Cyberhome CH-DVD 300 DVD Player

UPDATED: See CONCLUSION at bottom for what is new.

Why another review among almost 120 reviews? Because I was surprised to read about the Cyberhome 300s cult like following on the Internet and issues not raised in other reviews.

If you're expecting a usual Epinion review here, read this links instead. Its quite comprehensive in terms of features and conveniences but errs in its durability assessment:

http://www.epinions.com/content_120097771140

http://www.epinions.com/content_217354505860#ow

What I write here adds to it.

The Cyberhome 300 is the most common brand and model number for a series of identical looking DVD players sold under various brand names. Another clone is one called 'TruTech'. Its cult following exists because of:

Superb audio-video electronics when output to an analog TV, and good output for progressive scan HDTV output;
Multiregion or region free DVD playback;
NTSC or PAL playback

The above features are increasingly commonplace among no-reputation brand made-in-China models, but the 300 offers a similar performance at 1/2 to 1/3rd of competitor prices, at half their physical size.

The features on this el-cheapo blows my $300 Panasonic DVD player from 1995 far far away. Except for the ridiculously crammed layout of its remote control, Cyberhome's functions are faster responding with incredible flexibility. I've never seen such capability in even high-end players from the early 2000s. Things have changed! I especially like its fast play and fast forward, jog-shuttle like slo-mo capabilities, a tact clear frame moveable zoom that gets at details in slo-mo or freeze frames. Awesome.

Unlike brand name appliances afraid of being sued by major entertainment companies, Cyberhome's Chinese partner has made it easy to undue DVD regional limitations that most big companies hide, so they can sell a single appliance model in any part of the world.

This menu item allows the user to view DVDs made anywhere. The codes are:

1. Switch player on, making sure that there's no disc in the tray.
2. Close tray.
3. Using the remote control, key in the following: MENU, 1, 9.
4. A menu will appear with the region option near the bottom of the screen.
5. Press ENTER, enter the desired region AND PRESS ENTER again to save the desired region.
6. Next press OPEN / CLOSE.
Done.

To switch from NTSC or PAL, see the standard MENU instructions.

Over half of the reviews on Epinions have complained about the durability of this cheap DVD player. The same complaints can be heard via any google.com search. Few mention it has lasted them over a year. Many have bought over one player once the 1st player died, and did well.

Is it worth it? If the 300 dies, it obviates the savings for a brand name model costing at least twice as much.

So, why buy such a poor durability device? Because of its wonderful firmware and use of low tech cheap parts, the same parts that malfunction, make it easy to repair if you know how. Of complains, about 1/3 last over a year. The problem existed in models built from 2003-4, and the older firmware had bugs that created defective audio-video output. However, its been fine since 2004 and current models found retail have manufacture dates of 2006.


The hardware designer of the 300 separated key modules internally, two of which are prone to defects, the power supply and a ribbon cable supplying the DVD drive.

The power supply can easily be repaired as the Chinese manufacturer uses parts that are accessible to consumers. Brand appliances like Sony and Panasonic [except in their low end line made in China], would often used custom IC that are effectively impossible for consumers to obtain.

Details for repair are available here:
http://www.drx9000repair.netfirms.com/

That's too much Headache for $38. Why risk a DVD player in the 1st Place?

Because there is a simple alternative. Since some models have lived over a year, it suggests some were made with better parts. To find out which models can possible live best, one can do an extensive burn in to accelerate the wear of the player, within the no-question asked return period after purchase, set by of the vendor. Burn-in procedures have been studied by engineers and it forces parts that are defective to fail sooner.

A burn-in is theoretically made by 2 items, continuous operation under high temperature.

A sample US military specification burnin is at 160 hours of nonstop function, and for individual electronic components, at 125 Celsius.

A MILSPEC burn in at 125C will boil water. A reasonable facsimile of a burn in would be to play the device nonstop for 160 hours in your home setting, at room temperature, in wherever you intend to put it [its unlikely your DVD player will be used in the desert or other harsh conditions the military use their devices.]

I ran a burnin test with the DVD cabinet temperature rising to 90F after 300 hours+ of continuous play and it had survived.

Note, the burn in won't check the disk door open/close mechanism for failure, but there are no reports of such issues.

CONCLUSION:

If you're looking for a DVD player for an old NTSC analog TV, give this el-cheapo a look. HDTV is here to stay, NTSC is being phased out [ tramission broadcasting ends this year, 2006] and HDTV DVDs are soon to replace all players ... so any regular DVD player is an gap filler while the new technology builds momentum.

An excellent player for the money, if it lasts. If not, the highly regarded Philips DVD 642 is a better deal, although the 642 suffers from: variable quality control in their Chinese factories and doesn't play DVD-R disks [only DVD+R]. Of course, in return, the DVD 642 plays Divx and more formats, useful for the make-it-yourself DVD and hacker crowd.

Do at least 160+ burn in [24 h for 7 days], and if it dies return it. You needn't have the TV on, just let the disk spin by leaving a disc inside and use the 'repeat title' function from the remote. It will play forever until you stop it.

Four months later, Cyberhome lives!