Daewoo Fails To Include All Advertised Features
Written: Dec 27 '04 (Updated Dec 29 '04)
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Pros: Excellent image quality, PAL/NTSC conversion
Cons: HDCD decoding doesn't work, Daewoo ignores customer feedback, noisy
The Bottom Line: Excellent in most areas, but due to the noise, lack of advertised HDCD decoding, and lack of a response from Daewoo, I simply cannot recommend this product.
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| americanbear's Full Review: Daewoo DVG-9200N DVD Player |
What? The DVD player doesn't do all Daewoo says it will?
Yes, but I'll get to my disappointment in this in a few minutes. I like to focus on the good first, and besides, I want to make you read the whole review to see what it can't do :) (okay, here's a hint, it's HDCD decoding).
Okay, well, get on with the review
This is a bargain DVD player. I picked mine up for $39 at Target (on sale) because I needed another DVD player which supports PAL/NTSC convert and multiple regions (through the use of an unsupported and rather "gray" remote control code you have to type in. Due to the questionable nature, I won't post any details in this review. Search tools are your friend if you're looking to figure this out).
This DVD player's features include:
PAL/NTSC multi-system convert - Shocking as it is, Daewoo DVD players include fantastic system conversion. There are no visible artifacts converting NTSC to PAL or PAL to NTSC. This is far more useful with region-free ability and Daewoo units do not disappoint on ease of making them region free (again, I won't post how here but it's easy to find). This is less important for me now that my new TV can lock on 60Hz and 50Hz. But that's where the next part of this becomes nice - it can output both formats unlike some American players.
S-Video and Component Outputs - Showing no lack of outputs, this player features a component video output in addition to S-Video. Component further separates the chroma into a red component and a blue component (green is mathematically calculated by the equation Y-Pr-Pb=Pg). This avoids the need for NTSC or PAL color decoding. Having this output is especially useful as my TV has no S-Video input (so the inferior composite would need to be used) and it can lock on a 50Hz signal but can't decode the PAL color format normally used (including by this player) with a 50Hz signal - since component has no color encoding this is a non-issue.
Optical and Coaxial S/PDIF Outputs - Many cheaper players only include a coaxial S/PDIF output as it is cheaper. The sound quality is absolutely identical as the digital bitstream doesn't care what media it's over. Having an optical output is therefore useful in case your receiver doesn't have coaxial inputs (some older receiver's don't) or doesn't have a free coaxial input.
Progressive Scan Output - This appears to work, but I don't have a progressive TV to test it with. Connected to a progressive scan TV this may result in better image quality since unlike the TV's conversion, the DVD player has the advantage of knowing how the content is flagged. In progressive scan, the image is drawn in one pass instead of the two passes of alternating lines used in interlace rendering
HDCD Decoding - Pacific Microsonics (now owned by Microsoft) is a format which many CDs use to encode additional audio detail in the sub-channel data area of a CD. Listen to it on a computer with Windows Media Player on Windows - it definitely makes a difference, though honestly not much. Even so, this was definitely a buying consideration - only one problem, HDCD decoding does not actually work on this player. Tested on multiple CDs with the encoding, none light up the HDCD light, display as HDCD on screen, or sound any better than on other players. Details of this problem below.
A Well-Designed Remote - Daewoo includes a very well designed remote compared to other budget players, while this may not mean much it is noteworthy.
Front Display - Like the well-designed remote, this may not seem like much but many other budget players are cutting this item as a cost-saving measure and it really is very useful, especially when using the device as a CD player.
Karaoke Mode - As I don't have any CD+G (Karaoke) discs I couldn't test this and for all I know it's just like the HDCD decoding. Assuming it does work though, this is a cool feature to add in a DVD player. If this interests you, try and test it out before buying.
So How Does The Player Feel?
This is a budget player. It definitely feels cheap. The exception to this feel is the large, solid build and excellent remote. Even so, the disc tray is thin and very flimsy feeling and the player is very noisy (two players make the same noises so this is not a fault). I wouldn't trust this to last more than a year or so, but at the price it truly is a disposable DVD player.
Well, Okay, It feels flimsy - how's it look
This is where the disappointment ends. The image quality of this player is extremely good! It's a little darker than many other players, but most of this is due to the lack of a brightness setting. Most other players I've seen have two settings for black level and this player is equivalent to the low setting. Not a major problem as this is what TV set adjustments are for. This player produces a crisp, clean image quality (including on anamorphic downconversion and PAL/NTSC conversion). Most DVDs are produced in an "anamorphic widescreen" format where the pixels are rectangular rather than square. In order for this to look correct on a normal TV "anamorphic squeeze" must be applied. Ideally this is done in the TV, but most of our TVs don't support this. When done in the DVD player (what the 4:3 Letterbox setting does) this often results in jagged edges or "aliasing artifacts." This player exhibits almost no such artifacts due to it's excellent image processing chipset. PAL/NTSC format conversion is equally excellent, and unlike some players, this player can apply both filters at once (needed to watch an anamorphic PAL DVD on a plain old NTSC set without distortion).
Is it fast?
Fast and responsive is the name of the game with this Daewoo player. It responds quite readily to all button presses, and appears to contain a very fast processor within. The chipset used in this DVD player truly is top-notch.
Finally, how's it sound?
Nothing really special, but the sound output from this DVD player is clean, crisp, and low in noise. It'll satisfy any user. I haven't used the S/PDIF coaxial, but the S/PDIF optical connection works and passes DTS and Dolby Digital without error. I'd assume the coax to be the same.
You promised me more about the HDCD decoding!
And I deliver - I contacted Daewoo sales by email regarding this issue, and they have failed to respond. I must conclude therefore that they simply do not care and that they willingly provide false advertising. I did return the first player due to this issue and found the replacement to be the same. Additionally, I saw another posting on the Internet regarding this issue, and they also received no response from Daewoo at the time I read it. I will update my review if a response from Daewoo comes my way. Note, the player will play these CDs just fine - they just won't get the (slight) HDCD advantage.
Conclusion
Due to the excessive noisiness, lack of advertised HDCD decoding, and most of all - the lack of any response from Daewoo, I simply cannot recommend this otherwise excellent DVD player.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 39
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Epinions.com ID:
americanbear
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Member: Mark Uhde
Location: Montana, USA
Reviews written: 67
Trusted by: 13 members
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