Sony DVP-S360: Best Value Out of 4 Reviews & 5 DVD Players
Written: Jan 08 '01 (Updated Jan 09 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast, smooth, quiet, low profile, great remote
Cons: You may start to like Sony products
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| NYCattitude's Full Review: Sony DVP-S360D DVD Player |
Other reviews:
Pioneer DV-333 ($250)
Pioneer DV-525 ($250 - discontinued)
Sony DVP-S560 ($300)
Other DVDs observed:
Toshiba SD2109 ($250 - discontinued)
I know there are currently numerous HR reviews on this DVD player but I had to express my extreme satisfaction with Sony's lowest priced player.
Of the five DVD players including the list above, the Sony DVP-S360, is the best value I've come across. I bought this DVD player for my dad for Christmas. This year, my dad got the big ticket item. I love DVD so much that I think it's the best gift you can give. Besides, you can follow up with DVD movies as other low-cost gifts. My gift to Dad included Gladiator.
Sony's DVD players don't retail for as low as some other similar DVD players. You won't regret paying that extra $20-$30 for a superior product. Here's what you are paying for:
I was able to get this DVD for $250, INCLUDING tax from J&R, my favorite place to shop. I knew exactly what I would be getting because I own the Sony DVP-S560D. The only difference between my player and the one I bought for my dad is that the S360D requires a digital receiver in order to playback the dolby digital or DTS audio encoded on current DVD titles. Dolby digital and DTS are the best audio encodings available, except maybe for the new DTS/ES, and reproduction of these encodings should be a requirement for any home theater setup. I know that my dad will have to upgrade his receiver in order to make use of this audio, or buy a digital surround sound decoder to connect to his existing receiver. He did not need the internal digital surround-ready setup on the more expensive ($300) S560D because he does not own a digital-ready receiver.
The following information may help you match a surround sound receiver with your DVD. Some say you should spend the extra $50 on the DVD player for the surround sound outputs featured on the Sony DVP-S560D and spend $150-$200 less for a digital surround-ready receiver rather than a full digital surround receiver. I say, nay. When you connect from the surround sound outputs on a DVD player to a digital-ready receiver, you must use six (6) analog composite (RCA) connectors rather than a single (1) direct, digital optical cable OR your second choice, a digital coaxial cable. Digital direct audio yields better sound quality over analog to digital conversion - sound that you can HEAR. Go digital, stay digital. Eliminate analog to digital conversion and you'll eliminate sound degradation and compression. It's worth the extra dough, if not now, then in the long run. I have the S560D and have no use for the surround outputs. You don't have to make the same mistake.
Sony's DVD players, in this price range at least, incorporate all of the best features of comparatively priced DVD players. I strongly favor Sony's models because they offer the best remote control layout that I've found, the most quiet playback, and the search and startup are the smoothest and fastest, respectively. The search is not jumpy like the Pioneers' and the Toshiba's that I've observed. The Pioneer and Toshiba are noisy when operating. The Sony's startup is fast and consistent and was faster even before Pioneer replaced their older models, one of which I own.
The screen saver is a nice touch that I've overlooked in my past reviews. When your TV costs twice as much as your best computer monitor, it's comforting to know that Sony's taking care of you. It would be nice if DVD films came with their own customized screen savers, so you don't have to look at the Sony logo whenever your DVD player idles.
The only thing this DVD player won't do is play ripped CDs. It will play new CDs, no problem, but when you try to put in your mixed CD-R or CD-RW, good luck. If you're going to replace your old CD player with this DVD player, you're better off going with the ugly and noisy, Pioneer DV-333. My dad won't ever need this functionality so he got the Sony.
I'm not going to go on and on about the DVD player's standard features. Like I said, there is only one difference between the S360D and S560D. You can read my other three DVD reviews by clicking on my member page. Each review covers standard features as well as things to look for when selecting a DVD player. For the speed, smoothness, quiet playback, most logical remote control AND the under $250 price tag, I wholeheartedly recommend the Sony S360D. My dad is giddy.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
NYCattitude
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Member: Jackson Ning II
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 9 members
About Me:
Want a little a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e thrown your way? Just ask.
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