For the price of this player, I didn't expect much. It's done it's job but it's given me a lot of grief along the way. I've had it for about 4 years and running, so I have to give it props for durability, but dependable it is not. Half of the time when I play a brand new DVD in it, it stutters and skips. I take it out - clean it - put it in - sit through FBI warnings - find closest scene to where I left off in menu. 30 minutes go by - it starts skipping. Take it out - clean it - put it in, etc. At a certain point this behavior starts to feel more compulsive than it does productive. Here I am, repeatedly cleaning a shiny, scratchless brand new disc with eye glass cleaner over and over, but the problem isn't the disc - it's the player. In any case, it seems to help. This sometimes happens up to 3 times, seemingly at random because certain DVDs, especially ones that have been in the player before, play without a hitch. Also, very rarely, the player will make a loud humming sound, to which I respond by just turning it off and letting it "rest."

Shufflebored

Pittsburgh, PA