phraseturner

While shopping at my local Aldi food store, I noticed a home theater in a box system. It is branded Tevion (never heard of it), but caught my eye because it looks EXACTLY like the Malata DAV-3600 (Silver only) system that HK Flix is selling for $299.99. (I think this is a DVDTalk special price.)

http://www.hkflix.com/hardware/xq/as...a_dav-3600.htm

Same speakers, subwoofer, all the knobs/buttons/mic inputs/jog control on front were same. Progressive scan logo is identical. The back of unit was laid out the same, too--all input and output jacks accounted for. . . but I didn't remember to look for the "normal/upgrade" switch used for firmware upgrades...

My question is this--I realize that electronic companies slap different brand names on the same hardware all the time, but in this case, are the "special" features the the Malata player (no region coding, PAL to NTSC conversion, etc.) has:

1) something that would be exclusive to the Malata branded version of the unit?

2)something that HK Flix is adding by modifying (firmware update, or internal solder/chip mod) the units before they are selling them?

3)something that (provided this Tevion version HAS a upgrade switch on rear of unit) could be added via firmware on a CD-R by the buyer of the Tevion system?

Why am I asking? Well, Aldi is selling this system for $169.99. So if I get all the same "special" features of the Malata, just with a different name slapped on it, I'll buy it in a heartbeat.

Anyone familar with the Malata brand is its cousins?

Thanks for any guidance you can provide. I don't know much about non-Region 1 players and DVD's, but I am willing to learn, especially for less than $200!!!

renaldow

This doesn't surprise me. It most likely is the exact same product with a bit of a difference.* Malata's are just a brand name thrown on a generic Chinese DVD player, not unlike Shinco, Apex, etc.. It's not unusual to see the same product under different brand names.

* The bit of difference is that it is doubtful the Tevion is regionless. I don't know if HKFlix does the mod, or someone else, but they are modded systems. It could be a simple software update, or it could be hardware related, I don't know anything about Malata mods.

phraseturner

i think i'll swing by the Aldi store again and look at the display model and see if it has the switch on back to do CD-R firmwware upgrades.

having the switch on this brand of unit might settle it for me...if i can get the malata's upgrade for region-free playback, then it is reasonable to assume it would work on this player...right?