DVD player sound

Hi. My daughter who is at university wants the ability to watch DVD's on a screen which is not her laptop and has suggested getting a DVD player and a flat screen computer display to attach to it.
Does anyone know if this scenario will work from a sound perspective as I know the dumb screens do not have sound capability but I'm not sure if the DVD player can re-produce sound without connection to a TV?

She doesn't want to get a TV as she does not want to have to buy a license.

Many thanks.

Sean

Comments

  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    You do NOT need a TV licence simply to own a TV. You only need a licence to watch or record TV programmes at the same time as they are being broadcast.

    So it is perfectly OK to buy a TV to watch DVDs on. And in any case she will need some sort of amplifier and speaker set up to hear the audio from the DVD anyway.

    Plus if the DVD only has SCART output it might prove difficult connecting it to a computer monitor. If it's got HDMI and the monitor has DVI then that is easy, just need a lead with the appropriate plugs each end.

    But you'd still need something to make the noise, for example a set of powered computer speakers or similar.

    A TV would be a load easier though.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
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    ukflamingo wrote: »
    She doesn't want to get a TV as she does not want to have to buy a license.

    As chrisjr has said, you DON'T need a licence for owning a TV, only for watching live broadcasts - so watching DVD's is perfectly fine (it's all explained on the TVL website).

    For watching just DVD's it would make sense to buy a combi DVD/TV, and never even tune it in, nor plug an aerial in it.

    In fact I'm providing a combi for my daughter when she's off to do her PhD in a few weeks time - for just the same reasons.
  • jenziejenzie Posts: 20,821
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    if a monitor doesn't have speakers, you'll have to purchase them seperately
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10
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    thank you both
  • grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    How about a portable DVD player, they have a screen, speakers (and a headphone socket). They also have outputs you can connect to a TV for a larger picture.
  • BSCBSC Posts: 45
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    How about a portable DVD player, they have a screen, speakers (and a headphone socket). They also have outputs you can connect to a TV for a larger picture.
    On my portable DVD player, the headphone socket doubles up as a composite output.
  • grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    BSC wrote: »
    On my portable DVD player, the headphone socket doubles up as a composite output.

    You just need a simple cable that splits the composite video from the analogue audio.

    At a guess this is what you need.

    eg

    http://www.avforums.com/forums/19561297-post10.html

    It's a standard cable widely available.
  • David (2)David (2) Posts: 20,632
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    my Sister has a PC monitor and has a freeview box connected to it (same idea as using a dvd player). Theres a "special" scart breakout cable which has a normal scart at one end for the freeview box and 3 separate round plugs on the other end - Video, Audio Left, Audio Right. These plug into the monitor.
    this is infact quite a common cable conversion, but you need to make sure the monitor has the right connections. Some DVD players also have the native round connections on the back panel (as well as scart). Even then the PC monitor has to be electronically compatible with domestic UK devices (the sync rate etc) rather than just for PC display.

    To avoid disappointment I would recommend a portable dvd player (the small units with flip up screens). I owned the Argo's own brand model for a while and had no problems at all with it. You can run it on the mains adaptor too, plus you can plug in headphones or connect it to a bigger screen.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
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    David (2) wrote: »
    Even then the PC monitor has to be electronically compatible with domestic UK devices (the sync rate etc) rather than just for PC display.

    It's not as simple as that, PC Monitors not only don't cover the required range, but also don't have PAL decoders, so wouldn't work from a composite signal.

    There have been occasional PC Monitors that would sync down as far as UK TV, and will accept RGB inputs - and these were commonly used for the later Commodore Amiga computers, which provided both VGA and Composite outputs.

    Any monitor whch will accept Composite PAL input's isn't a PC Monitor, it's a general purpose monitor - and I don't think I've ever even seen one?.

    Pretty pointless now anyway, when TV's are freely available that will accept VGA, HDMI, RGB, Component and Composite.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
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    Winston_1 wrote: »
    Really, for someone in the trade I find that quite remarkable. Here is the next best thing, a picture of one.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-KX-14CP1-Composite-Video-monitor-/281051793740

    I was referring to a PC Monitor that also accepts Composite, sorry if I wasn't clear. I've obviously seen plenty of Composite monitors, and still have two at home - one a Philips Colour (used on my Amiga - via RGB, and VCR's etc. via Composite) the other a professional 9 inch B&W used on a far older computer, and various cameras over the years.
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