Londo

the morning update...

MALATA DVD UPDATE

DVD N996 NOV 9th UPDATE: Latest Glitch free firmware arrived Nov 5, .Chinese default, Still Glitches, so much for fine tuning... No Info since

VDR-R1 VCD Lip sync problem. The last batch of VDR R1 has suffered from a severe lip sync problem in VCD mode. It appears only in combination with certain VCRs. We have not been able to find the cause and therefore will no longer be shipping this product

Malata Products are no longer available thru Avdeals.

We are presently testing a replacement unit which uses the same chipset. We should be offering the unit very soon.

Any Outstanding orders have been cancelled

Please note , The DVD N996 is a very good DVD player and has the best NTSC PAL conversion available anywhere but unfortunately lacks manufacturer support. Malata Canada is working very hard to improve this situation.

Any RMA which we have received prior to Nov 8th will be handled by Avdeals. Any past Nov 8th, Please contact Malata directly.

If you require any additional information on Malatas or require warranty service please contact

Malata Canada (Jansonic)
665 Millway Ave , Unit 21
Concord Ontario
Canada, L4K 3T8
905 738 0998
Fax 905 738 4187

AdamGott

This is sad really. The Malata offers so much and has been virtually flawless for me (only two problem discs so far out of hundreds - Dumbo and The Phantom Menace). I can't complain about anything and I still think that most of us that have this player highly recommend it.

I do understand how some people can complain about the audio dropout problems though. I had this problem with the first Toshiba DVD player that I had and it was terribly annoying.

If a person is considering this player they should get it from somewhere that will let them return it because the audio dropout problems are receiver related. This player still completely wipes the floor with any APEX player that I have seen.

lostatmidnight

Yes, this a great player....Hopefully some of the more problematic glitches will be worked out so others can pick up this excellent player.

Aghama

So I guess that means no modification to default to region-free mode, either?

Vanian

The update is still being worked on. It could be another week or two. Avdeals may not be selling it but several other online places are.
The fix will correct the problems people have with the Stargate and Phantom Menace DVD's. There is not a DTS fix at this time. I am assuming the fix for the Phantom Menace will take care of subtitle issues on other movies, also.

Vanian

Londo

Vanian -

can you tell us WHO will provide this fix? Will anyone be able be able to get this and in what form?? Inquiring minds want to know....

Vanian

Malata Canada will take care of it. It will probably mean sending the player to them for the work to be done.

Vanian

Londo

yeah. but I have one of the 'field upgradable' ones...

Matt Stevens

I might have. Not sure. Wish there was a way to know for sure.

Matt Stevens

There may be a problem with some dealers that are still selling the MALATA N996 player. They may not be admitting to the DTS dropout problem and that can be very troublesome for you if you buy from them.

So far, only AVdeals openly admits to the DTS dropouts and they have dropped the line. Other retailers do not admit to it and continue to sell it. So my advice, do not buy from them!

Malata Canada (not China) is almost done with a firmware that fixes the subtitle and Phantom Menace issues. They are looking into the DTS dropout issue. I will be one of the first to get the new firmware and will report back here.

In the meantime, the JVC with the Mediamatics chip is getting good word of mouth and mine should be in any day now. I'll post my findings here.

So everyone in need of a Malata type player, hang in there.

paranoized

Which JVC are you referring to?

Matt Stevens

XV-S60BK

axolotls return

Matt:

Where did you get yours (are you getting yours). E-mail if you don't want to post. Thanks

mbrunet

Howdy all -

I know about the problems. I know about the benefits. Given the sum total of the info that I have about the N996, I still want one, even without a firmware upgrade. I think that I'm probably not alone here - my order was about 100 spots in front of others' at AVdeals before they stopped shipping the units.

So do people know of etailers that are still shipping the malata at a decent price?

Thanks,

Mike

Matt Stevens

The other etailers don't admit to the DTS issue. That's not good.

My JVC should be in soon and it will do everything the Malata does, minus XY scaling. So if you can hold on, do so. I'll have a preliminary review up within 24 hours of having the deck.

Matt Stevens

Once I have it, I'll be able to give the information on where I got it from. Hang in their, folks.

joelgee

Matt--
I just ran a google search on the above-mentioned JVC DVD player and found lots of references to it, but no mention of the codefree or PAL/NTSC conversion capabilities. Is this an international version or is it one on which surgery has been performed?

Dying to find out because of all the HKL and other Region 2 stuff I'd been paying more attention to because what I need is more ways to spend more money on more DVDs.
Thanks.
Joel

eXcentris

Matt you swine, spit it out!

axolotls return

I can't hold on to the branch much longer....

AVDeals won't tell what player they are testing...

It's a Conspiracy I tell ya

Matt Stevens

Stay away from 220-electronics.com. I can confirm that they do not look at the DTS issue as a defect, or consider it an issue at all. They state the Malata DTS dropouts are due to a "few" faulty receivers.

Clearly, that is not true. So consider yourself warned.

I am still waiting for my modded JVC. No exact ETA.

abt3

It seems to me that if I am/have read the threads regarding the Malata player, when I order it and it does have the droputs it is my fault. I know all the issues surrounding the player. If I am reading these threads I don't need to be warned to not buy it from 220 electronics or anyone else who still offers the player for sale.
Some people have the dropout issue but just as many, if not more do not. My close friend has the player and has not had a problem in any of the 400+ dvds he has. I have not made a decision on what player I will get yet. However, the lack of xy scaling on the jvc will probably keep me from it. Without it, it would seem impossible to fix the slight distortion when converting pal to ntsc via the mediamatics chip. Zooming functions will just zoom the whole picture, leaving the picture distortion. You need the ability to adjust each axis on its own. Hopefully the JVC will have this function.
Everyone reading this knows of the malata problems. Most who buy one will probably be happy with it. Those who are not knew what the potential was when they bought it. No matter what the store told them.

Matt Stevens

That is your opinion. I am one of the very first to own this player and at the time, nobody knew about the DTS dropout issue. Now it is somewhat known, but many people still are not aware of it.

I know many people that have the player and they all report dropouts with DTS soundtracks. Some more than others. It is receiver dependent, but only because something in the Malata is not 100% compatible. Malata needs to fix this.

I see no reason why people should not be warned that the Malata has the potential to have DTS dropouts on their receiver and also which E-tailers do not see it as a problem. Hiding this information would be wrong.

benedict

<small></small>That is some assumption you are making.

Yes, there are many posts concerning this particular machine: you may have read them all. Yet if you look at the second post in the (seemingly ill-named) "One-And-Only Malata Problem Busting Thread [Part Two]" you will see someone who has the same access as you who is asking what is going on.

In short, my personal view is that, given your apparently recent arrival to this Board/Forum, an early post that seems to suggest what other people know/what should be posted is somewhat undiplomatic. I'll say no more than that....

abt3

My only assumtion is that people who are reading the thread can understand what they are reading and know about the problem. So, when they call up a store to order the player, they understand the situation no matter what the store tells them.
Assuming that they are reading the thread and understanding it, they can make up their own mind on wheather to order the player and who to order it from. If they do not read the thread, than neither the warning or my reply matter.
The person in the other thread was posting the question because they had not had any problems. Because they already have purchased the player and don't have any problems the warning not to buy it would seem not to affect them.
Not meaning to sound undiplomatic, my only point was simple. If one is taking the time to read the posts (as one would have to to see the warning), then they have the information to make up their own mind on the purchase decision.
I did not mean to cause a stir..

silenzio

Matt, you mentioned 200-electronics didn't admit the dropout problem, but does it mean that they would't accept the returns from the customers who experienced this dropout problem? Those who bought the player from AV Deals (including me) will now have to deal with the manufacturer directly for any future upgrades or fix (AV Deals don't support the player anymore), and the same might go to those who'll buy the player from 220-electronics. At the end, you can rely on the manufacturer as long as they support the product, I believe.

As to JVC, does anyone else sell this player modded? I know only one person selling it, but as soon as the word spreads out about how good the player may be, he would get lots of orders and wouldn't be able to keep up with them, just like Malata at AV Deals. I wish there is a website or two that I can look at and order from.