Join me in the Exciting World of DVD's
Written: Dec 04 '01 (Updated Dec 09 '01)
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Pros: Does everything it says it will do.
Cons: NONE
The Bottom Line: This DVD player has increased my enjoyment of movies to an extent I would not have thought possible! I recommend it highly!
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| lorace's Full Review: Panasonic DVD-RP56 DVD Player |
I was born 40 years too soon! The technology of today is so exciting! But I must admit that it is starting to get away from me. If I'm not on the cutting edge of things, I'm unhappy. Now I have friends my age, or even younger [so many ARE younger. lol], who don't even know how to run a VCR or don't know what a CD is, let alone a computer. So, I feel great about that. I've been into computers since TI put its little model on the market, about 15 years ago, or was it 20?
But after I finally got a CD-RW unit, then I started hearing about DVD's. Ye gads! There's no end to it. Epinions had a lot to do with my urge to experience a DVD. I kept reading movie reviews, format used was a DVD with all the little extras. Then DKOZIN started reviewing different DVD units and I got antsy to say the least! He very generously answered many of my questions by e-mail, and after studying his reviews, I decided to con my husband into getting a DVD player for our home.
Well, we bought one, then found that our TV was not compatible with a DVD player! Oh, fun! So we HAD to get a new television with the correct inputs/outputs on the rear. After Richie made all the connections, we settled in to finally experience a DVD video! Well, we hated that DVD player. Its MENU feature was horrible, difficult to understand and difficult to use.
After we returned it, we searched and searched for another one. I had DKOZIN's list with me, so when we saw this PANASONIC DVD/VIDEO CD/CD PLAYER, Model No. DVD-RP56 (the latest update to the PV36) I knew how he had rated it, and bought it on the spot.
I've not been sorry so I want to publicly thank him for his knowledge and his help. I'll put the technological stuff at the end for those of you who understand those things, but, meanwhile, let me explain just why I like this unit. [Incidentally: don't go by what Epinions has listed as its features. They are wrong, wrong, as this UPDATE has features the original lacked.]
What I like about it
Video
We used the S-VIDEO OUT terminal ($60) to our TV, which separates the chrominance {c} and luminance {y} for a better picture. It does have a COMPONENT VIDEO OUT connection ($90 for the cable), which is supposed to give an even better picture, but I can't see how it could improve on the picture we are experiencing on our TV. Fortunately, we purchased a PANASONIC 36" TV, so the two units are extremely compatible.
Audio
For the SOUND: When we bought our PIONEER receiver and components quite a few years back, it had a LASER DISC connection. I had no idea in the world what that was for. Well, I've learned at last! We put the audio out cables into the audio in on the Receiver, switch it to LD DISC, and have gorgeous surround sound.
Menus
Wonderful! The player itself is easily operated from its front panel, having a POWER switch, OPEN/CLOSE switch, VSS BUTTON (advanced surround sound), BASS PLUS button, DIALOGUE ENHANCER button, CINEMA button, SKIP BUTTONS, RANDOM PLAY (for audio CD's), PROGRESSIVE OUT button, DISPLAY (Menu) button, and STOP, PAUSE, and PLAY. You can do everything except cook the dinner just from the front panel.
But, if you're like me, the REMOTE CONTROL is the thing. And this one is extremely easy to use. It has everything the front panel has, and more.
To get to the onscreen menu, you merely press the ACTION button, which is easily found as it's by itself at the bottom of the remote. This brings up the Main DVD Menu - which has five icons across the top - very easily accessed with the L/R/U/Down arrow buttons on the four sides of the ENTER button in the center of the remote. Wonderful.
Main Menu Icons
1. DISC -- set the language for the Audio, subtitles, menus, and set the ratings if you want to control your kids' TV access.
2. VIDEO - Set TV aspect (letterbox, etc.), Still Mode (Auto, Field, Frame) and Black Level control (lighter, darker).
3. AUDIO - PCM (y/n), Dolby Digital (bitstream/PCM), DIS (digital surround), D range compression/Audio during Search (on/off)
4, DISPLAY - Menu Language, On-screen messages (on/off)
5. OTHERS - DEMO (On/Off)
Performance
AUDIO CD's - Well, it couldn't play them better. It plays my MP3 discs, which I made from Napster downloads, both on CD-R's and CD-RW's and of course, the CD's I've purchased.
There's an onscreen display, if you wish to use it (it's the same as it reads on the window on the Player), which shows which track is playing and how much time has elapsed. Unlike on my computer, though, it doesn't name the tracks or the disc.
You can program the order you want the tracks played, and it's very easy to do with the onscreen menu. Also, when you press the Standby button and then resume play, it has memorized the exact spot on the exact track, which had been playing. And there's an A-B REPEAT feature for the starting and ending points, so you can continually play the music. There's also a RANDOM PLAY feature.
VIDEO CD's -
When you power on the PANASONIC DVD/VIDEO CD/CD PLAYER, Model No. DVD-RP-56 you get a neat HI! searching ….- scrolling across the unit's LD face, then it reads the Disc and usually displays the CD's menu, where you can choose to PLAY the Movie, or access the disc's other features, such as its own Menus.
The PANASONIC DVD'S responses to the remote are INSTANTANEOUS, no waiting at all. You can pause the picture at any point and return to it where you left it, or perform any action you desire. (set the captions, etc.)
The QUALITY of the picture. What can I say? It's marvelous. Scanning thru the CHAPTERS is so easy and so clear. The movies almost look 3-dimensional. On our VCR, oftentimes the backgrounds were muddied to an extent, but on the DVD, you feel you are standing right there because everything is so clear.
Of course, I realize a lot of this great quality can be attributed to the Television Set itself, but I noticed a great difference between the quality of the same movie we had watched with the first DVD unit we purchased and how it appeared with the PANASONIC. The colors are crisper and clearer, there are no lines whatsoever in the picture, and it is wonderful!
Closing and Recommendation
So, I am now in the world of DVD's, and I love it. I'm not sorry one bit that I purchased the PANASONIC DVD/VIDEO CD/CD PLAYER, Model No. DVD-RP56. The best thing I ever did was return the other DVD player and buy this one.
It is fully functional, easy to operate, and has a comprehensive 30-page manual. There's still a lot I'm learning about it, and it does take some time to get acquainted with all the features, but I can't imagine anything any better at such a reasonable price.
I HIGHLY recommend the PANASONIC DVD/VIDEO CD/CD PLAYER, Model No. DVD-RP36 if you are looking to buy a DVD for your home.
Thank you for reading and I hope this Review has been helpful to you. And like my DVD player says, when I switch it off, BYE!!
Lorace
Specifications
Discs played -
DVD-Video
CD-Audio (CD-DA)
Video CD,
CD-R/CD-RW (CD-DA, Video CD formatted discs)
Video Output -
Pin Jack,
S video,
Component video output (480/4801)
Power Supply - AC 120 V, 60 Hz
Power Consumption - 14W
Dimensions: - 430(w)x247 (D) by 82 (H) mm
16 15/16" (W)x 9 3/4" (D)x 3 1/4" (H) (excluding protrusions)
Progressive SCAN - YES
Dolby Digital decoder
Connect to equipment that has a DTS decoder to enjoy DVDs with this mark.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 209-discount
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Epinions.com ID:
lorace
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Member: Lorace
Location: The Heavenly Realm
Reviews written: 277
Trusted by: 444 members
About Me:
No matter how you spell it, L-U-V_still says_LOVE! Hope your day is full of it!
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