Looking For A Decent Pmp

[mindlord]

I'd like to get a device that works as a good PMP with a reasonable screen size. Preferably with at least a 3" screen and that can play 720p xvid files without conversion. Do any of the devices on the forums here perform well enough in that regard?

For example how good is the Cannoo, Wiz, Dingoo, or GP2X at decoding video these days?

I'd like to spend sub $150 if possible, but I could spend a bit more.

I'm open to any and all suggestions.

 

[Popcorn Dave]

Well, I can tell you that the Caanoo's video player is horrible. I tried three files from three different sources and none of them worked properly. Nice system but a very bad media player.

It sounds to me like you'd be best off with the Dingoo to be honest. I haven't really tested mine yet so don't take my word for it, but it's super cheap, smaller than the others (it fits right in my jeans pocket like a phone) and I've heard it has better video playback than the GPH consoles. Of course, the Dingoo's actual resolution is 320x240 (same as all these open handhelds, except the Pandora) but I think it plays higher-res files.

 

[Orion4874]

Wait a bit and see how good the video player is on the Gemei A330. It's sounding pretty good from what I've read. Of course it is advertising 1080P but that's probably not realistic.

 

[mindlord]

Thanks for the input. As long as it can play 720p xvid files without needing any sort of conversion, the Dingoo looks like my best value. All my wife really needs is a solid PMP since she has a DS for her gaming needs.

 

[Popcorn Dave]

I would say so. I don't know how it compares to dedicated media players in the same price range from Creative or Sansa or whoever, though. I mean, remember you have to buy miniSD cards for the Dingoo if you don't already have them (I don't, I thought I could use my regular SD - d'oh!) so maybe the Dingoo isn't SO cheap...

 

[mindlord]

I have multitudes of microSD cards and an adapter. No worries there. I'll price some "top shelf" players and see, but most that have a nice sized screen seem to be priced at a premium.

 

[Popcorn Dave]

Here's Craigix's recommendation. He says on his website that he tested loads of them and this was the best, although he may have been swayed by the fact it has a good SNES emulator.

 

[mindlord]

Looks pretty good. Can't seem to find a US distributor though. Craigix still sells these. At $126 US at the current exchange rate. I might as well just get a Wiz or Caanoo and get proper gaming controls too.

 

[Popcorn Dave]

True, maybe that one's too expensive. Best go for the Dingoo I would say.

 

[Goity]

A decent pimp? You aint gon find one of those anywhere, brother.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

How about a portable DVD player? These days, they are pretty small and have a good battery life. The setbacks are, of course, having to burn DVDs and carrying them around. The good ones are really good... make sure you don't get a really cheap one, because the cheap ones are terrible. They usually have a really good resolution.

 

[mindlord]

How about a portable DVD player? These days, they are pretty small and have a good battery life. The setbacks are, of course, having to burn DVDs and carrying them around. The good ones are really good... make sure you don't get a really cheap one, because the cheap ones are terrible. They usually have a really good resolution.

Burning DVDs is exactly the type of thing I am trying to avoid. I want it to be as simple as possible for my wife to just copy files to the device and go. I want to avoid any sort of technical or time consuming processes or she simply won't want to do it, and it will become my job.

 

[absolofdoom]

None of the devices I have can play video without some conversion first. I don't know if any actually exist short of a UMPC or something. If you could find a really simple conversion program for her to use, would that do? Of course whether that's a time-consuming process would depend on her cpu's performance.

 

[mindlord]

Her main PC is a netbook. It would take hours to convert 1 TV episode. Everything I've ripped will play on a XBOX classic with XBMC in 720p (I have a high def cable). I figure a dingoo should just about handle it.

 

[absolofdoom]

I'm not really familiar with what an XBOX can handle, or if a Dingoo can even play 720p. But see, usually the problems come from little tiny details, like "Oh, the audio bitrate is a little too high" or something like that. Generally I just grab a video and handbrake and try loads of shit until I get a setting that works and then I save that as a preset. I usually can't get anything to play without a conversion first, but perhaps you're ripping to a lower quality/more compatible file, so maybe you can get that to work. I wish you luck.

 

[R.B]

SONY PSP V5.03 3000

 

[mindlord]

I'm not really familiar with what an XBOX can handle, or if a Dingoo can even play 720p. But see, usually the problems come from little tiny details, like "Oh, the audio bitrate is a little too high" or something like that. Generally I just grab a video and handbrake and try loads of shit until I get a setting that works and then I save that as a preset. I usually can't get anything to play without a conversion first, but perhaps you're ripping to a lower quality/more compatible file, so maybe you can get that to work. I wish you luck.

I use: 720x480 xvid MPEG-4 30fps, with mp3 128kbps audio. It's pretty much the bog standard for medium quality video.

@R.B. - The PSP's video decoder is way too picky, and definately requires two pass encoding to get anything other than an muddy mess to appear. No thanks.

 

[foxblock]

I own an Archos 605, which in my eyes is a great PMP.
It can play DivX (with mp3 audio, for aac you will need a plug-in for about 20€) without conversion, but only at DVD quality max (given it has the same screen as the Pandora playing back a 720p movie would not make much sense anyway) - it can also play most other formats right out of the box (but none at 720p).

Since then it has been surpassed by the Archos 5 and probably an even more recent model which might be able to play 720p movies.
It also can play Flash contents has built-in WiFi and the mobile Opera browser with widget support.
You can also get several peripherals for it.
It is a Linux based OS with a some propreitary front-end, but you can get a "community patch" which gives you root access to install any OS you want - but for general PMP use the default OS is already pretty good.

Anyway, the device is great, but comes at a cost - at least 300€ (back then for my 605, recent models are probably at the same price).
You might be able to snatch an used Archos5 for under 200€.

http://www.archos.com/

Btw, I highly doubt the Dingoo can play 720p movies given it has little CPU power - you will need a pretty good CPU to play 720p flawlessly.
The Archos website states the Archos5 can at least play some video formats up to 720p (you can find it under Android Tablet - apparently they only sell them with Android now).

foxblock out

EDIT: I dunno if that was just a different example, but are you aware that 720p is 1280×720 and not 720x480 (which is 480p)? - 480p seems much more likely to be played by devices mentioned here.

 

[___]

I was going to recommend Archos, too. Their pmps are awesome. The only drawback is that you have to buy certain plugins for a couple of formats but it's better than not being able to get these codecs at all. Check out the Archos 43, I think it does all you'd want: http://www.archos.com/store/psearch.html?prod_id=archos43it

It's a little more than 150$ but maybe you can find it cheaper 2nd hand or something. It also comes with hdmi out which is a big plus!

 

[trooper]

I'm not really familiar with what an XBOX can handle, or if a Dingoo can even play 720p. But see, usually the problems come from little tiny details, like "Oh, the audio bitrate is a little too high" or something like that. Generally I just grab a video and handbrake and try loads of shit until I get a setting that works and then I save that as a preset. I usually can't get anything to play without a conversion first, but perhaps you're ripping to a lower quality/more compatible file, so maybe you can get that to work. I wish you luck.

I use: 720x480 xvid MPEG-4 30fps, with mp3 128kbps audio. It's pretty much the bog standard for medium quality video.

@R.B. - The PSP's video decoder is way too picky, and definately requires two pass encoding to get anything other than an muddy mess to appear. No thanks.

Well, I have just tried playing a movie (Troy the directors cut) re-encoded down to 720x480 @ 30fps (1733kbps) in xvid format with 128kbps mp3 joint stereo audio in an .Avi container, And the dingoo played it ok, But there was a 1 second pause about every 10 seconds during bright and or busy scenes. Other than that, I think it did well.

Btw, This was done via the built-in screen on the native firmware movie player, Not tried it via TV-Out.

Trooper