DVD5 Questions

Layer change - I am aware of it but I was also aware of those top right of screen circles that denote reel changes at the cinema.
Resume play - will come back to you on this - need to do it.
Menu and chapter are responsive although some things can be slow - I have not experienced other machines so this comparison is a bit difficult. DVD does seem to have its little delays.

"The RGB1 is a very high quality coaxial video cable for YUV, RGB or RGBHV signals. Available in 3 lengths, 10m, 5m, and for 2m.
The DC1 is a very high quality coaxial digital interconnect. We think this cable betters many much more expensive offerings out there and will probably find its way into many systems outside of Naim. A perfect digital link between the DVD5 and the AV2 - try it and see for yourselves!"
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For the Resume Play: the answer is yes, but how many disks it will remember, i don't know.
I've not yet noticed the layer change, but i've not really checked it. So it should be at least as fast as my previous Sony 9000ES.
As Adam said, the navigation will vary from dvd to DVD, the player is fast to answer.

Adam, Manu,

Thank you for the quick replies. I've had some bad experiences with layer change, hence the query. One example is from Lord Of The Rings: Return of the King. About 55-60 minutes in, just as Frodo, Sam, and Gollum are about to climb the steep stairs at Mordor. On some players the change can be as bad as 2 seconds.

Adam - thanks for the cable images. Is pricing known?

Cheers,
Mark.

For prices - please contact NANA.

I`ve check 10 times LOTR from 50min to 64, zone 1 version, i am unable to see the layer change with the DVD5.
Can you tell me the exact timing of the change.

quote:

Originally posted by Adam Meredith:
Resume play - will come back to you on this - need to do it.

Resume remembers 10 discs.

Adam,

I would like to know if the DVD5 can read DVD+/-RW DL (Double Layer) ? I am probably going to change my DVD recorder for a DL one.

Thanx

Manu - the layer change takes place at 56:18 (according to my timer). Gollum says "The secret stair", then comes the layer change, followed by Gollum saying "Climb". On my current player, the change is ~2 seconds.

Adam - many thanks for following up on the resume play question.

Cheers,
Mark.

Hi Manu - have you had an opportunity to check the LOTR3 layer change on the DVD5 (Chapter 15, specifically at 56:18)? I would be very interested in the result, if you have.

Many thanks,
Mark.

Layer change is as near to instantaneous as my atomic clock can determine - I am aware of it because the display reactivates briefly as it re-calculates the sound format.

Adam - thanks very much for the quick verification. Good news indeed, if it is that indistinguishable for all layer changes.

Mark,
As Adam has intimated, the layer change on the vast majority of DVDs is instant, and in some (most) impossible to detect. I HAVE noticed the change which you are asking about here, ie, LOTR3, at 'the stairs', but it certainly doesn't last the 2-3 seconds you mention!! It is, well, just noticable.
I do think that some directors / dvd transfer production teams should put some more thought into where precisely the change takes effect. If it can be done (as the majority seem to) at a big scene change then, as said it is nigh on impossible to detect. The one on LOTR3 is probably one of the worst I have seen so far.
For my system as well, I do find LOTR3 to be somewhat 'overblown' in the sound dept.
I know there are lots of battle scenes, dragons et al, but it is only one where I feel the need to actually alter the volume on the sub downwards, every other disc we play stays exactly as set, & that includes some other very noisy films as well! Just wonder if they went slightly OTT with that disc.

Mark,
The scene you are refering to is not at the same place on my disk (46 min), i have the canadian version, it seems it is not the same as yours, so no layer change here. As i said, i`ve checked many time around the timing you gave, it should happen here. I can`t see any jump, just a little change of brightness when Frollo slips down.

Steve - many thanks for your reply. I agree with you that the LOTR3 Part One layer change is one of the clunkier ones out there (and I know what you mean about the occasional OTT sound too), and studios should pay a little more attention to them at times. Some players handle the changes better than others, and it is encouraging to hear that the DVD5 is apparently handling them well (as well as having other good usability features mentioned above). My current player is clocking in at just under 2 seconds for layer changes.

Another couple of questions, if anyone knows (although they are somewhat of the "Ask Adam" variety). I was curious to know why Naim went with DVI instead of HDMI for the digital output? With an internal scaler option, I can understand there being no reason to offer 480i to an external scaler, but it seems that HDMI is replacing DVI as the digital connection of choice on new screens, etc., and is also able to support both YUV and RGB colour spaces, rather than just RGB.

Also, what will the input socket of the scaler option be for countries that do not use SCART?

Cheers,
Mark.

Manu, thanks for your interesting reply. I was wondering if layer changes were also a function of region. I found a couple of Web sites that referred to layer change locations, but those locations were not accurate for my disks (region 1 USA). Now, Steve has seen the layer change with his DVD5, but is in the UK, and I am presuming he is using a region 2 disk, but you are not able to see it. I thought that region 1 was USA and Canada - I presume your disk is region 1, NTSC?

Yes, region 1 NTSC.

I will try my region 1 LOTR3 and will look out for any changes around the 46 minute mark (I presume that this is on disk 1). Would be odd, to me at least, that a layer change is at a different place on the same region disk. Will let you know what I find.

An example of where the layer change timings are inconsistent with my findings is on this site, where the times are quoted for a region 4 version. I do not see changes at these quoted time points. Region 4 LOTR3

Mark.
I will try to answer at least one of your latter questions.
I use the '5 with YUV output via 3 component cables (obviously) If you have the inputs it will output 5 component cables (YUV + H +V I think it's refered to as) I tried to output to my panel yuv in rgb mode, but the panel simply wont accept it so I have to 'make do' with plain YUV. ( Which, I have to say, is still somewhat stunning!)
I can recomend that you downloadhere the user manuals if you have not already. They are very comprehensive, and the player itself is a delight to set up, with some ultra cool menus.

I would, to some extent, love to try the new Naim component cables.
I have to say, I am very reluctant to do so, as if they are as good as their 'digital interconnect' it would mean ripping up a new oak floor, ( how popular would that make me??) and I would hazard a guess that 5 x 5m component cables (BNC to RCA) would come to an 'OUCH' kinda price... but then again, why spoil a '5 for a ha'peth of cable......

Have you seen one in action yet??

Hi Steve,
Thanks for the manual link (I think I have this already, but will check the version). Re: cables. I'm currently using a 1m AudioQuest YIQ, and that came at a reasonable 'ouch' price. I don't want to repeat that too soon, so I'm not even asking about Naim video cable pricing!

I am currently using component, as my current player does not offer digital video output. However, I have tried a DVI player, and I could not notice a quality difference on my screen (480p EDTV plasma) between the player's component and DVI output. There was a very, very subtle difference on analysis, but I would not have characterised it as "better". Plus, I found I did not have control over all screen settings on the DVI input (it is a reduced set), whereas the component input provided for much better granularity of settings when callibrating. I wish I could have done an A/B comparison against my current player, as I am thoroughly impressed with the current progressive picture over component, and (with my eyes and memory) it seems to exceed that of the DVI player. So, while I'm interested to know about Naim's choices re: HDMI vs. DVI, I am quite happy to sit on the sidelines with analogue/component while the digital side of things improves to a point where the quality difference is clearly obvious. (As previously, "some" suggest that YUV over HDMI is superior to RGB over DVI.) I suspect this may happen when we get full Hi-Def (HD) from software through source components through to display. At present, for me, the mish-mash of SD and HD components and software can sometimes result in odd display results, so I am happy to stick with SD until all the HD dust settles.

I have only managed to see a pre-production DVD5, and that was not an in-depth test by any means. Unfortunately, it's difficult (impossible!) to test a DVD5 where I am, as the dealers do not carry the AV items. Actually, that should be "fortunately". ;-)

Mark.

Steve - I did not have that version of the manual, so thanks for the link. The DVD5 looks like it offers some configuration refinement that other players do not. I also got the US price on the DC1. Ouch indeed! If this is anything to go by, the component cable is not going to be cheap.

Manu - I do not see the change that you mentioned at 46min on disk 1 of LOTR3. On my disk, this was during the recounting of the death of Faramir.

Mark,
may be i was not clear enough, the scene where you see the layer change, Gollum says "the secret stairs" is at 46 min on my disk (56 on yours) and the layer change happens probably at 56 min during the climb.
So, even if both disks are region 1, NTSC, the layer change is at about the same timming but at different scenes.
So the important conclusion about LOTR 3 is the DVD5 change layer so fast, it is un-noticable.

Manu, Thanks for that clarification, and good that the DVD5 layer change is almost un-noticeable. Strange that the same disks have different characterstics.

Does anyone know whether the DVD5 will play home produced DVDs of the R/RW variety and how about home produced Dual Layer discs

eddie

No problem reading all single layer DVDs.
For dual layer, i don't know.

quote:

almost un-noticeable

so its noticeable then!