The little CD tray still works

Everything less the little CD tray

This rant is about a poor product, the poor service is the bonus.

The Hitachi Hell lives on. This is a continuing story of how an unsuspecting guy like myself ended up in this living Hell trying to get someone to fix my Hitachi TV and DVD player. In order to get the full flavor of the situation, I recommend you read the first part of the story in the "Rear Projection TV" section under "53SDX89B". Look for the frame with the "Purchased at: Gibson Sound & Vision". After that, come on back to get the icing on the cake.

Many of my problems are the same as describe on other frames. It wasn't until I was introduced to this site that I realize that all of these units don't work. I can't even get my remote to work anymore. It died after 3 months. (yes I changed the batteries and all that). So, one of the previous frames in here indicate you can get prompt service from Hitachi if you just call. That's what I did today. Here is the conversation (or something very close to it):

Me: Hi, I've got this DV-P250U unit that doesn't work right and understand there is a firmware fix you guys send out.

Rep: Did you read this on the internet?

Me: Yes, it's the only way to find out what's going on in the industry.

Rep: Well, we used to, but we don't anymore. Users don't understand how to do the upgrade. Your only choice is to take it back to where you bought it and they will send it to our service center. We will upgrade the ROM for you. Keep in mind it's quite expensive, and you will probably have to pay for shipping and handling as well.

Me: But the unit never worked right from the beginning and it's still under warranty.

Rep: Because there are no standards for DVD encoding, it's considered an upgrade.


I can't believe it. I am stunned. They should have on the front of their players "This unit may never work right, and we will not take any responsibility for it if it doesn't".

I really don't know what to do. Really… Maybe I should just toss the thing into the recycle bin and it can be made into something useful, like a toilet seat.

Don't believe the conversation above, call the service dudes your self. 1-800-448-2244. Explain that you have bought one of the units above and it works like crap. You will in turn, get a lesson on what the bum's rush feel like.

If anyone has the upgrade CD's, can you put the files on the net somewhere and write in. That would be a start, and thanks in advance.

OK as a CD player, the stereo sound quality is pretty good.

Sucks for DVDs, no surround outputs work.

Hooked it up to DD/DTS receiver using coaxial digital output. The Hitachi displayed "Dolby Digital" but the receiver automatically selected Pro-Logic. I then tried using 5.1 channel analog outputs to some integrated amps. No sound. Next I connected 5.1 channel Hitachi outputs to 5.1 channel receiver inputs. Again no sound out. As far as I am concerned Hitachi sold me a CD player and called it a DVD player with DD/DTS decoders that don't work. This is what you get with corporations that love money and hate people.

Similar Products Used:

Nothing in my life as crappy as this.

I first bought the dvp-250u because of the price. I mean DVD with ac-3 at 5 hundred and some change? What a deal! Well you know that saying " you pay for what you get?" Very Very True. This product has visual problems bigtime!!! Just try to play The Matrix on it!

I purchased the Hitachi 25o about a month ago. It is hooked up to my Hitachi sbx5078 TV via component cables and my Onkyo 656 amp via digital coax cable. Picture and audio quality are great. A bugs life really shines! I took the Hitachi because it was $250 less than the sony 550 and $150 less than the toshiba 3109. It was also the only player that could play my CDRs. So far no sign of lip sync problems. Has DTS pass through, DD support, component, zoom, navigation features and alot more... Great player.....so far

good picture when it worked

skips ,jumps ,freezes up

I am still waiting for this hunk of junk to be fixed
I buy lots of equipment and have never seen such a piece
of garbage.I've brought it in three times now.
Comes back to me tested O.K. Put first movie in,starts its
crap right away.

no lip sync problems, all the features you could ask for in player in this price range. More solidly built than others in this price range.

remote not lit,

Very impressed with this unit. The only problem I saw was one small hesitation with scene in Matrix but it was only a fraction of a second. I understand that many DVD players have severe problems with with this movie so it did not bother me. Has all the connections you could ever need. It feels heavier than most in the same price range and the transport seems to not be as flimsy. Picture and sound are super. Hitachi tech support was quick and very good to work with when I called them with a question. Overall considering the problems with all units in this price range and this unit has almost none, I would give it a 4.5.

Absolutely None

Everything

Oh my gosh!, Where do I start I personally will love to drop this piece of s*#!? from my 12th floor balcony. Don't buy anything from Hitachi please!!. This player has a mind of its own, don't get me wrong good picture quality, decodes DTS DD movies okay but now and then the unit will start making loud noises through my speakers and Yes! it is hooked up correctly, and the funny thing in order not to see any wave like interference on My Sony TV WEGA you must have the analog as well as the S-Video connections connected
at the same time, meaning if I disconnect the analog Left&Right jacks the picture becomes distorted. Had it repaired twice and it comes back with the same problem.
When I purchased this unit in November 1999, my girlfriend said I should wait until next year for the prices to come down, it burns me now knowing that the prices have fallen so drastically. I paid $689.79 Canadian, at the time, I guess you live and learn from your mistakes hopefully. If anyone is looking to buy anything from Hitachi please look at other brands, don't let the low price fool you; you will regret it in the long run and don't let those so called customer service rep's try to convince you that the problems is not with their products they always try to pass it off to some other competitor (service Manager at Hitachi Canada Mike Privetera) overpaid. Not even two years and I am looking for another player, I am leaning towards the Harman Kardon DVD 50 to match my system components that I already have but before I intend to do my research before buying another DVD player. Cheers!

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Sony 570D

I just purchased the Hitachi DVP 250 a week ago and have watched a few DVDs. Its performance has been fantastic. I waited for three months for Sony to fix their lip syc problems based on what I read on this site but finally gave up because I was missing out on the DVD world. I also looked seriously at Toshiba and Pioneer, all in the same price range. Local dealers here are now just getting this product from their distributors so their aren't many reviews yet but I think they will be very positive. Video and sound are superb and it has all the features and hookups that any of the others have and more than many. It also seems to be built more solid than the others and weigh a bit more although that is just my general observation. I have not seen any negatives yet. I also purchased the Denon AVR 3300 receiver at the same time and I have not had time to explore and learn all the features of either machine. Anyone looking at DVD players in the $300-500 price range should include this one their decision. I had to call Hitachi directly to get the specs because their web site had not been updated to include it.

Plays CD-R's, no lip sync problems, Beautiful pic quality, every type of connection you'd want, price

Remote not lit, ugly menu system, uuummmm that is it

I bought this DVD player about 2 1/2 weeks ago and I love it. It plays CD-r's (past track 7 I'd take that one back) I don't notice any hiss but I don't have a high end sound system hooked up just my 27" JVC. I've played the Matrix, Something about Mary, Sphere, Blast from the past, Pushing Tin, Corruptor and no problems. The biggest thing is that the remote isn't lit which I don't like. And the menu system is ugly like previously reported. I do like that I can play VCD's that I have backed up :) Also the front has auto dim which is nice. After my friend with the JVC 501 BK saw mine he was going to try to take his back. Overall it has been great can't wait to expand my home theature I'd give it 5 stars if it weren't for the remote and menu.

Similar Products Used:

JVC 501bk (friends not very much)

Plays CDR's. Built in decoder.

Crappy remote. I have to point it directly at the unit and press the buttons harder then normal for it to respond. Video glitches.

Well this unit worked OK on the first three movies I tried it on. I got 1 video glitch on the newest James Bond movie. At the time I wasn't concerned about it. But I just recently bought "The Matrix" and well the problems I've heard about this movie were a reality on my machine. The video glitched 4 times in the first hour alone. I was so pissed off I stopped watching it. The next day I went to the place I bought it from and tried the DVD on thier floor model Hitachi. Same glitches in the same spots. I then tried it out on a Sony and a Yamaha. No glitch! Bottom line, "The Matrix" is a hard DVD on most players. But my Hitachi showed these glitches and Sony and Yamaha didn't. This means to me that Hitachi needs to get their shit together on this product. I bought this unit because it had the decoder built in and it was cheap. Well I guess you get what you pay for. I will be taking this unit back.