Showing posts with label dvd-a. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dvd-a. Show all posts

Yamaha DVD S2500 - DVD player Review

Yamaha DVD S2500 - DVD player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a GOOD DVD player, but there are few things it could do better.I have a 5 year old Sony DVD player.Also, compared this side by side with Denon DVD 2910, using two of the same music CDs (regular CDs, not SACDs) so I can switch from one to the other instantly.I played them together at the same time so that the transition from the Yamaha to the Denon was as seamless as possible.Here's my conclusion.

1.Sound quality.I believe Yamaha has better sound than Denon DVD 2910.The difference is very little and not very noticeable.But, the Denon has brighter sound at the higher frequency.This is noticeable when playing violins.But over all, I think Yamaha has a smoother and unexaggerated sound.Compared to my old Sony DVD player, the difference was more readily noticeable.My Sony had more exaggerated brightness at higher frequency.

2.Disc loading.The biggest draw back for Yamaha is that it takes longer than the Denon to recognize the disc.I didn't time the difference, but it was noticeable.The display in the display window also reacts slower in Yamaha also.Also, unloading the disc takes a little longer as well.Compared to that, my old Sony was the fastest, then the Denon, and the Yamaha.

3.Remote control.Remote control for the Denon was better.More controls for movies, e.g., Denon had separate buttons for fast forward, etc.

4.Connectivity.Denon had DVI connection.Yamaha didn't.But this wasn't a big deal for me because I am using component output anyway.But Yamaha has HDMI connection (so did Denon).

5.Picture quality.Both seemed good.Couldn't tell the difference much on my 27 inch screen TV.

Bottom line:I chose to stay with Yamaha because of the sound quality.But I give only 4 stars because of the reason in #2 above.Both players are almost the same size.As for build quality, both feel solid.Before comparing the Yamaha and Denon, I tried Marantz 4500 (at around $300, it's almost half the price of either Yamaha or Denon), but Marantz 4500 just felt cheap; it was flimsy and my old Sony felt much more solid than the Marantz (so I returned it).

My system consits of the following:
- Cambridge Soundworks New Ensemble speakers -- very nice speakers -- been looking for a better looking replacements and did side by side comparison with many others costing more, but haven't found one yet.If you have a good recommendation, please let me know.
- Velodyne HGS-12 sub
- Onkyo TX-DS 777 receiver
- Sony DVP-S525 DVD player -- this is the one I'm replacing.

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Product Description:
This incredibly high quality DCDi Progressive Scan DVD player features 1080i Upconversion via HDMI output and DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD player capabilities.

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Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Player Review

Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this player 4 months ago when it was first released from Japan while on a trip to Asia. I did extensive researches prior to buying this player and I bought it for its value for money, performance, picture/soundquality and ease of use.
Now, I'm not a serious audiophille or do Iintend to spend huge amount of dollars to get those top of the range DVDplayer (ie. Onkyo, Yamaha, etc). I want something practical, which Ibelieve most of you do as well. And guess what?Surprise, surprise -- I'vegot so much more than what I bargained for.
The picture is superb,sharp and crisp on my 30 inch Loewe TV. Colour is bright and does not"bleed". Sound is excellent when connected to my Yamaha 795a andno audio-sync problems. In addition, the zoom function, built-in DD5.1,DTS(sounds better than DD!) and HDCD(remarkable audio quality) encoders,component-colourstream and S-video output, dual disc trays and virtual N2-2surround sound for those with a 2 speaker setup system made this unitcomplete with features. Mine has got two additional mic inputs for Karaokeand it's gold in colour but are of the same parts and build. It's easy tosetup and use as well. Having said this, find me a DVD player that is closein comparison in regards to price, performance and function.
Aboutcompability issues -- ZIPPO! Now, do bear in mind that my DVD is Region 5,and although it has been multi-zoned, it played Saving Private Ryan (DTS --Region 1), Haunting, US Marshalls, Deep Blue Sea (all DD -- Reg 1),Matrix,Mummy, Fifth Element, Tomorrow Never Dies(DD -- Reg 4), T2, True Lies (DD-- Reg 5) flawlessly without any lock-ups, freezes, pauses (except forchanging layers for dual-layered discs) or audio-sync problems.
Iguess it is unfortunate that some reviewers have problems with this player.Maybe you should examine your connections properly and call up Toshiba forassistance before jumping the gun about this unit?I have 2 otherrelatives who bought this unit from here (Reg 4) upon my recommedation andthey too did not have any problems with it.
Maybe I do agree with somereviewers that the remote is chunky but it serves its purpose very well.Besides, who buys a unit (VCR, amp, tv for that matter) for it's remoteanyway?Get a Universal remote and that should solve the problem.
Inconclusion, I would say this is an awesome purchase. It's definitely worthevery dollar spent on it. Have a read in those DVD magazines and you'llfind the SD-3109 unit get very good ratings and reviews from professionalaudiophilles. I would suggest you visit your local electrical outlet to seeit for yourself. Get it, you won't regret it!
Hope my contributionhelps.

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Product Description:
Toshiba DVD features Dual Disc Twin Trays.Plays DVD, Audio CD, and Video CD formats.Included Dolby Digital Surround Sound Processor.4X picture zoom.Remote Control.

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OPPO BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD and DVD-Audio (Black) Review

OPPO BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD and DVD-Audio
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
You should look closely at this player if any of these descriptions fit you:

-You own SACDs or DVD-As and want to play them on the same player you use for Blu-ray and DVD;
-You want to upgrade to a universal player that can transmit all audio and video formats (including SACD and DVD-A) via HDMI;
-You own a high-end video processor (separately or built into your receiver or display) that you want to use instead of the one built into your player;
-You own a processor that does not accept HDMI but does have analog 7.1/5.1 inputs, and want to use them to hear lossless audio (TrueHD/DTS-MA) from Blu-ray Discs.
-You prefer to do business with a smaller company that has a reputation for responsive and effective customer support.

You are not the target market for this player if:

-You require that your streaming solution (for Netflix, Amazon, YouTube etc.) be part of your Blu-ray player -- this player does not stream;
-You own a very large display and need the very best available upconversion of standard DVDs (which would make you a candidate for Oppo's $499 BDP-83);
-You don't want to spend more than the minimum for standard Blu-ray audio and video performance, and you have HDMI-enabled equipment.
-You feel you can benefit from the audio performance of very high-end DACs for stereo or multichannel analog audio (which would recommend the BDP-83 or BDP-83SE).

While I've only had my BDP-80 for a few days, I've become very impressed with the thoroughness and elegance of its design. This is a very well thought-out player, aimed at users who have a reasonable grasp of the technology they're using.

I should note that I did not spend much time on the file-playback capabilities of this unit. I did play a couple of MPG files I had on a thumb drive (there's a port on the front of the player) and found a very nice menu and very straightforward operation. There is a long list of supported file formats.

Some of the things that jumped out at me:

-The very well-packed player arrives, inside the box, wrapped not in plastic, but in an Oppo tote bag made from recycled material.
-The manual is clear, well-written in English, and printed with premium materials. (Updated versions can be downloaded as well.)
-A 6' HDMI cable is included.
-The unit has a very solidly-built feel to it.
-It is silent in operation (no cooling fan) yet does not run hot.
-Tray operation feels and sounds solid, well-damped, and not a bit flimsy. There is no ambiguity about whether the disc is properly centered in the tray.
-Menus are attractive and unambiguous.
-The remote has a number of unusual but useful controls, but is still comfortable and intuitive for basic operations. (Note that it is not backlit; the backlit version costs more and is available direct from Oppo. This is moot if you plan to use a universal remote, as I do.)
-The player is very quick in all modes of operation. It powers up and boots very fast; the tray is ready to open in a few seconds. Blu-ray operations are on a par with the PS3; other types of discs load and play as fast as most regular players.
-In my installation, at least, I connected to my home network, the player immediately configured itself, contacted the mothership, found and downloaded the latest firmware, all in a couple of minutes.

Detailing every feature of the player and remote would basically be to reproduce the owner's manula which, since it's available as a pdf on Oppo's site, you can do for yourself. So I'll end by saying that the player appears to do everything that Oppo says it will do, and does it quickly and without fuss. The company includes a one-year parts-and-labor warranty, and has an excellent reputation for customer support.

You can pay a lot less for equivalent performance in Blu-ray playback via HDMI, even in players with support for streaming services. If that's all you need there may be no reason for you to pay more for a player like this. But particularly if you can use a universal player with Blu-ray, this is not just a great performer, but it's a stone bargain.

Click Here to see more reviews about: OPPO BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD and DVD-Audio (Black)

Product Description:
Overview : The BDP-80 is a full-featured universal Blu-ray Disc player that supports BD Profile 2.0 (BD-Live and BonusView), DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), HDCD, CD and other popular media formats such as AVCHD, MKV video files, digital photos and music. Sharing the same decoder and similarly optimized firmware as OPPO's award-winning BDP-83, the BDP-80 features fast disc load times, quick response to user operations, and robust audio and video controls. In contrast to the BDP-83, which utilizes an onboard VRS by Anchor Bay video processor, the BDP-80 design has been optimized for use as a digital audio/video transport, emphasizing the accuracy of its digital audio/video outputs. At the same time, the BDP-80 is versatile enough to be used as a stand-alone universal Blu-ray player, thanks to its full array of output connections and audio/video decoding capabilities. For video, the BDP-80 features an HDMI 1.3 port that supports 1080p Full HD, 1080p 24Hz, Deep Color and Source Direct modes. Component video, S-Video and Composite video connections are also available for legacy analog displays. In addition to its faithful reproduction of high-definition pictures on Blu-ray Discs, the player can up-convert DVD from standard definition up to 1080p to maximize DVD picture quality. Its "Source Direct" output mode makes the BDP-80 incredibly well suited as a digital transport to feed into an external video processor, a high-end A/V receiver or display device with built-in video processing. Unique features such as subtitle shift and vertical stretch zoom mode makes the player an ideal source component for home theaters with 2.35:1 CIH (Constant Image Height) displays. For audio, the BDP-80 supports internal decoding and bitstream output of the latest sound formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. The BDP-80 also features a configurable 7.1-channel analog output that can be set as 7.1-channel, 5.1-channel, or stereo.

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OPPO DV-980H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI and 7.1CH Audio Review

OPPO DV-980H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI and 7.1CH Audio
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Just to add my vote, this is an excellent DVD player.I use it with an older Sony LCDtv (XBR1, only goes to 1080i), and compared the picture, using a standard widescreen DVD, with my older Panasonic progressive scan Panasonic dvd player (480p output).The picture with this one is clearly superior.

As others have said, the whole thing reeks quality and attention to detail.A good quality HDMI cable is included, as well as standard video/audio cables in case you need them for troubleshooting.The packaging is a class above the industry.

If you want something for watching standard DVDs with a good HDTV, consider this one or the 981HD model.

Click Here to see more reviews about: OPPO DV-980H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI and 7.1CH Audio

Product Description:
The OPPO DV-980H up-converting DVD player is designed to make your DVD collection look & sound its very best on HDTV. With support for 1080p displays, 7.1ch audio, USB2.0 & HD-JPEG viewing the unit is engineered to impress. The unit will play DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD, HDCD, CD, DivX, XviD and much more.

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