Flashing back on my first DVD player
Written: Sep 12 '05
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Pros: Good picture and sound quality.
Cons: Remote design is awkward; has a slight lip synch problem.
The Bottom Line: Impressive for an economy-priced DVD player, but for a few bucks more you could get something better.
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| Chad9976's Full Review: Pioneer DV-414 DVD Player |
This was the first DVD player I ever purchased way back in 1999 and at the time I'd say I was a satisfied customer.
But I'll stop right there at "satisfied," because I wasn't swept off my feet or anything. At the price I got it for it was worth it, but I would have liked just a bit more.
People want a DVD player for the high image and sound quality and the Pioneer DV-414 delivers on that aspect splendidly. From the moment I put my first disc in and watched it I was amazed. Especially considering the fact it was the middle of the day and sunlight glare, street noise and other variables within the house were significant distractions. Still, you pop in that disc and you get the blackest blacks, the truest blues, the crispest sound effects and all that other jazz you want out of a DVD player.
For several months I had this player hooked up to a brand-new television and had the sound routed through a 100-watt Sony stereo. Oh boy did the house rock when we watched "Independence Day" and "Armageddon" a million times! The player was also perfect for animation as my roommates and I watched every South Park DVD over and over again. The colors were bright, colorful and clear. We had digital cable and the DVDs were even clearer and louder than when the same shows were broadcast on TV!
But I do have some beefs with this thing. First of all, I hate the remote. It's big with a lot of really small buttons that are all the same microscopic size. Don't even think about trying to find a certain button in the dark if you're watching a movie. Just keep your thumb on the pause button at all times - it's the only one you really need. This remote is so poorly designed it's enough for me to recommend you to get pretty much any other player of the same quality and price if the remote is any more handy.
Secondly, the this player suffered from a noticeable lip synch problem. When you do see it happening it can drive you crazy. I never told my guests about this problem and of all the hundreds of movies and discs we watched only a few times did I hear complaints about this. Sony players are notorious for their lip synch errors, but this one was small enough to go undetected. Pioneer really should have offered to fix this problem for free or not have sold the player in the first place.
Is the Pioneer DV 414 right for you? If you're willing to pay a TAD bit more for quality picture and sound than the bare-bone no-name brands, then yes. Just make sure you familiarize yourself with the remote before you use it. Get the extended warranty, not that it's going to break on you, but just in case.
I haven't shopped the DVD market in about a year and a half so I can't say if this player is still available today. If it is I would assume the price is probably $100 less than what I got it for and if so I'd say go get it just for the savings. If you're getting this expecting it to be the ONLY DVD player your family will ever need don’t buy it - get something better.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 200.00
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Epinions.com ID:
Chad9976
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Member: Chad Polenz
Location: Albany, New York
Reviews written: 669
Trusted by: 149 members
About Me:Check out Chad'z Beer Reviews on YouTube
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