great picture. nice sound.

compression artifacts inherent to dvd.

this is a great dvd player. i have it hooked up via component cable to a wega tv. the picture is almost too sharp and detailed. on some dvds i notice digital blocking (on the "excalibur" dvd, for example) and a little color banding, but i accept this as a part of digital compression (perhaps i'm too sensitive to this, being that i test digital a/v software for a living). it's a slick little machine, and worth checking out. hope you enjoyed the free content, audioreview.com!

Similar Products Used:

laserdisc

Picture Quality, Well built.

Bad Fast Scan Speeds, NOMenu Button on Player,
Small Remote with confusing Menu Buttons

Well i read so much about this. I had to get it.
I have the JVC 523 Player. Which is a nice player with excellent color reproduction, and a sharp but dark picture.

Seeing as this player Sells for $150 more than the JVC.
I was really hoping the picture would be outstanding.
Video Quality was bright with excellent contrast.

Disk loading time took about 5 seconds. It was super fast chapter searching. The Surorund Sound mode was great,
even on the TV speakers.

Digital Cinema Mode just made the picture blurry.
Video Sharpness control made the picture noisy.
But all the other picture enhancement features worked well.

I was very dissapointed by the fast scan modes.
Very choppy , Not smooth at all!

There was a 2x Sspeed With Sound feature..
But using it made the sound unintelligible.
I have a JVC VCR with this feature and that
works much better than this.

There are NO MENU controls on the front panel.
So if you lose it or the Dog eats the remote
You wont be able to do anything!

The Remote had confusing small buttons.
It is backlit Only for the cursor controls.

The smart thing would have been to have the Menu and Play
buttons backlit.

Also dissapointing was the lack of a TIME REMAINING Counter. This is usefull when watching the Extra features.
Those times are rarely listed on the DVD box.

If you are not that fussy about features like fast scan,
time counters, Menu buttons, remotes, and want great picture and lots of sound options.

Then I guess this plpayer is worth the money.
But those feattures are importsant to me.
So ,this player was returned the next day!

Maybe I was expecting too much?
But for a $500 (List Price) Player.
I certainly had the right to expect better fast scanning.

Especially since PANASONIC claims it has Advanced Smooth Scanning!

Beter luck next time PANASONIC!

Similar Products Used:

JVC XV523GD

54Mhz video DACS great picture great sound on CD's and DVD

Can't play CDR CDRW

This player got everything. It got all the furures I want.
The picture is amazing, the sound is great. I also love
when I scan CD-tracks. It's just so nice to hear the music while you search. One of the first movies I played with it, was Snatch. It was awsome!! Picture with the 54Mhz video DACS whoow, the sound you won't belive it.
The only negative thing about it is that it can't play CDR CDRW but I don't care. I always buy me cd's anyway.
If I must play a CDR I can always play it on my computer, or in my car.
I have 5 PSB Image speakers, 32' Panasonic 100 hz TV. My Amp is Denon AVR -3801.
After I've got this DVD-player my setup is complete. I'm very happy. Can't wait the see next movie, can't belive I'm working right now. I should be home and watch a movie =)

I won't tell you where I live =)

Just buy this rocker!!

Similar Products Used:

NAD T550

Excellent video quality, DTS (and AC3) decoder, gamma control, fast and quiet transport

No digital inputs to use decoders with other sources, bass management could be more flexible, doesn't play CD-R

I've been very happy with my A110 and didn't plan to get a new DVD player until I could get a universal with Progressive Scan, Multi-Channel SACD, and DVD-A for about $1,000. Well, it looks like that won't happen for a few more years. I know Panasonic's 2nd generation DVD players have had horrible reliabilty issues but I haven't had any problems with my A110 in nearly 3 years, and in fact, is still going strong on another TV. But since DVD player prices have dropped so much since I purchased the A110, I figured why not get one with component video and DTS.

As for the 54 MHz video DAC, with S-Video and all the picture controls set to 0, I can't say I see any difference between the RV80 and A110, and my TV is a calibrated Wega. But the gamma control does make a difference, as does the component video outputs. I guess I'll have to find some difficult to process scenes to know for sure. In any case, if you have an analog TV you'd be hard-pressed to find a better 480i image.

I put together my H/T in '97 and early '98. My surround processor is the excellent Denon AVD-2000 which I want to hold on to. At the time of purchase, DTS DVDs were still something like a year away. However, the Denon's 5.1 analog inputs keep bass management, channel balance, and even Cinema EQ active so bass management with the RV80 was a total non-issue to me. DTS sounds great, especially for music DVDs. I don't know why DVD players with on board decoders don't have any digital inputs. This really isn't a problem for me since the AVD-2000 handles all of my Dolby Digital and PCM sources. About the only thing I can't do is play a DTS CD-R. If the RV80 had a digital input I could play a CD-R on my CD changer and have the RV80 do the DTS decoding. I'll just have to burn DTS CDs on CD-R/W and play them on the RV80.

I also looked at the Pioneer DV-626D and Sony DVP-S570. The Pioneer could play CD-R but I think the Panasonic has better sounding DACs, though I could tame the Pioneer's bright sound with my AVD-2000's Cinema EQ. But when I looked at the Pioneer's back panel it became out of the running. There is a back panel switch to choose component video or S/composite. While I have the component video connected directly to the TV, I also run S and composite to my A/V receiver. I have a Sima SCC color corrector (defeats Macrovision) in between the receiver's record outputs and my S-VHS and VHS VCRs' inputs, so I need a DVD player that outputs all three at once. The Sony was way overpriced and people have been complaining about transport noise, and again, I find the Panasonic's audio DACs to sound better.

I'm happy with the RV80 and would recommend it to anyone who isn't planning to buy a digital TV soon, even if you don't need the built-in decoders.

Similar Products Used:

Panasonic DVD-A110

Very detailed picture with no croma upsampling problems. Superb black levels and color rendition. 54Mhz video DACS. Fast loading, quiet operation, fast layer changes.

No real issues. Met my expectations.

I have this player coupled with a Tosh. 65H80 HDTV. I feel that my best point of reference to judge the over-all performance of the RV80 is against the Denon 2800. The Denon rendered the best over-all picture I have seen , but has some annoying traits which prompted me to return it(bad chroma upsampling error and even the "black dot" unit still glitched the picture during play, sometimes).I decided to wait on the next generation players from Kenwood (believe it or not)using the Faroudja de-interlacing technology for my next purchase. (I have read that there are no motion artifacts, the picture is near HD and that colors pop off of the screen, we will see). The Panasonic was intended as a stop-gap measure. Now I am not so sure. The Panasonic is not a progressive player so I reasoned that the only consession I was making was in the the area of motion artifacts, as compared to the Denon. (I based this on the assumption that the Tosh. 65H80 does not provide true 3/2 pulldown). Using the Panasonic I do see some feathering against closely spaced lines ,especially when panned across, but hardly ojectionable:I've seen objectionable. The picture is otherwise exceptional, very low grain
( better than the JVC 723), beautiful color rendition, with wonderful detail. It seems easy to ignore the the occasional motion artifact. I guess what I am saying is that, if your TV set has a good line-doubler then this may indeed be the player for you. My experience with some of the de-interlacers found in DVD players is that they can exhibit excessive edge noise and/ or be soft in appearance. The combination of the Panasonic and the 65H80 is neither. I think the search to find an RV80 is worth the effort.

Similar Products Used:

denon 2880, tosh 6200, tosh 3109

features for the price, excellent picture quality, built-in decoder

none

This is a great DVD player for the price. I am using the built-in dts decoder and have not had any problems whatsoever. Unit is connected directly to a NAD integrated (C370) and a Yamaha 3-channel amp. Picture is excellent. Start time is very quick, remote is fine. As far as the scanning, what the hell do you need that for. Who cares if it is choppy or not? I have never used the feature nor have I EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT using it. What the hell are you looking at when in scan mode? Just put the DVD in and watch the friggin' movie. Also, stuart perez writes as a negative "no menu button on the player". SO WHAT! Use the thing called the remote. Also, that type of statement is what makes this site so incredibly irritating at times. People who complain about things/features/lack of features/ on the equipment that is evident before they buy are idiots. So, the item at the store had a "menu button" on the unit but when at home yours didn't? The scanning was perfect at the store but at home it was choppy!!! No time remaining feature. Oh, I forgot to ask the salesman. Who cares??? Oh, and just a head's up on losing the remote and then not being able to do anything. First, don't be dumb enough to let the dog eat the remote (if it does, get a new dog). What if I drop the remote in the bathtub, I'm done for. Jeeze, that's a good reason to not buy this player. Now think a minute, if the dog eats the remote or you drop it in the tub, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A NEW REMOTE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE FRONT PANEL HAS A MENU BUTTON OR NOT!!!!!!!! And you can get a new remote, they do sell them.
He also writes, "There was a 2x Sspeed With Sound feature.But using it made the sound unintelligible." What on earth one needs such a feature is beyond me. Why the heck would you want to watch a movie at twice the speed its supposed to be played at??? And I would expect the sound to be screwy. Shame on Panasonic and all the other companies for making such idiotic features that for some reason get certain members of the public excited. So, buy this player if you want to watch DVDs as opposed to sitting around with a bunch of dopey friends marvelling at how clear the picture is in "super speed" mode.

Similar Products Used:

none

Extensive Video Enhancement Controls.

Some DVD-18s give this player the hiccups!
Wont play new MGM disks with FULL SCREEN & WIDESCREEN versions on same sideof disk.

This is a followup to a review I posted JAN. 2001
Since then NO player has come close to this.

It has been replaced by the the PANASONIC RA-60.
But that player lacks the extensvie video enhancement controls of the R-80

Plays all disks perfectly...Except the disks
that have BOTH a WIDESCREEN Version and a FULL
SCREEN Version on SAME SIDE.(A) With the EXTRA
Features on SIDE B. The WIDESCREEEN Version wont play.

These disks wont play properly - DINOSAUR, LEGALLY BLONDE
JEEPERS CREEPERS, and any NEW disk from MGM studios
that have BOTH a WIDESCREEN Version and a FULL
SCREEN Version on SAME SIDE.
I guess it needs a FIRMWARE Upgrade.

If anyone has a similar difficulty playing these type of
disks.Please email me at NYSOFTWAREMAN@HOTMAIL.com

Similar Products Used:

DVD-RV31K

Built in Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, 54Mhz video processor, styling

Wrong keys are backlit on the remote

I purchased this player because of the "high-end" features that Panasonic has packed into this moderately priced unit. I was looking for a low-cost way to add DTS capability to my HT system and this unit was exactly what I needed. I have owned this unit for 9 months and I am very pleased with it's overall performance. It has performed flawlessly with everything that I have thrown at it including some of the "problem" disks that people have mentioned and rented disks that were scratched or smudged. The 54Mhz video processor presents a crisp, clear picture that doesn't seem to be plagued with the video problems present in many players. Both the Dolby Digital and DTS decoders work very well. My only complaint with this unit is that the wrong keys on the remote are backlit. The keys that are needed for normal player operation are not backlit and are difficult to see in a dark room. Granted, I am being a little picky, but I can't seem to find anything else about this player that I don't like. It is my understanding that Panasonic has discontinued this unit due to lackluster sales. This is very unfortunate because I don't believe that you can find a player that offers more bang for your buck. Some online retailers still have stock, but I would suggest that you get one soon before they're gone.

Similar Products Used:

Panasonic A310, Panasonic RV31

Just thought I would post an update from my previous review on this player. It has performed flawlessly and I could not be happier with its performance. Unfortunately, I believe this player is no longer available so if you can find one I would snatch it up rather than have to go the dreaded Sony route. Nothing like a "No Disc" error message. Also, I was looking at the reviews since my last posting and all agree that this player is a winner. I can't help noticing again that stuart perez was the only person bashing this product and so I did a search under his name. It makes me laugh because he has reviewed other DVD players and given them all much higher ratings than this one. However, if you look at the overall ratings of his "preferred players", they are all in the three-star range. So basically, you can take his review of this product and throw it in the toilet. I hope he is enjoying his JVC pieces of junk. In slo-mo of course.

Double (54Mhz) processing speed gives a much improved picture. Slim profile.

Poor remote control.

This DVD player is built to last a very long time. Go get it…. You wont regret your choice. I am using it for now more than 6 months and I have no problem with its performance. The picture and sound quality of this DVD player is far superior to other DVD players in the market.

Surround Sound: Built in Dolby Digital, DTS
DVD Capacity: Single Disc
Playable Formats: CD, VCD,DVD
Audio DAC: 24-bit
Audio Output: Digital Coaxial, Digital Optical
Video DAC: 10-bit
Video Outputs: S-Video, Composite, Component
Remote Control: Yes (poorly Designed)