A no-frills player that does the job.
Written: Jun 01 '01
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Pros: good quality, svcd/vcd/cdr support, fast load times
Cons: no lighted remote
The Bottom Line: A good novice player that plays just about every type of disc format under the sun.
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| neilj9000's Full Review: Pioneer DV-333 DVD Player |
I've been looking for a dvd player for a while, and recently settled on the Pioneer DV-333. I was faced with many options, ranging from $99 to $999. I didn't want to shell out a lot of money, but I didn't want a piece of junk.
An important factor in my decision was the ability to play multiple formats. I wanted the player to be able to play more than just DVDs and Audio CDs. I wanted to be able to make SVCDs out of home videos and then play them back on my DVD player. Not too many players can do this, and even fewer can do it well. I was pleased to find that the Pioneer DV-333 can play DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, SVCDs, and CDRs. A nice big list there, eh? An important factor to consider is that the Pioneer DV-333 is one of the few players that can play a VCD well. I've tried playing my VCD's on other players, and if it works, its usually somewhat choppy. Not with the Pioneer DV-333. It works great.
The DV-333 plays standard DVDs as well as you would expect it to. Picture quality is very crisp, especially when you set the player to the "cinema" setting. Now, I wince whenever I am forced to watch a low-res VHS. The difference is simply amazing.
The DV-333 also features component output, if your TV supports it. Personally, I'm using a S-Video cable, and I think the quality is great. The player comes with all cables included (RCA video cable). If you want to, you may find the quality better if you upgrade to an S-Video cable. Don't buy one of those "monster" cables-- it will cost you an arm and a leg. Any old s-video cable from radioshack should do fine.
As for the sound... The DV-333 does not have a built-in dolby digital decoder. So, if you want true 6.1 surround sound, you'll need to connect it to a separate decoder. Personally, it wasn't a factor in my decision. I just hooked my player up to my television.
A neat feature that the DV-333 has is the fast load time. Other DVD players in the same class take some time to "load" the DVD before it can be played. However, the Pioneer is much faster than other players that I have seen. It is quite impressive.
The player is very durable and is clearly designed to last a long time. The remote is also very durable and can survive being thrown across the room, etc. Anybody can pick up the remote and start using the player. There's absolutely nothing to it. Just pop in the DVD and play it. The menu selection buttons are also well placed, and the remote is comfortable to hold.
Overall, this is one of the better DVD players out the one the market. It costs as much as a good VHS player, so there is no reason to stay with the low-resolution world of VHS.
On a side note
When I bought my DVD player, I expected that the DVDs would have an option to play back the movie in widescreen format, or in a 4:3 aspect ratio (standard "fullscreen"). Well, mostly all DVDs out there are in widescreen format. The player can do nothing about it. Your typical VHS movie takes the widescreen version and "chops" off the edges, allowing it to be more "square", and thus fit the television screen. Well, DVDs keep all of the movie, instead of chopping off the edges. Personally, I would have appreciated it if more DVDs had options to play back the movie in a 4:3 aspect ratio. Keep that in mind if you are new to DVDs.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 179
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Epinions.com ID:
neilj9000
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 1 member
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