Inexpensive way to get the DVD picture quality. Component and S video outs. Digital out, both optical and coaxial.

The remote kind of sucks, it's difficult to get used to it.

I picked this DVD player at Best Buy unaware of the problems I have seen people post here. I saw somewhere, I think hometheaterforum.com, that the audio signal lost synch with the video if you paused and started the video again when using the optical output; since I did not intend to use it, I did not care. It turns out I did not use either digital output for movies, I desisted of the DD thing, since I am not much of a movie freak. I got a stereo system instead. Well, it has worked out just great, it plays CDs, CD-Rs, VCDs, and, of course, DVDs. No problem at all. Right now, I use it for both CDs and DVDs; I will soon upgrade to a CD changer due to the convenience, but so far it has done its shores very well, I am very satisfied. The remote is the only thing I do not like much, I think that will vary greatly from person to person. I am sure there is ppl out there that find the ergonomics of the remote just perfect. Well, they are better than the remotes that come with the Sony Trinitrons, in my opinion, but then again what isn't.

After I bought this player I found this site and have benefited tremendously from users comments and have emailed a lot of ppl regarding their stuff, and all of them have been very polite and responsive. I would be more than happy to return the favor to anyone else, please feel free to email me with questions.

Good video and audio performance on DVDs

Sounds average as a CD player

I've had the 414 for around 6 months now and I haven't had any problems. This was my first DVD player and I'm currently selling it as I just picked up the 434. I can understand the complaints on the remote but it's not the worst one I've encountered. The 434 has a somewhat improved remote. It's similar but a little better. I had the 414 connected to my stereo so I can't really judge its surround sound performance. I also tried it as a cd player in my reference set up but it's sound is only typical of mass market gear in that mode. With DVDs though it sounds great! Check out The Thin Red Line or Eyes Wide Shut. As an older model I would recommend it.
To those that have had problems, I hope you realize the value of a product that only has one year on the warranty. Welcome to the mass market.

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Pioneer 434

Good video and audio performance on DVDs

Sounds average as a CD player

I've had the 414 for around 6 months now and I haven't had any problems. This was my first DVD player and I'm currently selling it as I just picked up the 434. I can understand the complaints on the remote but it's not the worst one I've encountered. The 434 has a somewhat improved remote. It's similar but a little better. I had the 414 connected to my stereo so I can't really judge its surround sound performance. I also tried it as a cd player in my reference set up but it's sound is only typical of mass market gear in that mode. With DVDs though it sounds great! Check out The Thin Red Line or Eyes Wide Shut. As an older model I would recommend it.
To those that have had problems, I hope you realize the value of a product that only has one year on the warranty. Welcome to the mass market.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer 434

I've had the 414 for around 6 months now and I haven't had any problems. This was my first DVD player and I'm currently selling it as I just picked up the 434. I can understand the complaints on the remote but it's not the worst one I've encountered. The 434 has a somewhat improved remote. It's similar but a little better. I had the 414 connected to my stereo so I can't really judge its surround sound performance. I also tried it as a cd player in my reference set up but it's sound is only typical of mass market gear in that mode. With DVDs though it sounds great! Check out The Thin Red Line or Eyes Wide Shut. As an older model I would recommend it.
To those that have had problems, I hope you realize the value of a product that only has one year on the warranty. Welcome to the mass market.

DTS output, Price

No CD-R/CD-RW play back. Died every six months

Well, I was so excited to get my first DVD player that when the price came within my reach I jumped on it and bought a Raite 714 ( i think that was the model ). Anyway, this player handled Anamorphic discs really badly, plus had the all popular "The Matrix" play problem. So I returned it and went to Best Buy and found an open box Pioneer DV414. The price was a bit higher than the Raite, but my thought was it would be better quality. I passed on the extended warranty (which seemed to almost make the salesman cry) and took it home. 6 months later the whole thing died. I took it in for warranty repair and they told me the IC board and the power supply were fried. So they replaced them (took about 2 weeks to get the parts). I took it home and hooked it up and watched a disc. Then it died again. Same problem. So I took it back again and waited another 2 weeks and got it back. It has worked fine until yesterday. Died again with the same problem. Now I don't know if I have a lemon or what, but now that it is out of warranty, I guess I will be "dvd-less" until I can afford to replace it. Next time I think I will go with Onkyo's 300 disc unit. It looks quite rugged.

Similar Products Used:

Raite 714

Features, Picture, Price, Design.

Remote

I bought this unit and was very please until I read about the lipsync problem in these reviews. I have yet to see this problem. As a matter of fact, I have not had any problems whatsoever(knock on wood). The picture is crisp, the sound is good, the options are great (especially for the price). I would have to recommend this dvd to all my friends. The remote does suck as everyone else has mentioned but, who cares. In regards to the lip sync problem, I think there were some initial defects but I assuming Pioneer has since fixed these problems. One of your reviewers mentioned the OSD Setting. I agree with that reviewer. If you have a model with an OSD setting of......
OSD Set
Region: 1
Ver. 2.284/4
AV 1:3 32'C'

Your dvd is fine.

Component out, dts , Coaxial out, True black level, Price

Obviously, the remote comes up short. Weight is akin to a cereal box. Loading door is flimsy ( have read that it has actually forwarded onto the floor - "non-stop" )

I purchased this unit in Nov. 98 after reading a couple of print reviews which rated it very high as an entry level player (SGHT and the old Stereo Review, I believe). I have plowed well over a 150 DVD's into the 414 since that time. Yet, until I put in the Mission Impossible(DD) disc 2 weeks ago, I have not encountered a problem with lip-synch. I recall a bogus, non-descript disc months ago, but figured the transfer was flawed. (There are more than a few "studio deficient" discs out there). Then I found this forum, with multiple posts of horror problems with lip-synch. I have not encountered this with Enemy of the State, Spy-Shagged, or other listed "suspect" discs. Except Mission I. And I have the dreaded V#1:184/4 AV1:3.32'C'hardware version !!

Months ago I isolated my 414 with Audioquest Little Feet, racquet balls(halved), sand in bags (for mass loading on top of the 414)and have seen this player truly shine. ( You can find these tweaks if you scout around).
I am not saying that this is any type of solution to the lip-synch problem, but I recommend all 414 users to try this isolation for the player.( If you still have one that performs like mine). Tighter bass, greater soundstage, much improved detail in the highs. Until this player craps the bed with lip-synch, I will stay with it.
Who can figure why this player acts up ? I run dts Private Ryan, Waterword, Eagles, Ronin(DD),Tommorow Never Dies(DD),etc... and this 414 is superb. When this player is in top form the output is truly impressive. Picture quality is the best you can find in this price range. I use component video out direct into my Toshiba 43" RPTV. (My amp is the Yamaha DSP-A1, with Paradigm Monitor 7's, CC 350, ADP 350's for the rear, and Definitive Tech 15PTL sub).

When it raises it ugly head (in a permanent way) with lip-synch down the road, I will switch players. Yet, until the studios truly commit to first rate transfers from the original master then do we really get a quality product ? I mean some transfers are really super, incredible audio and superb picture. Do I blame the 414 ? On Mission Impossible I blame Pioneer! On the others ? I think we have to look at the studios product. Are they offering a state of the art DVD transfer ?
Perhaps this unit is subject to the output connections : component vs S-video, optical vs coaxial; or external factors like a stable steel/sand filled audio rack vs your usable(and unstable)wooden A/V center. Wishful thinking, perhaps.
Hey, I may not have experienced the problems that other 414 users have experienced but it pisses me off that Pioneer has (a la Mission Impossible) dissavowed any connection to there obvious and well documented problem with lip-synch. I'm waiting for the 4th generation Universal player until this 414 gets ugly. Pioneer should either get out of the entry level DVD market or come clean on this 414's defects. Marketing, go figure !

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none

Great picture and digital sound.

Plain remote.

After careful research I chose and purchased the Pioneer DV-414 over the Pioneer DV-525 and various Sony and Toshiba units. I am entirely happy with it. I managed to get a clearance unit fresh out of the box from Sears for $199, and sent in the coupon for an additional $50 rebate. I made sure to get a unit with firmware version 2.274/4 (using info obtained from the Pioneer Players and Audio Sync webpage @
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~mdem/DV505/PioneerAudioSync.html). I have had *NO* Lip Sync errors or problems with any kind with this player. It eats the Matrix and Lost in Space for lunch! I am running it through a Pioneer Elite VSX-26TX with built-in 5.1 and DTS, and the sound and picture is fantastic!

I would really rather have purchased a Pioneer Elite DV-05 to match the finish of my other Pioneer Elite components, but can't really complain about this unit for the $. I probably would have went with the post-fix Sony 530 unit had I not bought the Pioneer.

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None

Great Picture, super sound

poor remote

This is a great DVD player period. I've had absolutely no problems with it. The picture clarity is awesome and the sound is most excellent. My only peeves were the poorly laid out remote that doesn't light up in the dark. Oh yes, and each DVD freezes for a micro second in the middle of every movie (flipping sides I believe). All in all no problemos. I highly recommend this player.

convenient easy to use

scan feature

There are a lot of reviews on this product. I just want to say that I like the DVD player a lot. The only problem I have is the SCAN feature. I've used the player for several months but still haven't found any easy way to scan. I always go too far or not far enough.

Gary

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n/a