Sony DAV-FX900W 5-Disc DVD Dream System (5.1 Channel) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had just purchased the Samsung HL-S4666W 46" DLP HDTV and I felt I needed a surround sound system to go with it. However, I didn' have thousands to spend, and I needed to get a progressive scan DVD player too. This system answered all my problems at once.
The set-up took about 1-2 hours (mostly just putting the speaker stands together, which are made of metal not cheap plastic). It was probably just as long to actually figure out how everything works. The manual has everything in it; however, it isn't in any logical order.
PROS:
-over 1000W of power
-"wireless" rear speakers w/separate amp (If you step in the way the connection is broken, but it goes back on within a second of walking out of the way)
-HDMI output & optical audio input (plus component, RCA, etc, etc)
-Auto-Calibration mic (I thought it worked pretty accurately, it tells you the distances that it thinks the speakers are from the mic, and they were dead-on in my case)
CONS:
-DVD turntable EXTREMELY slow (I was aware of this before I bought it, and I think most people can deal with it)
-DVD insertion is sort of sketchy (It doesn't tell you when to push the DVD into the slot, you just have to hold it there and hope it sucks it in. I find the easiest way is to "eject" the empty slot and then push the disc in right after the word "eject" comes off the lcd, I've looked all over the manual and haven't found a clear explanation of what I'm doing wrong)
-DVD FF/RW only has 2 speeds (really stupid)
Overall I love this system. I hooked up my PS2 with RCA audio to the receiver and started playing "Guitar Hero", and the sound was great. I've also thoroughly enjoyed watching concerts I have on DVD (Audioslave, Offspring, The Police, Depeche Mode, etc.). They all sound excellent. I have a DirecTV receiver, with the optical connection. It's great watching sporting events and such with this system.
I'm not a professional speaker guy by any means, but for what I use this system for, it sounds great. The DVD player is excellent barring its minor setbacks. On my TV the movies look great through the HDMI cable.
All in all, great starter system with everything included.
EDIT: Now that I've had this thing for a few months, I have a bit more to add. I think there should have been more inputs included with this item. I have a DirecTV box, a PS2, and a record player, and I can't hook up all 3 at the same time. There are a plethora of input types on the back, which is really nice so you can practically hook anything up, but only two things at the same time. Other than that its a great system. It has plenty of power, and I love cranking it up and listening whether it is NFL football or music CDs.

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Sony DVP-NC665P/S 5-Disc Progressive Scan DVD Changer, Silver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this DVD player to read my burned home movies and it works great. I had an earlier model Sony without progressive scan and I sure can tell the difference between the two models. This model produces a sharper and cleaner DVD picture overall. It loads DVDs quickly and is fairly quiet when changing discs. I would recommend this DVD player to anyone interested in a 5 disc progressive scan player. I returned to Amazon to purchase the exact same one for a different room.

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Sony's five-disc, progressive-scan DVP-NC665P/B DVD player gives you all the convenience of a carousel changer--continuous playback, play exchange, dual-format DVD/CD performance--as well as quality features like progressive-scan outputs with Precision Cinema Progressive technology and cool enhancements like Sony's Precision Drive 2 system for playing damaged discs. The DVP-NC665P/B plays just about any disc out there, from DVD-Video to DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW, in addition to playing hours of music from MP3 files burned to CD-R/CD-RW discs. This model comes in white, as well as black
Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVP-NC665P/B stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs through Sony's Precision Cinema Progressive de-interlacer (scanning) with 3:2 pulldown processing. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.
Precision Cinema Progressive technology uses a 12-bit video DAC (digital-to-analog converter) with 108 MHz processing to detect image changes at the pixel level, rather than at the level of whole scan lines. That makes this player's picture more faithful to the source--whether film or video--because it uses separate, optimized algorithms to handle different pixel behaviors. Separate algorithms are also used to process the moving and still parts of an image, resulting in sharp backgrounds with moving objects that are free from motion artifacts.
DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24-frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Composite- and S-video outputs bring compatibility with nearly any television.
Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can also be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for a simpler connection to a compatible AV receiver (but be aware that digital-audio interconnects are not supplied).
Precision Drive 2 provides a mechanism for reading DVDs that are in less-than-perfect condition, eliminating errors in playback due to imperfect, scratched, or warped discs. Past generations of Precision Drive technology were only able to compensate for warped discs by moving the entire optical block, which took more time and limited the amount of correction possible. This newer system simplifies the process by moving just the lens (instead of the entire optical block) for faster and more accurate error correction.
As soon as you hook up the DVD player, a special Quick Setup screen appears ready to guide you through configuration, step by step, screen by screen. DVD resume memory kicks in whenever you stop a DVD. Later, when you come back to it, the player will pick up right where you left off before. The player holds resume points for up to six discs.
Other playback features include 10-second instant replay, DVD/CD Text display (with applicable discs), a digital video enhancer, digital video EQ (equalization), custom parental control memory for 40 discs, as well as Advanced SmoothScan and SmoothSlow Modes.
What's in the Box DVD player, remote control, 2 AA batteries, a stereo analog audio/composite-video interconnect, a user's manual, and warranty information.

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Sony DVP-NS700P Progressive-Scan DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The magazine reviews rightfully claim this to be the best progressive scan DVD player under $1,000. You can use it as a regular DVD player at 480i or click a setting and see a true progressive scan 480p. The difference is breathtaking. Then you can tailor other settings to extend the range digitally, to your own liking.
After seeing the competitors from JVC, Philips, and others near this price point, I felt bad for the rest. It's not just the picture. Many of the features that used to be buried in menus are now buttons on the remote such as Subtitle languages, Audio Options, camera angle, Noise Reduction, etc. The instant replay option is great fun. The Surround sound options are also an easy to find button and include all the current options (Dolby 5.1, PCM, DTS, etc.) The DTS sound was amazingly better than our previous DVD player.
As one reveiwer pointed out, don't buy this DVD unless you have or expect to have HiScan or HDTV which will have the composit video inputs that progressive scan DVD players need. You also get a variety of outputs for 5.1, RCA, SVideo, digital fiber optic, and digital coax so you should no trouble outputting the sound to your receiver. If you have a choice, use digital coax, if not digital optical to really hear the DTS come alive.

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Equipped with both progressive scan (with 3-2 pulldown) and digital video equalization, the Sony DVP-S700P DVD player makes your favorite movies come alive. Progressive scan output delivers a higher scan rate (480p) than traditional DVD players--which interlace the frames rather than scan each separately--making film images appear more intensely lifelike when seen on a HD-compatible TV. Digital video equalization optimizes the picture quality of these images, allowing the user to seek the best video option between factory preset and custom settings. Other options include a digital video enhancer, which improves the contrast and picture detail, and block noise reduction, which minimizes the data noise that often interferes with DVD images. The unit also includes a 12-bit/54 MHz video digital-to-analog converter for 480p output, and a 10-bit/27 MHz video DAC for 480i output.
The DVP-S700P also delivers enhanced performance from an audio standpoint. The player's Dolby Digital and DTS outputs provide 5.1-channel surround sound when connected to a compatible receiver. In addition, the Digital Cinema Sound feature simulates the acoustic performance of Hollywood's greatest sound stages, while the TV virtual surround lets users simulate surround sound in a two-speaker setup, or even through the TV's built-in speakers.
Functionally, the player includes SmoothScan fast forward and reverse and SmoothSlow slow motion for crisp, clear scene searching, along with bookmarking, picture memory, and strobe playback. Parents will rest easy with the included parental lock feature, while everyone will appreciate the convenience of CD and DVD Text, which display artists, titles, and even jacket covers on the front panel and TV. The unit is compatible with CD, DVD, CD-R/RW, and Video CD formats.
What's in the Box DVD player, AV cord, component video cord, remote control, two AA batteries, user's manual.

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Panasonic DVD-RV30 DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This Panasonic DVD player is made in Japan, and comes with a plethora of useful features; cinema video setting, dialogue enhancer, "resume" function (will resume movie from where it was left off even after powering off the unit), DTS and DD output (you still need a receiver with the decoder) and excellent image quality.
It plays all of the major DVD titles including problem discs such as "the Matrix with outstanding picture quality and sound. I liked that this unit did not display the annoying layer change delay common in other models. It was seamless
On the down side, there was no Chapter access from the remote. What I mean is that I was unable to access the Chapters directly via the numeric pad. I think the only way to access the Chapter directly (say from Chapter 1 to Chapter 18) is by pressing the display button first, then pressing the fast forward button once to C, and then enter the Chapter number via the numeric pad. This is very cumbersome.
The remote could also be larger and backlit.
Overall, the image and soud quality are excellent and the player performs well with any DVD. It dous not earn five stars because of the faulty chapter access feature and the remote - but these may be flaws many users will not mind at all.
Hope this helps.

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It's a digital world. A world where sound surrounds you and pictures dazzled the imagination. It's a world where the excitement of the movies is captured and brought to life on a simple five-inch disc - the size of a CD. Welcome to the incredible world of DVD. As a leader in digital technology, Panasonic made possible and forever changed the face of home theater. Panasonic has packed big-screen excitement into the world's smallest and lightest DVD player. Come and experience the ultimate in home theatre entertainment.The DVD-RV30 comes with advanced features to offer you a full cinema experience. It features advanced virtual surround sound (AVSS), letting you enjoy the thrilling sounds of the cinema without an elaborate home theater system. In addition to the usual left and right channel audio jacks, the DVD-RV30 comes equipped with an exclusive subwoofer output. Through an on-screen menu icon, you can choose to send bass tones to the subwoofer output for reproduction. Cinema mode lessens glare, giving you colors that are more cinema-like and improves the visibility of details in dark scenes by automatically adjusting picture contrast. Discrete Component Video Out allows for high quality transmission of digital video to compatible video equipment. 10-bit Video D/A Converter gives amazing picture quality. Still Picture Display (I/P/B) freezes an image to allow for precise picture quality adjustments. Dialogue Enhancer makes the dialog channel clearly audible over the other sound channels.

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Sony DVP-S570D DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Great Player, Very Good Pro Features.. Only one draw back it does not play that favourite CD-R Disc
you made with all the songs you love..

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Designed to complement Sony's WEGA TVs and other components, the DVP-S570D DVD is an ideal hub for the modern home theater system. The player offers such features as a built-in Dolby Digital decoder (a convenient feature for people who don't own a separate decoder), Dolby Digital and DTS outputs, and Digital Cinema Sound, which reproduces the precise acoustics of Hollywood's most acclaimed mastering stages. As with many Sony DVD players, the unit also offers block noise reduction, which minimizes the background noise that often interferes with DVD images; a digital video enhancer, which improves the contrast and picture detail; and digital video equalization, which optimizes the picture quality of images using factory preset or custom settings.
The DVD player is designed for compatibility with a host of additional components. Not only does it offer the standard component video, S-video (2), and composite video (2) outputs, but it also offers a 5.1-channel output for direct connection to a receiver with 5.1-channel input connectors, along with both an optical and coaxial digital output and an S-link connector. Specific functions unique to this DVD player include a jog shuttle dial that lets users flip through CD or DVD tracks, chapter preview, and strobe playback, along with such Sony standards as SmoothScan and SmoothSlow modes for crisp fast forward and slow motion and multi-angle playback.
The unit plays CD, DVD, and Video CD formats, and its parental lock feature prevents children from viewing mature-content movies. The player also offers CD and DVD Text, which display artists, titles, and even jacket covers on the front panel and TV.
What's in the Box DVD player, AV cord, S-video cord, remote control, two AA batteries, user's manual.

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Panasonic DVD-C220 DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I couldn't be happier with the features of this DVD player. The picture and sound quality are superb as well. The only major drawback I've found is that it doesn't play CD-R's that I've burned myself on my PC. I have a rather large CD collection, from which I've created many "greatest hits" CDs containing my personal favorites. The DVD-C220 DVD player also doubles as my CD player for my home stereo, and I now find myself looking to by another CD player just to play my favorite CDs. Had I known this before I bought, I probably would have went with a Sony.

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The Panasonic DVD-C220 plays up to 5 DVDs, CDs, or Video CDs, for pure enjoyment in virtually any digital format. The changer's 5-Disc Rotary Carousel design allows you to change any of the 4 non-playing discs, without disturbing the movie you're watching, or the music you're listening to. The Front Panel LED conveniently displays the location of loaded discs, which disc is playing and the position of the disc tray when the drawer is open. The DVD-C220 also features a Quick Disc Rotation System, which lets you switch between discs at the touch of a button. This feature is ideal for watching multiple-disc movies.Dialogue Enhancer increases the center channel volume of a Dolby Digital 5/5.1-channel disc, making the dialogue easier to hear during loud scenes. Advanced Virtual Surround Sound creates the surround sound effect using only two front speakers with a wide range from left to right. Hi-Speed Smooth Motion Scan gives 5-Speed up to x100 thus providing crystal clear scan quality in both forward and reverse. Easy to Use On-Screen Menu Icons allow you to control a variety of player and disc settings via remote control. After resuming play of a DVD movie disc, Chapter Preview feature shows the first 3 seconds of each previously viewed chapter and proceeds with normal play once it reaches the position where you left off. 10-bit Video D/A Converter performs video signal processing at a fast rate for enhanced DVD picture quality. Still Picture Display (I/P/B) indicates on screen the type of still image (I, P, or B) being displayed; the I image is the best and should be used when making picture quality adjustments. Auto Switching Field/Frame Still reproduces still images in incredible detail regardless of source (film or video).

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Sony DVP-S530D DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm a SONY freak. From my XBR projection set to my pro-DV cameras at work, it's all SONY. I love the company but they, like anyone else, can drop the ball once in a while. The lip-sync problem gets worse as time goes on because newer DVD releases employ the latest MPEG-2 codes which these players were not properly set-up to decode. So SONY will now pick-up via FED-EX any 530-550 player still under warranty and install a new processor chip and firmware and deliver it back home within 2-3 weeks free of charge. (Not Bad, right!) However, a buddy of mine had this done and it still has the lip-sync problem! Oh Nooooo! ..as Mr.Bill would say.
Not sure what I'm going to do. My player is 3 months old. One other thing, this player will not play CD-R and CD-RW discs, the new PIONEER 626D's will. You may want to look into this one. I wish I did. Good luck out there!

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DVD Player with built-in dolby digital decoder and 5.1 channel output. Plays DVD's, Audio CD's, and Video CD's.

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