PlayStation2 as budget DVD source: why/why not?

I have a PS2 and have watched some DVD movies on it. The picture quality is just not as good as my (cheap) Pioneer 626 DVD player. If you can spend another $200 or so, go for the dedicated DVD player. A friend of mine just bought a Panasonic RP56 for $220 and the picture is fantastic (better than my Pioneer).

I used my PS/2 as my main DVD player for a few months, and it did a good job. As another respondent stated, the new Sony remote is a MUST if you go this way. But by no means is the PS/2 the equivalent of a dedicated DVD player...

I've read on some electronic magazine, I forgot which, it compared some $500 dvd players and one $1000 dvd player to the PS2.

The reviewer states their is hardly any visual difference between PS2 and other dvd players. But there was noticeable differences between PS2 and the $1000 dvd player.

This was published before PS2 was released. Maybe it was commissioned by Sony to hype up PS2, as if there wasn't enough hysteria for this console.

I've also read, newer releases of PS2 has added a chip cure a "bug" inherent only in the first batch released in US. The "bug" was, the RGB output can be used to make perfect duplicates of dvds. I heard this chip has certain side effects. DRE? Lower video quality?

I have had a PS2 for almost a year now and I have had quite a few problems with it freezing up on the second layer of DVDs...if you get one ...get it from Best Buy or from somewhere that offers a no questions warrenty...where you can bring it back and exchange it for a new one after 30 days...sony was going to charge 130 bucks to fix my problem ....but the guys at Best buy gave me an even up trade for a new one after 4 months...and before you buy one ....the PS2 cannot read VCDs...video cds....I bought Star Wars on VCD for the kids to watch on the PS2....It won't accept VCDs...which is kinda wierd since about 95 % of dvd players can read VCDs....But it is a great gaming system...so good luck..look at the new X-box also.....Chris