Nice DVD Features, But Defects Outweigh Them
Written: Nov 26 '01 (Updated Dec 03 '01)
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Pros: Component video connectors, optical and coaxial digital audio, low price
Cons: Skips, freezes, sometimes won't load, poor remote
The Bottom Line: Sounds great on paper and has an attractive price. But once it's out of the box and shows it's true colors, they quickly fade. Look elsewhere for a DVD player.
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| workscorp's Full Review: Hitachi DV-P305U DVD Player |
How This DVD Player Has Performed
Hitachi's DV-P305U is a poor execution of electronic engineering and user interface. The on-screen menu is crude and indicates to push some buttons on the remote that don't even exist. The remote itself has small buttons which are laid out in a difficult to use format.
This was my first DVD player and initially I thought it was a great unit. But then it started to skip at times, hang at other times, and sometimes freeze altogether. When this happens, it cannot read the disc unless you eject and reload it. This is not very convenient when trying to watch a rented DVD with friends.
Why I Purchased This Model
Component video connections were an important feature as I had recently purchased a new TV that had them. The low price was also a considerable factor.
The Hitachi name seemed popular, even though I had never owned one of their products before. Later, while visiting friends, I noticed they had the exact same DVD player as I, right down to the remote, except it was a Samsung. So who really knows who makes it?
What I Like About It
This unit has all the connections you could need: component video, S-video, RCA-type video, optical digital audio, coaxial digital audio, plus RCA-type audio. It's compatible with just about any setup you could have.
The DV-P305U will fast-forward and rewind up to 32x normal speed, which is very handy when searching for the right scene. Plus there's an option that will allow it to still play the soundtrack when fast-forwarding at 2x speed.
What I Don't Like
Playback performance has been very poor. While the picture is great, there are just too many skips, snags and hiccups with this player. Frustration levels can climb quickly when trying to watch some DVDs.
The remote is very awkward. It seems you're always hitting the wrong button, which is probably due to the fact that they are so small.
The users manual tells you how to select the settings but doesn't always tell you what they mean. Sometimes it's trial and error to find what you want.
Overall
The DV-P305U's shortcomings overwhelm what it has to offer.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 170
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Epinions.com ID:
workscorp
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Location: Asheville, NC
Reviews written: 25
Trusted by: 7 members
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