O Canada! Sony gives DivX to the True North

We're not normally so hot for portable DVD players, but Sony's recent VE7000S Walkman DVD player kind of caught our eye -- if only it had DivX or some other spicy flavors, right? Well, we haven't heard anything new on the US front, but it sounds like our neighbors up north are getting their very own version of the player with DivX. The Canadia version doesn't do anything else different than the 7-inch, dual-headphone jack unit we already saw, and we're guessing a mere firmware update was required to get the DivX hopping. We guess we can just chalk this up as another instance of device makers hating on the citizens of the US, but we're all ears for any deeper or darker conspiracy theories. Just remember, next time your grandma heads north for some prescription drugs, have her pick up a VE7000S while she's at it.

[gio @ Jun 12th 2006 11:32AM]

I saw this at BestBuy, Its so big and clunky. Costs more than the PSP. I would just buy the PSP: Its a game console, MP3 Player, I can rip DVD's and store movies and its Lighter than this piece of junk. Save your money. PSP is now $200 Street Price!

[AFD @ Jun 12th 2006 11:33AM]

I really wanted to buy either the D-VE7000S or DVP-FX810 but have decided against it, since DivX was disabled in both US versions of these players. WTF is Sony's problem?

[Camperton @ Jun 12th 2006 11:37AM]

Maybe it's time to start Engadget Canada.

[gio @ Jun 12th 2006 11:38AM]

If it had TV Mode with cable coaxile/antenna and TV record option, then i would def buy it. But its seems like just another DVD/MP3player.

[John F @ Jun 12th 2006 11:43AM]

Don't even get me started on how much SONY is a Canada hater. Those sweet Fontopia headphones? Yeah not only did it take 2 years longer for us to get them, but you can't even buy them in an actual SONY store and when you can find them (grey or sonystle.ca) they cost 2x what they cost in the U.S.

[karmaghost @ Jun 12th 2006 11:43AM]

I was confused by the news title and the accompanying image; Why would it say "no divx for you!" if Canada (who appears to be the focus of the article) was getting divx? Only a read-through cleared things up, but it should be clear outright.

[Tyler @ Jun 12th 2006 12:01PM]

Being from Canada, I like ot see that we are getting a little extra love from Sony (just kidding). By the way, they may have decided to include DivX in Canada because our copyright laws are a little more lax. We are okay to own "copied" versions of songs, movies, etc., though it is still illegal to distribute them.

[Kamalot @ Jun 12th 2006 12:03PM]

If Sony is actually starting to support DivX on its DVD players, that would be the first good news from Sony in, jeez, I can't even remember good news from Sony any more. Sucks that it isn't available in the USA, but a good move nontheless.

[Kevin Cannon @ Jun 12th 2006 12:51PM]

I think Tyler is on the right track. It's probably a legal issue rather than a case of "Sony hating Canada"

[bluetrane @ Jun 12th 2006 1:24PM]

@ camperton

sure start engadget canada so i can rant daily at how expensive evdo/edge is here

[barryska @ Jun 12th 2006 4:10PM]

Yeah, i think it's the copyright laws too. I have an LG LDA-531 HD Up-Converting DVD player (with DivX of course) and that was exclusive to Canada as well...with Americans wishing they could get their hands on.

And karmaghost, the "No DivX For You" comment is directed to the Americans.

[Simon @ Jun 12th 2006 4:14PM]

Ok, so Canada got a DivX portable. Small compensation for the fact that we are NOT getting the UX-50!!

[Canadia @ Jun 12th 2006 4:41PM]

WARNING READ AT OWN RISK:
MUHAHAHAHA....Americania (jeez hope that's right).....MUHAHAHAHA

excuse me Americ-En-gadget err ohhh forget it it it's too easy. THANK-YOU SONY for seeing "The TRUE NORTH strong and "FREE" and for screwing those Yanks and their iPod drones err people err...what are they called these days? Suckers...yes THAT'S the one.

You read it right? American? ouch.

[iggi @ Jun 12th 2006 5:39PM]

check out www.NEXT-BASE.com
they come from the UK, they sell them at ebay.. I read some reviews over the net and it looks exremly reliable. the players come in all kinds of flavors(with dvix,tv tuner, radio tuner,inrafed..). I am buying one myself when the last model is available at ebay.

[Matthew @ Jun 12th 2006 5:39PM]

Canadia?

[Pete Avila @ Jun 12th 2006 9:48PM]

Canadians are funny! :D

[jeff @ Jun 13th 2006 1:46AM]

I think the only thing going for the company right now is that everything they make looks soo cool.

[Shunnabunich @ Jun 13th 2006 3:09AM]

OK, I'm Canadian, and I still see absolutely no point in starting an Engadget Canada. Aside from the one or two "exclusive" devices (like the RAZR V3i, until recently, and...um...this) we get, and the bazillions of ones we don't get, there's no difference at all from the American side. News items would simply be too few and too far between for it to make sense.

[Yuri Walkiw @ Jun 13th 2006 8:12PM]

I don't think anyone really wants this up here. I'd rather just have something with a Hard Drive, rather than a DVD drive.