I've had a HDTV with HDMI input for about a year now, but nothing that that had a HDMI output. A week ago my cheap cyberhome DVD player stopped outputting 5.1 digital, so I went looking for a replacement.

I found the CyberHome DVD655 at WalMart for $89.95. It has HDMI output WITH HD upconversion video playback, and came with an HDMI cable. It also came with component and A/V cables. It outputs component, S-video, and composite video too. Optical and coaxial digital audio outputs. No S-video or optical cables were included, but I already had them. It'll play DVD, JPG, MP3, VCD, SVCD, Mpeg4, and WMA files. Using the HDMI button on the remote you can switch the signal between 480p, 720p, and 1080i. It also will output 720p or 720i through the component cables. It will play any DVD+-R/W or CD+-R/W disk, but not super audio DVDs.

The setup menu lets you select between NTSC and PAL, 4:3 and 16:9, 6 display modes (FILL, Original, height fit, Width fit, fit to screen, Pan Scan), and two jpeg modes (SD Jpeg and UP Scaler). The Audio menu in Setup lets you turn digital output ON or OFF, and downsampling ON or OFF in case your amp doesn't support the 96k sampling rate of most DVDs.

There is a GREAT ZOOM feature. It works with any image DVD or JPG on the screen.

I have not yet determined if there are any region or macrovison hacks for this DVD player.

All in all, this appears to be GREAT DVD player. It's far better than the cheap Cyberhome it replaced. The remote is much larger, and nicer looking too. It DOES NOT use the same remote codes as the cheaper Cyberhome DVD player. I'll have to do some digging to figure out what codes it does use.

Dave B.

Dave..
will this player play DIVX or Xivid that you know of.
Thanks..i was looking at it at walmart.
I currently bought the philips dvp642 but very unhappy with it after a week.

Elviss,

There is no mention of either in the manual. It does say:

"There are various MPEG 4 formats and versions within each format which are currently used. Our goal for your DVD player is to support a variety of MPEG 4 formats. However, with an increasing number of formats, not all can be supported."

I take format to mean codec. DIVX and Xvid are compression codecs. They "might" be supported.

I suggest you buy the Cyberhome and try it. If that's your main need of a DVD player and it doesn't, Walmart has a good return policy. Just make sure you keep your receipt, box, and all the packing materials.

I did find a secret menu where this DVD player can change the region code. I found it by searching the web for "DVD region hack". No one yet has documented how to get into this particular player since it's new, but after trying all the various strategies listed for Cyberhome players in general, I found one that worked.

If anyone is interested, I'll post it here. As far as I can tell, it's not illegal to change the region code in your own DVD player. Many have access to DVDs from different regons, and some move with their equipment from one region to another, and have a legitimate need to change the region code in their player. Since these DVD players are sold all around the world, the manufacturers have almost always buried the region change ability in the software.

NO macrovision hack apparent.

Lastly, I'll remind all that this DVD player CAME with a 2 meter (6ish feet long) HDMI to HDMI cable. I noticed while shopping yesterday that Walmart,Target, Best Buy, and probably anywhere else selling those cables want $40 to $50 for them. That alone makes this DVD player an extremely good value for those needing HDMI.

Dave B.

This message was edited by DBrown on 06/04/05 06:48 ET.

I purchased one of these pieces of junk yesterday-plays divx and xvid my a**. Out of a total of 50 divx encoded dvds it played a total of 4, my Philips DVP642 can play every one of em'. Most of them caused it to display bad disc or just locked it up. It even said bad disc on some divx that I had converted to mpeg2 dvds that would play on all my other players. Bottom line-stay away from this darn thing like the plague. It went right back to Walmart the next day.

It's possible you got a bad one, zrdb. I've had that happen with other brands of DVD players. So far mine has played every DVD I stuck in it unless the DVD had a smear or scratch on it. It has also played all the home-burned movies I've made without a hiccup.

Maybe so, maybe no-I've had bad luck with Cyberhome in the past. I convert a large part of my mpeg4 downloads to mpeg2 dvd compliant video so I was primarly looking for a player that the stuff would play on so after some testing and researching I settled on a Sony DVP-NS50P, HMDI upconversion doesn't matter case my hdtv only has componet video inputs anyway and the Philips player takes care of the mpeg4 downloads. The Sony had the best picture and I did a side by side test of JVC, Sony and a few other and it blew me away. Up until this point I had been using my Jaton PSD7611K player. Anyway-I still stand by my originial assertion that it's not a good player.

Hi DBrown, can you please point me to the region-free hack for the CH DVD 655? Thanks, much appreciated

I would be highly interested in the region free hack if you still have it. Thanks!

Steve

i've got a lasonic dvd player that can play ANY video format that i throw at it, on dvd as well as regular cd-r media. no hdmi but does have component, and optical outputs. was somethign like $40 shipped from newegg.com. has a great remote as well. works for my needs with a 27" crt; might not be enough for the power users with real equipment.

I would relaly like to know the region free hack if you stil lhave it thanks

From Videohelp.com:

Region code hack posted by Odin, June 06 2005:
I tried it with BIOS 176.12 and it works !
1. Power on with your remote control.
2. Leave the drive empty and closed.
3. Use the "menu" button.
4. Push digit 1 and 9.
5. You should see a new menu enabling you to change the region code.
5. Press your "enter" button to display 0 (all regions).
6. Power off your drive with the remote.
7. Power on again and your drive is now region free.

Here's another link for DVD region hacks. There's an A to Z (no Q) index with just about every manufacturer. If your hack is not there or the one you got doesn't work you can email the guy and he will fix or make one for you.


[Link: dvddemystifiziert.de]

DBrown, do you still have the CyberHome Dvd655? I have one, have had for about 2 years. Just tried the HDMi for the first time last night, didn't work at all. Progressive scan works from Component. But Don't know how to get to 720i or 720p fron component. Can you explain either?
Thanks