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Panasonic DVD-LA95 9" Portable DVD Player by Panasonic Average Customer Review:  Electronics list price: $699.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Panasonic's DVD-LA95 offers the versatility of a portable DVD player alongside the performance of a sophisticated home-theater component--and you can use it as both. The player handles DVD-Video, high-resolution DVD-Audio, and DVD-RAM playback--as well as standard and recordable CDs, including MP3-encoded discs. Its slender chassis holds a massive, 9-inch widescreen (16:9) LCD screen and a built-in rechargeable battery (good for about 2.5 hours between charges). Designed to take full advantage of both audio and traditional video DVD formats, the DVD-LA95 delivers the immersive six-channel surround sound of the DVD-Audio music format. DVD-Audio offers super high-fidelity (192 kHz/24-bit) sound, in both multichannel and stereo. Because the DVD-Audio signal is too high-resolution for the digital converters in current surround receivers (and also as an anti-piracy measure), the DVD-LA95 performs its own decoding of DVD-Audio signals, passing high-resolution analog, not digital, audio to your surround receiver. This means you'll need an audio/video receiver with multichannel analog-audio inputs to appreciate this feature. Audio features include DTS and Dolby Digital decoding with 5.1-channel analog- and digital-audio outputs, built-in stereo speakers, and Dialogue Enhancer for DVD movie viewing (which boosts the center-channel level by 6 dB during playback of Dolby Digital 5.1 discs, since most of the principal dialogue is channeled there). Advanced Surround Sound (VSS) simulates surround effects from any two speakers or from headphones. Other features include chapter preview, high-speed smooth-motion scan in forward and reverse (up to 100 times normal speed), repeat mode, title/chapter search with marker function, skip forward/reverse, auto power off, and resume play. In addition to playing favorite DVD movie and music discs, the DVD-LA95 also plays video recorded on DVD-RAMs. DVD-RAM lets you record high-quality MPEG-2 video on DVDs, offering fast data transmission, speedy random access to chapters, and rewritability up to 100,000 times. ... Read more Features Reviews (38)
Asin: B00005OP2T |
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Buyer Beware
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Toshiba SD3750 Progressive-Scan DVD Player by Toshiba Average Customer Review:  Electronics list price: $249.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Toshiba's SD3750 progressive-scan DVD player has innovations not found in previous Toshiba DVD lines, such as Super ColorStream Pro progressive scan and 3D-DNR (digital noise reduction) picture enhancement, that together offer filmic, flicker-free video images. A built-in 10-Bit/54 MHz video DAC further enhances picture quality by contributing to an artifact-free picture during playback of fast-motion and highly detailed scenes. A Spatializer N-2-2 sound circuit simulates surround sound through your TV or stereo speakers, while the player's 192 kHz/24-bit audio converter delivers superb sound quality from DVDs and CDs. It will play a range of media, including DVD, VCD, audio CD, MP3-CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD-R. Optical and coaxial digital audio outputs with Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel pass-through provide easy connection to any system. Other connections include component-video, composite-video, and S-Video terminals. This player lets you customize picture settings with such features as 4x picture zoom, strobe picture viewer, and camera angle select. A remote control is included. Toshiba's warranty covers parts for one year and labor for 90 days. ... Read more Features Reviews (38)
The unit has composite, S-Video, and Y/Cr/Cb component outputs.You need component video to display in progressive scan, as well as a TV that outputs in 480p, such as an HDTV.Truthfully, progressive scan makes very little difference on a standard 480i (interlaced) TV. Audio outputs are composite, optical, and digital coax (bitstream).The latter two are required for Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS. I am not overly concerned with features or the remote; if it works, I'm happy.Notably on the remote control, there is a button that allows the user to toggle between interlaced and progressive scan to check the difference.In some cases, interlaced looks better on older source material, since seeing interlaced source material doubled to progressive often shows you all the junk that was previously hidden. The A/V quality is top-notch, with 54 Mhz video decoding and 192 Khz audio decoding.The player itself is relatively artifact-free. Overall, this is an excellent player, especially considering I got it new ... on sale.However, for best-in-class single disc progressive scan, 54 Mhz/192 Khz, the Panasonic RP-82 appears to be the DVD player of choice.
Asin: B00005N5XO |
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Samsung DVD-P401 Progressive-Scan DVD Player by SAMSUNG Average Customer Review:  Electronics list price: $199.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Features Reviews (15)
Asin: B00005AK8V |
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RCA RC6001P Progressive-Scan DVD Player Average Customer Review:  Electronics list price: $269.00 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review The RC6001P DVD's progressive-scan video output produces a smooth, filmlike picture on today's digital televisions. Haven't gone digital yet? Component, composite, and S-video outputs accommodate standard and HD-ready sets. Full compatibility with audio CDs, CD-R/CD-RW, and MP3-CDs makes the player great for most disc-based music. It's also Dolby Digital and DTS ready, so if you're using a compatible surround receiver with a 5.1-channel speaker system, you'll enjoy immersive digital surround sound via the RC6001P's optical (Toslink) digital-audio output. On the video side, the RC6001P performs 10-bit digital-to-analog conversion. A Y-Pr-Pb component-video output makes an optimal connection with a component-video-equipped television. Picture zoom lets you magnify onscreen images by two or four times, with the ability to pan left/right and up/down in zoom mode. Parental rating control gives studios the capability to put the control of movie viewing where it belongs--in parents' hands. The RC6001P lets you choose what is suitable for your child to see. Without a password, the rating control cannot be altered--perfect for those times when adult supervision is not always possible. Other features include dynamic range compression (compresses the quiet-to-loud range of a Dolby Digital disc's soundtrack, bringing dialogue and sound effects closer to the same level); onscreen displays (available in English, French, and Spanish); multiple aspect ratios (with the press of a button, the player can switch between 4:3, 4:3-letterbox, and 16:9 formats, with compatible discs); display dimming (select between bright and dim to adjust the brightness of the player's front-panel display); and multilanguage/subtitle capability (DVDs can support eight audio languages, 32 subtitle tracks, and closed captioning). The RC6001P includes a stereo-audio/composite-video interconnect and a detachable AC power cord. ... Read more Features Reviews (7)
Asin: B00005QXWJ |
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RCA Fan
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JVC XV-S65GD Progressive-Scan DVD Player (Gold) Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $299.95 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review JVC's XV-S65GD DVD player, also available in black, presents a slim design for easy placement and an attractive addition to your home theater system. Additionally, it supports DVD and CD media, plus MP3, CD-R, and CD-RW recordable formats for playback from nearly any digital media source. The XV-S65GD includes the technological features for only the best in video and audio playback. A 10-bit video digital-to-analog converter reproduces video images with enhanced picture quality for modern TVs and large-screen displays. A 24-bit, 96 kHz audio digital-to-analog converter similarly reproduces audio signals for superb audio quality with audio CDs and audio from DVDs. The 3-D Phonic surround sound emulation can create a four-speaker sound field from only two stereo speakers. Progressive Scan Output creates a smoother picture with reduced flickering and no scan lines (on a compatible TV). Playback features include variable and slow search, zoom, digest and strobe play, angle list, and a resume function. Fiber optic and coaxial digital-audio outputs connect to a compatible home theater for discrete, 5.1-channel Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound. JVC's warranty covers parts for one year, labor for 90 days. ... Read more Features Reviews (17)
This machine works better than I ever expected and was $55 less expensive than the Toshiba 4700. It seems more solid, responds quicker to commands and the remote can be programmed to control any brand of television.... Highly Recommended.
The back panel is equally streamlined but has all the usual outputs. The component-video jack is switched to progressive mode by pressing the Progressive Scan button on the remote and holding it for a few seconds. In a new and very welcome trend that saves you quite a few bucks, JVC packages a set of component-video cables with the player. The JVC's remote control felt substantial, with large buttons I could easily locate by touch in the dark. The controls you'll use most often are on the lower half. Directly above them are buttons for less used functions like picture zoom and shrink, Digest (displays a grid of images from each chapter on a DVD), and picture-quality presets. The remote can also be configured to control your TV. Pressing the On Screen button near the bottom of the remote during playback shrinks the movie to a quarter-screen window and fills the rest of the screen with a control panel. Several functions can be accessed from this panel, including repeat modes, time and chapter search, and selection of soundtrack and subtitle language or camera angle. It also includes bar graphs indicating elapsed time and the disc's data-transfer rate. When you're playing a CD, a similar onscreen control window is available to set up repeat modes or program track order - if you don't mind turning on the TV. The JVC's 2x fast-scan mode delivered smooth, fluid playback. Another neat feature is aspect ratio control, activated by selecting the 16:9 Normal setting in the setup menu. This will prove useful if you have a widescreen HDTV that locks into a 16:9 or "full" display mode when it receives a progressive-scan signal (a number of them do). Set to its 16:9 Normal mode, the JVC player formats standard 4:3 images so they'll appear on widescreen displays with correct geometry instead of being stretched out to fill the screen. Like the Marantz changer, the JVC effortlessly sailed through my progressive-scan torture tests. Scenes with fine horizontal lines combined with moving cam erawork all came through without any artifacts. Colors, too, looked solid, with no combing visible in either the bright reds of Yellow Submarine or the catcher's orange chest protector in For the Love of the Game. When I switched to another reference DVD, the Hitchcock classic North by Northwest, I thought at first that the JVC came up somewhat shy on picture detail. Checking the sharpness control in the player's Normal preset, however, I noted that it was a notch below maximum. Bumping it back up let me clearly see both the texture in Cary Grant's impeccably cut gray suit and the details in the intricate furnishings of James Mason's library. Setting sharpness to maximum added slight ringing artifacts to the lines in the resolution pattern of Ovation Software's Avia test DVD, but I didn't notice any with movies. The JVC XV-S60BK is an all-around excellent progressive-scan player that's also very reasonably priced. Having finally gotten my hands on it, I can attest that it more than justifies the buzz. Order yours today!
Asin: B00005NCWH |
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JVC XV-S60BK Progressive-Scan DVD Player (Black) Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $299.95 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review JVC's XV-S60BK DVD player, also available in gold, has a slim design that simplifies room placement and makes the player an attractive addition to your home theater system. Additionally, it supports DVD and CD media, plus MP3, CD-R, and CD-RW recordable formats for playback from nearly any digital media source. The XV-S60BK includes the technological features for only the best in video and audio playback. A 10-bit video digital-to-analog converter reproduces video images with enhanced picture quality for modern TVs and large-screen displays. A 24-bit, 96 kHz audio digital-to-analog converter similarly reproduces audio signals for superb audio quality with audio CDs and audio from DVDs. The 3-D Phonic surround sound emulation can create a four-speaker sound field from only two stereo speakers. Progressive Scan Output creates a smoother picture with reduced flickering and no scan lines (on a compatible TV). Playback features include variable and slow search, zoom, digest and strobe play, angle list, and a resume function. Fiber optic and coaxial digital-audio outputs connect to a compatible home theater for discrete, 5.1-channel Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound. JVC's warranty covers parts for one year, labor for 90 days. ... Read more Features Reviews (17)
This machine works better than I ever expected and was $55 less expensive than the Toshiba 4700. It seems more solid, responds quicker to commands and the remote can be programmed to control any brand of television.... Highly Recommended.
The back panel is equally streamlined but has all the usual outputs. The component-video jack is switched to progressive mode by pressing the Progressive Scan button on the remote and holding it for a few seconds. In a new and very welcome trend that saves you quite a few bucks, JVC packages a set of component-video cables with the player. The JVC's remote control felt substantial, with large buttons I could easily locate by touch in the dark. The controls you'll use most often are on the lower half. Directly above them are buttons for less used functions like picture zoom and shrink, Digest (displays a grid of images from each chapter on a DVD), and picture-quality presets. The remote can also be configured to control your TV. Pressing the On Screen button near the bottom of the remote during playback shrinks the movie to a quarter-screen window and fills the rest of the screen with a control panel. Several functions can be accessed from this panel, including repeat modes, time and chapter search, and selection of soundtrack and subtitle language or camera angle. It also includes bar graphs indicating elapsed time and the disc's data-transfer rate. When you're playing a CD, a similar onscreen control window is available to set up repeat modes or program track order - if you don't mind turning on the TV. The JVC's 2x fast-scan mode delivered smooth, fluid playback. Another neat feature is aspect ratio control, activated by selecting the 16:9 Normal setting in the setup menu. This will prove useful if you have a widescreen HDTV that locks into a 16:9 or "full" display mode when it receives a progressive-scan signal (a number of them do). Set to its 16:9 Normal mode, the JVC player formats standard 4:3 images so they'll appear on widescreen displays with correct geometry instead of being stretched out to fill the screen. Like the Marantz changer, the JVC effortlessly sailed through my progressive-scan torture tests. Scenes with fine horizontal lines combined with moving cam erawork all came through without any artifacts. Colors, too, looked solid, with no combing visible in either the bright reds of Yellow Submarine or the catcher's orange chest protector in For the Love of the Game. When I switched to another reference DVD, the Hitchcock classic North by Northwest, I thought at first that the JVC came up somewhat shy on picture detail. Checking the sharpness control in the player's Normal preset, however, I noted that it was a notch below maximum. Bumping it back up let me clearly see both the texture in Cary Grant's impeccably cut gray suit and the details in the intricate furnishings of James Mason's library. Setting sharpness to maximum added slight ringing artifacts to the lines in the resolution pattern of Ovation Software's Avia test DVD, but I didn't notice any with movies. The JVC XV-S60BK is an all-around excellent progressive-scan player that's also very reasonably priced. Having finally gotten my hands on it, I can attest that it more than justifies the buzz. Order yours today!
Asin: B00005NCWG |
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Pioneer DV444 Progressive-Scan DVD Player (Silver) by Pioneer Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $449.95 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Features Reviews (6)
Asin: B00005O4JH |
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Toshiba SD3755 Progressive-Scan 5-Disc DVD Player by Toshiba Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $329.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Toshiba gives consumers enhanced digital technology for a minimum price with their SD3755 progressive-scan DVD player. Capable of DVD, CD, MP3, CD-R/RW and DVD-R playback, this player is great for movies, music, and DVD transfers of your home movies. A 10-bit, high-sampling 54 MHz video digital-to-analog converter quickly and accurately reproduces video for high-quality pictures, abetted by Toshiba's stellar ColorStream Pro progressive-scan component-video output with Cinema Mode (3:2 pulldown). The player offers parallel video outputs (interlaced) for serving multiple rooms and 500 lines of horizontal resolution. Likewise, a 24-bit, 192 kHz audio digital-to-analog converter runs at twice the frequency of conventional DVD player audio DACs to provide superior sound reproduction from DVD-Videos and CDs. Optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs facilitate hookup with a surround receiver for either Dolby Digital or DTS decoding. Additional features include progressive-scan video, which displays non-interlaced video with compatible TVs for smoother pictures with reduced flicker. Toshiba's 3-D Virtual Surround Sound simulates a four-speaker surround system using only two. The SD3755 offers plenty of playback options as well, including an onscreen menu, strobe display, preview, multiple angles, 4-power zoom, and four scan speeds (up to 100x playback). ... Read more Features Reviews (21)
Asin: B00005N5XP |
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Toshiba SD4700 Progressive-Scan DVD Player by Toshiba Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $349.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Toshiba offers enhanced digital technology for a minimum price with its high-end SD4700 progressive-scan DVD player. Capable of DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, CD, MP3, CD-R/RW and DVD-R playback, this player is great for movies, music, and DVD transfers of your home movies. A 10-bit, high-sampling 54 MHz video digital-to-analog converter quickly and accurately reproduces video for high-quality pictures, abetted by Toshiba's top-of-the-line Super ColorStream Pro progressive-scan component-video output with Cinema Mode (3:2 pulldown), not to mention the company's Super Anti-alias Filter and 8:8:8 processing. The player offers parallel video outputs (interlaced) for serving multiple rooms, and a distinguished 540 lines of horizontal resolution. Likewise, a 24-bit, 192 kHz audio digital-to-analog converter runs at twice the frequency of conventional DVD player audio DACs to provide superior sound reproduction from DVD-Videos, DVD-Audio discs, and CDs. Optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs facilitate hookup with a surround receiver for either Dolby Digital or DTS decoding, while decoded Dolby Digital sound is also available through the 5.1-channel analog outputs required to appreciate the full resolution of decoded DVD-Audio programs. Additional features include progressive-scan video, which displays non-interlaced video with compatible TVs for smoother pictures with reduced flicker. Toshiba's Spatializer N-2-2 Virtual Surround Sound system simulates a four-speaker surround system using only two. The SD4700 offers plenty of playback options as well, including an onscreen menu, strobe display, preview, multiple angles, 4-power zoom, and four scan speeds (up to 100x playback). ... Read more Features Reviews (25)
It was a work-horse while it lasted. DVD's still look terrific, but CD's no longer play. It does not pay to repair the unit.
However, after 3-months of operation playing about 3 DVD a week the unit started stalling on scenes. Shortly thereafter, it would load a dvd or VCD (even new ones) then give the message "insert disk" or " wrong or bad disc. Some times it could not read the CD-RW like it was specified in its specification. Apparently the player is unable to detect that the disk is already loaded. The unit appears to be fully operational except that it will not recgonize the disk just loaded. First, we managed to get the disk playing after opening and closing the tray repeatly four or five times like some other reviewer. Especially for some low quality DCD or VCD, the player always ignored the disk or showed worse quality than if I put the same VCD or DVD into cheaper DVD player ( that I bought for about 40 dollars )I can get better picture quality. To me it seemed ridiculous. About some days later it refused to recgonize any DVD or CD that had been loaded into the tray and no amount of cycling the tray door helped. The message "insert disk" seemed appear alot of time. Asin: B00005AY8R |
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JVC XV-F80BK Progressive-Scan 7-Disc DVD Player (Black) Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $399.95 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review The JVC XV-F80BK seven-disc carousel changer, also available in gold, lets you change six DVDs without having to stop the currently playing disc. Incredibly versatile, it plays DVD and CD media, plus MP3-CD, CD-R, and CD-RW recordable CD formats. The XV-F80BK boasts many advanced features, including progressive-scan output for a smooth, flicker-free picture (no scan lines!) on a compatible television. The 3-D Phonic sound simulates surround sound from a two-speaker system. Playback options include variable and slow search, zoom, digest, and strobe play (frame-by-frame stop-motion), angle list, and resume. Optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs for Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround are provided for easy connection to compatible home theater receivers. JVC covers the XV-F80BK with a one-year warranty on parts and a 90-day warranty on labor. ... Read more Features Reviews (15)
DISC MECHANISM: Thanks to the independent tray loading system JVC has developed, this player fits seven discs into the space of five...and allows you to open the drawer and change every disc except the one currently being played without interrupting playback. Tray opening/closing and disc selection are both a little slow, but the high capacity more than makes up for it. LASER ASSEMBLY: Part of the reason I bought a JVC is because they just seem to have better laser setups. Playback--whether it be audio CD, DVD, MP3 disc, or a homemade VideoCD/Super VideoCD--is consistently flawless, with no stutters or glitches even when the disc has small smudge marks or blemishes. AUDIO PLAYBACK: The audio is crisp and clean, which is very important to me as a musician/music teacher. Since my amp is older, I use the analog outputs. I have also tested the digital audio functions with a friend's equipment; the quality is perfect, with no static or signs of audio compression. True, you cannot hear MP3 playback over the digital stream, but that is due to copyright issues regarding the MP3 file format, and JVC had no control over that. Also, some complain that the randomized/"shuffle" playback only works on one disc at a time...but, given the way CD changers work, the pause between songs is excruciatingly long when the player has to switch discs after every track, so the exclusion of this feature is understandable. VIDEO PLAYBACK: This player has the best image quality I have seen thus far on a DVD player. For those who have the proper equipment, this player is one of the few models that has a true, "digital-direct" progressive scan mode (which means that it reads the high frame rate straight from the disc, rather than trying to reinterpret the extra frames back into a standard-quality scan). Even with the composite out, the picture is crisp and clean. This player also has a better-than-usual video filter, which results in a smoother image on large screens or with low-quality source material. (This is easily seen when you zoom in on the screen image, or when playing back a VideoCD). REMOTE: The remote is lightweight and easy to use, and it doubles as a universal remote for whatever television you may have. The fact that the "key" playback controls glow in the dark is a nice feature; my only complaint is that it does not have any VCR functionality (I'm not a fan of juggling remotes). EXTRA FEATURES: This player provides easy and high-quality playback of all major formats you might expect to use: DVDs, audio CDs, Video CDs, Super Video CDs, and MP3 discs. It will also read CD-R and even CD-RW discs without any problems. Also, the user-adjustable video filter is great for those who like to tinker with things in quest of the "ultimate" quality setting, and the ability to zoom in and out on the image is quite fun...and useful, if you're trying to find something specific in a scene. You can zoom in up to 1024x, and the image stays remarkably clean, and you can zoom out to 1/8x (although I have yet to find any reason for doing this). PRICE: This is not an inexpensive unit. But there are several out there that are more expensive, and--in my opinion--no player currently on the market offers you a better movie experience. If you are looking for a high-end DVD player, or especially if you're looking for a device to serve as the heart of a home audio/video system, look no further. ... Read more Asin: B00005RI9L |
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JVC XV-F85GD 7-Disc Progressive-Scan DVD Player (Gold) Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $399.95 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review The JVC XV-F85GD seven-disc carousel changer, also available in black, lets you change six DVDs without having to stop the currently playing disc. Incredibly versatile, it plays DVD and CD media, plus MP3-CD, CD-R, and CD-RW recordable CD formats. The XV-F85GD boasts many advanced features, including progressive-scan output for a smooth, flicker-free picture (no scan lines!) on a compatible television. The 3-D Phonic sound simulates surround sound from a two-speaker system. Playback options include variable and slow search, zoom, digest, and strobe play (frame-by-frame stop-motion), angle list, and resume. Optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs for Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround are provided for easy connection to compatible home theater receivers. JVC covers the XV-F85GD with a one-year parts warranty and a 90-day labor warranty. ... Read more Features Reviews (15)
DISC MECHANISM: Thanks to the independent tray loading system JVC has developed, this player fits seven discs into the space of five...and allows you to open the drawer and change every disc except the one currently being played without interrupting playback. Tray opening/closing and disc selection are both a little slow, but the high capacity more than makes up for it. LASER ASSEMBLY: Part of the reason I bought a JVC is because they just seem to have better laser setups. Playback--whether it be audio CD, DVD, MP3 disc, or a homemade VideoCD/Super VideoCD--is consistently flawless, with no stutters or glitches even when the disc has small smudge marks or blemishes. AUDIO PLAYBACK: The audio is crisp and clean, which is very important to me as a musician/music teacher. Since my amp is older, I use the analog outputs. I have also tested the digital audio functions with a friend's equipment; the quality is perfect, with no static or signs of audio compression. True, you cannot hear MP3 playback over the digital stream, but that is due to copyright issues regarding the MP3 file format, and JVC had no control over that. Also, some complain that the randomized/"shuffle" playback only works on one disc at a time...but, given the way CD changers work, the pause between songs is excruciatingly long when the player has to switch discs after every track, so the exclusion of this feature is understandable. VIDEO PLAYBACK: This player has the best image quality I have seen thus far on a DVD player. For those who have the proper equipment, this player is one of the few models that has a true, "digital-direct" progressive scan mode (which means that it reads the high frame rate straight from the disc, rather than trying to reinterpret the extra frames back into a standard-quality scan). Even with the composite out, the picture is crisp and clean. This player also has a better-than-usual video filter, which results in a smoother image on large screens or with low-quality source material. (This is easily seen when you zoom in on the screen image, or when playing back a VideoCD). REMOTE: The remote is lightweight and easy to use, and it doubles as a universal remote for whatever television you may have. The fact that the "key" playback controls glow in the dark is a nice feature; my only complaint is that it does not have any VCR functionality (I'm not a fan of juggling remotes). EXTRA FEATURES: This player provides easy and high-quality playback of all major formats you might expect to use: DVDs, audio CDs, Video CDs, Super Video CDs, and MP3 discs. It will also read CD-R and even CD-RW discs without any problems. Also, the user-adjustable video filter is great for those who like to tinker with things in quest of the "ultimate" quality setting, and the ability to zoom in and out on the image is quite fun...and useful, if you're trying to find something specific in a scene. You can zoom in up to 1024x, and the image stays remarkably clean, and you can zoom out to 1/8x (although I have yet to find any reason for doing this). PRICE: This is not an inexpensive unit. But there are several out there that are more expensive, and--in my opinion--no player currently on the market offers you a better movie experience. If you are looking for a high-end DVD player, or especially if you're looking for a device to serve as the heart of a home audio/video system, look no further. ... Read more Asin: B00005RI9M |
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JVC XV-FA95BK Progressive-Scan 7-Disc DVD Player (Black) Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $449.95 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Reviews (5)
I love the one I have.I paid 190+shipping on UBID and am very happy with it.
The fact that someone would complain that this machine does not have digital output for DVD audio makes their review suspect. DVD audio is only available in analog output.Digital output on dvd-audio discs is a courtesy for people who don't have dvd-audio machines but would like to hear music in Dolby 5.1.The sampling rate is much lower, closer to a typical cd thus not giving you the resolution that DVD-A's are noted for.If you are not sending the sound via the six analogue outputs, you are missing the point of having a DVD-audio player.
Asin: B00005RI9N |
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JVC XV-FA95GD Progressive-Scan 7-Disc DVD Player (Gold) Average Customer Review:  Electronics list price: $449.95 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Features Reviews (10)
HOWEVER- I suggest staying far away from this model, and in general ANY electronic device that doesn't come with an honest 1 year warranty (at least!). Watch out for SONY, too. First, the trays jammed on us (luckily within the 90 days "labor" warranty). Got that repaired, and it worked okay for a few months, though never played CDs right.Then, the audio started fluttering in and out at random. Turned out to be a $140 dollar repair ("parts" were free, though "labor" was $140). Try asking for your warranteed replacement "parts" so you can fix it yourself, and you'll see how useless the warranty is: after 90 days you MUST use an authorized repair facility to get your warranteed replacement parts- so essentially after about 12 weeks of use you pay for all "repairs" (or defects). Anyway, we paid the $140 to fix this 8 month old JVC player. 2 weeks later the audio problem has returned. I will take great pleasure in tossing this JVC garbage out of a second story window onto concrete, and will never buy another "90 day warranty" device again.
Good Bad It's a good player, but has some big problems. Price is the big attraction here. Still waiting for the perfect player, probably will ALWAYS be waiting....
PROs: This multi-disc player handles more formats than any other comparable multi-disc player when I bought it:DVDs, CDs, MP3s, CD-Rs (even Black CD-Rs), VCDs, SVCDs, DVD-Audio. The 7 disc capacity over the standard 5 disc of others is nice. It's footprint is not quite as large as others would lead you to believe. CONs: This player has some very awkward and unacceptable UI quirks. For example, there is no "Next Disc" function. This seems so obvious and simple, but is not available - and believe me, you will miss it. To advance to another disc, you have to press the "Disc" button plus a number button for whatever tray you want. That wouldn't be so bad, except that the unit gives you no indication what disc tray you are on save a blinking orange light. This blinking orange light is of no use when you are sitting more than 3 feet from the player, and might even be annoying to some as it "blinks" throughtout playback. So, orange blinking light that serves no purpose other than to annoy. Ouch. Another nasty omission is lack of time functions on DVD. You cannot, for example, show elapsed time for Chapter, or remaining time for Chapter, Disc, etc. There simply is no excuse for this. I like to know how much time is left remaining on a disc, and this unit cannot tell me. Ugh. My particular unit turns itself on from Standby at random intervals for no reason - as if it were possessed by a ghost. I have no idea if this is a problem with the unit in general or not. I needed a replacement player that was multidisc and could handle all the formats mentioned above. I bought this player because I couldn't wait a few months for the next batch of newer models that might have fit the bill... You might want to wait. ... Read more Asin: B00005RI9O |
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Denon DVD-1000 DVD Player by Denon Electronics USA LLC Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $399.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Denon's midrange DVD-1000 supports DVD-Video, video CDs, music CDs, and audio CD-R formats. A double-speed drive with a 4 MB buffer ensures pause-free viewing during layer shifts or rare pickup dropouts. Audio and video quality is maintained through component- and S-video outputs, while an optical digital-audio output passes Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround sound to your compatible receiver. A 10-bit video digital-to-analog converter reproduces video images with greater detail than conventional processing, resulting in superb picture quality with today's high-performance TVs and large-screen displays. A 24-bit, 96 kHz audio digital-to-analog converter in turn keeps audio quality on par with video, so you'll have an immersive DVD experience. Playback features include an onscreen display that lets you see the current operating status of the DVD-1000. Various operations and settings are easily changed from the remote controller. Additional features include support for multiple angles, soundtracks, subtitles, playback memory function, energy-saving standby, and auto power off. Repeat, chapter/track programming, and random functions are also provided. ... Read more Features Reviews (2)
Asin: B00005NWQ6 |
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Harman Kardon DVD50 5-Disc Progressive-Scan DVD Player by Harman Kardon Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $649.00 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Designed to handle every popular digital audio and video format, HarmanKardon's DVD50 with progressive scan is an advanced and versatile five-disc DVDvideo changer. The DVD50 is the first DVD changer to include built-in MP3decoding from CD discs. The DVD50 can also play CD-Rs and CD-RWs as well asDVDs, standard audio CDs, and Video CD discs. With its built-in HDCD processing,the DVD50 delivers the ultimate in quality compact disc playback. Features suchas progressive-scan component-video outputs and 10-bit video digital-to-audioconversion, with 27 MHz filtering, provide unsurpassed video performance. In addition to progressive-scan output, the DVD50 includes standard-scan-ratecomponent-video (Y/Pr/Pb), S-video, and composite-video outputs. A Wolfson 24-bit/192kHz audio digital-to-analog converter offers extraordinary resolution,sonic accuracy, and compatible playback of high-resolution 96/24 audio discs.The DVD50 is compatible with both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel discs andalso includes a built-in HDCD decoder that allows listeners to enjoy the fullsonic benefits of the improved resolution, dynamic range, and musical realismprovided by the HDCD format. Thanks to its precision digital filter, the HDCDdecoder also improves the sound quality of conventional non-HDCD-encoded CDs.The DVD50 includes coaxial and optical digital outputs, plus standard down-mixedanalog audio outputs, and a down-mixed stereo headphone output for privatelistening. The DVD50 takes user convenience to a new level. Its comprehensive, easy-to-useonscreen menu system and full-function backlit remote control make initial setupand operation simple and intuitive. The player offers a wide variety of viewingoptions, such as multiple-aspect-ratio selection, multiple viewing angles, achoice of multiple-language soundtracks and subtitles, and still and motiondigital zoom. The DVD50 also provides a number of picture search and scanning options, such asfour-speed Smooth Scan (2x, 4x, 8x, 100x), four-speed Super Fine Slow Motion(1/2x, 1/4x, 1/8x, and 1/16x), and frame-by-frame advance, along with a choiceof program-play and repeat-play options. Additional convenience functionsinclude MP3 Text and CD Text display, and a play-one/exchange-four disc-playbackfunction that allows users to exchange up to four DVD discs in the changer whilewatching a fifth disc without interruption. Harman Kardon provides a one-year warranty on parts and labor on the DVD50. ... Read more Features Reviews (9)
Having said that, the sound is great, and that was my primary concern/criteria for buying this unit. But, there are a couple of inconveniences that bother me about its day-to-day operation. First of all, you have to load all cds into the machine from one position on the tray. Of course, this is not difficult, but its a pain when you're trying to cue up multiple discs for on the fly dj-ing... Secondly, there is a pretty long gap btwn reading one disc and the next, so that you'll never get a smooth transition from one disc to the next... The shuffle feature is pretty weak...you can choose btwn shuffling all tracks on one disc or all tracks on one disc at a time, or shuffling all discs where it plays 2 tracks at a time from each disc. I thought that was kind of subpar. And finally, the controls associated with repeating discs are also weak. you can choose between one disc at a time, one disc over and over or all discs over and over, but not all discs once with a hard stop at the end of disc 5. I listen to that clean, crisp sound, and that still puts a smile on my face. ... Read more Asin: B000051SDU |
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Panasonic DVD-RP91K Progressive-Scan DVD-RAM Player (Black) by Panasonic Average Customer Review:  Electronics list price: $749.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review You'd be hard-pressed to find a more feature-packed, superb DVD player than this one, which is available in a very cool champagne color or this basic black. Not only does it do a wonderful job with DVD-Video discs--thanks to its progressive-scan output and advanced, 12-bit/54 MHz video digital-to-analog converter (DAC)--but it also plays the new generation of multichannel DVD-Audio software. The audio DAC offers scintillating 24-bit, 192 kHz resolution, capable of delivering a full two octaves' worth of high-frequency harmonics above standard CDs. And if you happen to own a DVD-RAM-based camcorder like the Panasonic VDR-M10, it plays those discs, too. In a word--Wow. We're big fans of progressive-scan DVD players. Connect one to a digital television and you'll forget about the dearth of HDTV broadcasts. Why wait for broadcast when so many DVDs are available now? We quickly connected our review player to a 36-inch digital set using the component-video outputs and a 5.1-channel surround-sound system via the player's optical digital-audio output. The RP91 has extensive audio hookup capabilities, so no matter how sophisticated--or basic--your home theater is, you'll be in for the ride of your life. Even if you only use two speakers, it offers two levels of Virtual Surround to help envelop you in sound. We loaded the obligatory Starship Troopers disc and loved it. The acting was as bad as ever, but the image moved to a still higher dimension of quality. By pressing the "progressive scan" key on the player's front panel, we experienced a seamless 480-progressive image rather than standard 480 interlaced--a picture that is much richer and more filmlike without the bothersome scanning lines. With 480P, you feel as if you could put your hand right into the screen. The audio track, while likewise superb, didn't sound noticeably superior to that of other players--probably because of the limitations of the Dolby Digital compression on that disc. We were, however, able to get our hands on Swing Live, a new Bucky Pizzarelli DVD-Audio disc from Chesky Records, to properly audition the DVD-RP91 with the new music format. (To appreciate DVD-Audio, you'll need a surround receiver with 5.1-channel analog inputs, since the DVD-A signal is too high-resolution for standard digital inputs to accommodate it.) We've been a bit skeptical about multichannel music, having heard some poorly engineered early attempts at 5.1-channel surround-sound music. Well, the engineers have learned from their mistakes, and this disc places you at a table in a nightclub, while guitarist Bucky and his friends play jazz standards like "Perdido" and "Sweet Sue." The sense of presence and realism was outstanding. The only thing missing was a nice Sapphire martini, straight up. (Note: this machine does not play SACDs, a competing multichannel audio system being promoted by Sony--but no one machine plays both formats.) The appearance and playback capabilities of the DVD-RP91--with both audio and video--puts it in a class by itself. Yet it does have problems. The biggest drawback is the onscreen menu--the icons are inscrutable. Without the owner's manual at the ready, it's difficult to navigate through all the available options (and there are many). Not that most people will adjust their video Gamma settings, but we couldn't help wishing Panasonic had made the system more intuitive. The remote has a very good feel, and a joystick makes adjustments and moves you through the menus. The remote is programmed to handle most TVs, and it handled my non-Panasonic set easily. But the remote really should have backlit keys rather than glow-in-the-dark buttons. This is a high-priced DVD player, so you should get a high-quality remote. But what else can we say? This is a fantastic, technically advanced DVD player. Any home theater enthusiast should seriously give this one a long, hard look--then buy it. --David Elrich Pros:
Cons:
Features Reviews (1)
The progressive output is amazing on my Panasonic Tautelevision. I believe this player does not exhibit the 'chroma bug' that many high-end AV magazines have found in some players, even some high-end ones. If you don't have an reciever (or an external decoder) that can decode Dolby Digital or DTS, this player will decode them and pipe them into a reciever with 5.1 channel RCA inputs. My receiver has its own decoder, but I have decided to use the dvd player's decoder full-time as I appreciate the sound quality improvement it gives over my receiver. I also haven't experimented with the DVD-RAM playback because as of yet I do not own a DVD-RAM drive, though I will probably remedy that in the near future. This dvd player will also play DVD-AUDIO discs and CD-Rs with mp3s on them. The mp3 feature is pretty nice, though it won't decode id3 tags in your mp3 files. It played all of the CD-Rs that I presented it with flawlessly, however. If you play DVD-AUDIO discs on this player you'll definitely want to use its built-in decoders, as the analog outputs are the only way to get the true level of quality in a DVD-AUDIO disc (the digital outputs are downsampled to reduce the quality of a pirated copy -- it stinks, but that's how it is) All in all, though expensive, this is a great dvd player, especially if you have a TV that can accept progressive output, and perhaps you need a DD/DTS decoder (or you'd like to upgrade the one you have).Right now the DVD-AUDIO, MP3, and DVD-RAM features are just icing on the cake, and shouldn't distract you from its extremely well-done core competencies of picture and sound quality. ... Read more Asin: B00005I9P2 |
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Panasonic DVD-RP91N Progressive-Scan DVD-RAM Player (Champagne) by Panasonic Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $749.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review You'd be hard-pressed to find a more feature-packed, superb DVD player than this one, which is available in this very cool champagne color or basic black. Not only does it do a wonderful job with DVD-Video discs--thanks to its progressive-scan output and advanced, 12-bit/54 MHz video digital-to-analog converter (DAC)--but it also plays the new generation of multichannel DVD-Audio software. The audio DAC offers scintillating 24-bit, 192 kHz resolution, capable of delivering a full two octaves' worth of high-frequency harmonics above standard CDs. And if you happen to own a DVD-RAM-based camcorder like the Panasonic VDR-M10, it plays those discs, too. In a word--Wow. We're big fans of progressive-scan DVD players. Connect one to a digital television and you'll forget about the dearth of HDTV broadcasts. Why wait for broadcast when so many DVDs are available now? We quickly connected our review player to a 36-inch digital set using the component-video outputs and a 5.1-channel surround-sound system via the player's optical digital-audio output. The RP91 has extensive audio hookup capabilities, so no matter how sophisticated--or basic--your home theater is, you'll be in for the ride of your life. Even if you only use two speakers, it offers two levels of Virtual Surround to help envelop you in sound. We loaded the obligatory Starship Troopers disc and loved it. The acting was as bad as ever, but the image moved to a still higher dimension of quality. By pressing the "progressive scan" key on the player's front panel, we experienced a seamless 480-progressive image rather than standard 480 interlaced--a picture that is much richer and more filmlike without the bothersome scanning lines. With 480P, you feel as if you could put your hand right into the screen. The audio track, while likewise superb, didn't sound noticeably superior to that of other players--probably because of the limitations of the Dolby Digital compression on that disc. We were, however, able to get our hands on Swing Live, a new Bucky Pizzarelli DVD-Audio disc from Chesky Records, to properly audition the DVD-RP91 with the new music format. (To appreciate DVD-Audio, you'll need a surround receiver with 5.1-channel analog inputs, since the DVD-A signal is too high-resolution for standard digital inputs to accommodate it.) We've been a bit skeptical about multichannel music, having heard some poorly engineered early attempts at 5.1-channel surround-sound music. Well, the engineers have learned from their mistakes, and this disc places you at a table in a nightclub, while guitarist Bucky and his friends play jazz standards like "Perdido" and "Sweet Sue." The sense of presence and realism was outstanding. The only thing missing was a nice Sapphire martini, straight up. (Note: this machine does not play SACDs, a competing multichannel audio system being promoted by Sony--but no one machine plays both formats.) The appearance and playback capabilities of the DVD-RP91--with both audio and video--puts it in a class by itself. Yet it does have problems. The biggest drawback is the onscreen menu--the icons are inscrutable. Without the owner's manual at the ready, it's difficult to navigate through all the available options (and there are many). Not that most people will adjust their video Gamma settings, but we couldn't help wishing Panasonic had made the system more intuitive. The remote has a very good feel, and a joystick makes adjustments and moves you through the menus. The remote is programmed to handle most TVs, and it handled my non-Panasonic set easily. But the remote really should have backlit keys rather than glow-in-the-dark buttons. This is a high-priced DVD player, so you should get a high-quality remote. But what else can we say? This is a fantastic, technically advanced DVD player. Any home theater enthusiast should seriously give this one a long, hard look--then buy it. --David Elrich Pros:
Cons:
Features Reviews (1)
The progressive output is amazing on my Panasonic Tautelevision. I believe this player does not exhibit the 'chroma bug' that many high-end AV magazines have found in some players, even some high-end ones. If you don't have an reciever (or an external decoder) that can decode Dolby Digital or DTS, this player will decode them and pipe them into a reciever with 5.1 channel RCA inputs. My receiver has its own decoder, but I have decided to use the dvd player's decoder full-time as I appreciate the sound quality improvement it gives over my receiver. I also haven't experimented with the DVD-RAM playback because as of yet I do not own a DVD-RAM drive, though I will probably remedy that in the near future. This dvd player will also play DVD-AUDIO discs and CD-Rs with mp3s on them. The mp3 feature is pretty nice, though it won't decode id3 tags in your mp3 files. It played all of the CD-Rs that I presented it with flawlessly, however. If you play DVD-AUDIO discs on this player you'll definitely want to use its built-in decoders, as the analog outputs are the only way to get the true level of quality in a DVD-AUDIO disc (the digital outputs are downsampled to reduce the quality of a pirated copy -- it stinks, but that's how it is) All in all, though expensive, this is a great dvd player, especially if you have a TV that can accept progressive output, and perhaps you need a DD/DTS decoder (or you'd like to upgrade the one you have).Right now the DVD-AUDIO, MP3, and DVD-RAM features are just icing on the cake, and shouldn't distract you from its extremely well-done core competencies of picture and sound quality. ... Read more Asin: B00005BICV |
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Toshiba SD9200 Progressive-Scan DVD Player by Toshiba Average Customer Review: Electronics list price: $1,199.99 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Toshiba's luxurious SD9200 DVD-Audio/DVD-Video player will surely bolster the company's reputation as an industry leader. It offers not only top-of-the-line, flicker-free progressive-scan video, but super high-resolution audio performance, too. And it's built like a tank. This is one high-ticket item that's worth every penny. Since this is one of the first of a new breed of DVD-Audio-capable players, let's talk about the audio first. What makes DVD-Audio sound so good? To begin with, it uses a DVD's massive storage capability to produce spectacular, advanced-resolution two-channel or multichannel music, which can also be accompanied with value-added video features like text, slides, and concert footage. This format specification calls for (and the SD9200 offers) 24-bit/192 kHz digital-to-analog converters (DACs) designed to deliver the full sonic benefits of a two-channel DVD-Audio performance. With its astounding 144 dB dynamic range and a frequency response from approximately 2 to 100,000 Hz for two-channel stereo audio, DVD-Audio marks a significant milestone in the quest for audio perfection. DVD-Audio can also deliver up to six channels of full-bandwidth audio and still provide advanced resolution far superior to that of CD for multichannel programs. The surround-sound result is sonic purity and performance that are absolutely faithful to the multichannel digital masters--and total immersion in the music. Our test material was a reissue of Fleetwood Mac's timeless Rumours and a fresh release from the former Toad the Wet Sprocket singer Glen Phillips. The sound on both was indeed spectacular, offering the perspective of being in the middle of the musicians with the Fleetwood Mac disc, and of being seated in the room near the musicians on the Phillips album, which was, in fact, recorded with all the musicians in the same room. For full appreciation of the SD9200's audio capabilities, you'll need to hook it up to a surround receiver offering six-channel analog inputs (left, center, right, left and right surround, and subwoofer). You'll need the analog inputs because the resolution of the DVD-Audio signal is incompatible with current receivers' digital-audio inputs. Getting the full sonic benefits therefore requires using feeds from the player's MLP-decoded analog o |