700 receiver. This is after the November firmware upgrade. Previously, I had occasional audio dropouts on a few DTS DVDs and had real problems getting DTS CDs to play without dropouts. Now everything plays with absolutely no audio dropouts.

For the video quality, as seen on my Pioneer Elite 710HD, the progressive converted PAL images can be outstanding, even better than from NTSC releases. I can provide a number of specific examples. One good example is "Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne"; it's in PAL on one side and in NTSC on the other. The PAL side is definitely superior.

Keith Smith
 

Mark Zimmer

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Messages
4,318
The DTS dropout thing seems to be limited to certain receivers. I've had absolutely zero on my Malata N996 (combined with a Technics receiver) with the pre-November firmware, and I just love this thing to death. So many great discs are not available in R1, it's an essential.
The menu setup is awful, but there are some pointers that we can get you through. These mostly have to do with the filters. Use 'still' for PAL, generally, 'camera1' (I think) for animation and 'smart' for everything else. I have a massive (25+ page) Word file of tips and tricks & questions and answers for the Malata, gleaned from here, dvdtalk and the avsforums, which I'll be happy to share.
The remote is a POS also, but as I recall you use a Pronto, Ron, so you should have no troubles there.
I really enjoy eliminating overscan (which on my set runs 5-6% on a side, so I'm losing 10% of the movie) to get the whole picture. 16:9 looks great, both in NTSC and PAL (unlike my old loophole Apex, which like all other players had screwed up NTSC==>PAL conversion). Since you've got a similar model Toshiba TV to mine, you should get equally excellent results.
South Park must be initially shot on film and transferred to video. I can detect PAL speedup on the South Park discs (the voices are a shade higher than sounds right), but it doesn't really bother me. I'd rather have them in PAL than not at all or in screwed up best-of editions.
Ron, welcome to the Malata club. I think you'll be very happy with this machine. I know I am (of course, according to Obi, I'm a masturbating & drooling idiot when it comes to the Malata, so what do I know?). ;)
 

RicP

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 29, 2000
Messages
1,126
South Park must be initially shot on film and transferred to video
It's not. It's run directly from the computers out to video. I have a friend who works for CC.

Odd that you'd notice a speedup on the SP discs, as I do not. Do you notice it on all the seasons? or any in particular?
 

Mark Zimmer

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Messages
4,318
I've noticed it in Season 3; I haven't gotten to Season 4 yet. Compare the theme song on a R1 disc; doesn't it seem slightly higher pitched?
 

jacek p

Agent
Joined
Nov 8, 2001
Messages
36
Pardon my silly question, but where did this "region" idea come from if it can be easily bypassed by multiregion players. Are multiregion players illegal in US?

Thanks, just curious...
 

JohnnyG

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 18, 2000
Messages
1,522
jacek p, I believe the rule is that if you license the DVD logo, you agree to abide by the regional coding. Either Malata doesn't officially license the DVD logo, or they're breaking the license agreement. Either way, it's a 'come get me if you want!' kind of thing :)
 

DavidY

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 19, 1999
Messages
510
JohnnyG,

Is the silver version of N996 available at NBT Electronics yet? The website states only black or gold.

Is it just CDN$399 plus GST and FREE shipping for Canadians? No PST for those outside Ontario?

Dave
 

Michael Warner

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 24, 1999
Messages
737
Real Name
Mike
I'm also awaiting shipment of a N996 after having made do with a Sampo region-free player for the past year. I'm looking forward to viewing PAL discs in their correct aspect ratio without having to adjust my TV's geometry settings to get there. Just be forewarned that once you've opened the floodgates to region-free land there's no going back. I've purchased discs from 7 different countries so far and I'm always on the lookout for more one-of-a-kind titles available in only one particular region or another.
 

Marc Alexander

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 3, 1999
Messages
134
JohnnyG,

Where are you? I want the silver Malata but don't want to wait on AVDEALS. If I order the Gold version on the web, will I receive the silver? Or should I call NBT?
 

Jeff Ulmer

Senior HTF Member
Deceased Member
Joined
Aug 23, 1998
Messages
5,582
Just to be clear (I asked this in the other Malata thread a week or so ago) but does this do PAL through the progressive outs? It was my understanding that the Skyworth didn't.

I'm also interested in whether this has the chroma bug.

I'd also be interested in whether someone has found a hack that allows adjusting the chroma delay - I'm wondering whether this could be used to fix discs that have inherent chroma delay issues, like the R1 Oh My Goddess! discs...

This does seem to be the player to beat now, especially the image resizing, which would be great for those non anamorphic 1.66:1 discs on the WS set.
 

Michael St. Clair

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 3, 1999
Messages
6,001
It seems a lot of people at AVS have had Malata players die and pre-modded JVC players (which can do PAL->NTSC) are becoming more popular.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 1999
Messages
22
The new modded JVC players do use the same Mediamatics chip that is used in the Malata N996, and if you could just get the JVC picture to display on your screen properly, it should look just like the Malata picture.

Unfortunately, however, the JVC lacks some of the most desirable features that are found in the Malata. The Malata lets you switch from region to region automatically without having to turn the player off and then back on to make the change. Also, the Malata has x-y scaling, panning and the ability to tell time remaining on the entire DVD or just on a chapter, all features sadly lacking in the JVC.

The lack of the ability to do x-y scaling is the major reason to avoid the JVC currently; if the x-y scaling could be implemented in it, then it would be a more reasonable alternative to the Malata.

Keith Smith
 

Michael St. Clair

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 3, 1999
Messages
6,001
Keith,

Are you saying that the JVC does not downconvert the PAL and that image is lost due to overscan? If not, what is the scaling needed for?
 
Joined
Oct 1, 1999
Messages
22
The x-y scaling that the Malata N996 does is continuous,as is the panning. Thus,it enables you to precisely adjust the picture and to position it on the screen as you choose.

When I first play an anamorphic DVD, I will typically reverse zoom it so that the picture extends just to the sides of my screen. If the next DVD I play is also anamorphic, my initial setting will probably stay the same. However, as an example, I may want to pan the picture upward to keep captions at the bottom of the screen, out of the picture.

When I first watch a non-anamorphic DVD, I will typically do a zoom or reverse zoom to get the height right, and then I'll do an x-stretch to bring the picture just over to the sides of my screen.

There is complete flexibility in making these adjustments. It's very much like what you can do with the Zoom player for playing DVDs on a PC.

Keith Smith
 

Russell_Lengthorn

Auditioning
Joined
Feb 14, 2001
Messages
14
Eric,
I order all my Region 4 DVDs from ezydvd.com.au. They are cheap and are well set up to cope with international orders. In fact they often do special 'International Prices' on their most popular discs which include shipping.
Russell
 

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