Yes, its a sad event. I think people think that a 'brand' name is the only way to go. It depends on what your buying. Sure a Grundig is a big end and excellent TV.<br /><br />Problem thrown into the mess with CD and DVD players is 'conflict of interest'. Sony is about the worst DVD player around.<br /><br />If you think, Sony own a movie studio and a recording company. Hmmm sure I bet a Sony player will be happy playing your own recordings - NOT<br /><br />It not a matter of piracy as our friends Sony would say, and if it was don't you think ANY person capable of burning their own CD (let alone a DVD) knows what media works in what player. 5 minutes on the internet and you know that.<br /><br />The old trick like most DVD players will accept a burned CD if its on CD-RW not CD-R. Yep they fixed all piracy with that- I got to thank them. I am sure people wont be out buying blank CD-RWs for about twice the price of bulk CD-Rs. Sure that just over a dollar a disk will stop the pirates - you win 19.95 for a CD vs the 1.40 for CD-RW - yep all fixed - NOT - wake up!!!<br /><br />As for DVD-R and DVD-RW the same applies. I have seen DVD-R drop in price like a airplane out of control. I now get wholesale DVD-Rs for under 5.00 AUD including a DVD black plastic case!<br /><br />And again Sony think they can stop it..... please...<br /><br />Now what about poor people like the doctor... He buys a player IN GOOD FAITH, wont even play out of region origional disks (as the good old ACCC in 2000 stopped the proposed blocking of non region 4 material). I have about equal amount of region 1 and region 4 DVDs. Its your right to buy DVDs from what supplier and country you wish.<br /><br />Under that mentality, I happen to like a series of movies on the Sci-Fi channel called Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (all our US members know what I am talking about). So as I live in Australia I am NEVER going to see MST3K in region 4 as no one else knows what the hell it is. So I guess I just go without - rubbish order from and have them in 5 days! DVD Planet <br /><br />Now there is also home authored material. Perhaps he gets a friend or relative to author a DVD, SVCD whatever and presto it will not read this 'evil' non printed media. I guess for friends and relatives I am burning home movies and pictures to I am 'evil' too!!<br /><br />Hmmm I think like Sony, Toshiba and all of them now. Everyone that owns a CD writer is an Audio and VCD/SVCD pirate and anyone owning a DVD writer is a DVD pirate. Gee we all better just go ahead and arrest ourselves.<br /><br />These people need to wake up and look in the real world. Sony should have learnt by yet again their landslide defeat of Playstation 2 and that recent case in Australia where they LOST, and de-regionalising your playstation IS LEGAL.<br /><br />Freedom of choice, read it and take a look!