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WIRED HOME

--PHOTO: ABHIJIT DEV KUMAR

Tech at its sleekest: This one also plays DivX and Mpeg 4 files.

DVD players over the years have undergone tremendous change as newer versions of video formats keep emerging by the day. When the digital euphoria began, it was video CDs that were raved about. But now, the players, have been upgraded to play the latest video formats.

It only seemed like yesterday when sauntering into a next door video parlour for renting a movie CD was the done thing. But today most movies are available on the Internet thanks to compressed video formats-with the popular one being Digital Video Express (DivX).

The video format was a hit among netizens as it boasted of compressing a lengthy movie into a small file while retaining the video quality- which was a rare thing.

Right from classics to the latest flicks, all the films were being ripped from DVDs and converted into DivX. But watching these movies was restricted to computers as DVD players were not compatible playing DivX formats.

“The advantage with DivX formats is that about four to five movies can be dumped into the DVD, depending on the file size. One will not have to compromise on the video and audio quality provided the original movie file is converted into DivX format properly. Another thing with DivX is if there were a movie series like ‘The Matrix’ or ‘Lord of the Rings’, all the movies can be written on one single DVD and can be watched back to back”, informs Madhu Murthy, a movie buff.

Today, many companies make DVD players that play DivX files apart from other video formats, much to the comfort of movie buffs.

Movie viewing is no longer restricted to computers and can now be watched on the LCD’s. Apart from having a disk tray, the players come with a USB slot- for flash drives of memory up to 2 GB.

“When one is using a DivX player, they have to make sure that they connect the audio output to a home theatre system for optimum sound output. All the players have a provision of connecting a 5.1 or 7.1 home theatre system. The USB slot comes as a boon as one needn’t write the DivX files onto a DVD and then play them. Instead, they can directly plug the flash drive and the player will read the data by itself”, says Mohammed Thahar, from Hometown.

Moreover, the players come equipped with a High Definition Media Interface (HDMI), which supports high definition video and audio formats.

Prices start of DVD players that play DivX formats start from Rs.1,800 and go up to Rs.3,290 and those equipped with HDMI are priced at Rs.4,990 onwards.

Companies such as Philips, LG, Samsung and Sony have already introduced DVD players that play DivX and Mpeg 4 video formats.

Apart from the conventional designs that make disc players look like thin-flat boxes, a variety of aesthetically designed players with contemporary looks are also available in the market.

For instance, if one doesn’t have the required space to place a DVD player, then buyers can choose a wall mounted one which can make quite an artistic impression for the onlooker.

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