*Awesome Picture Quality. (selectable video modes)
*Aweosme Sound Quality. (although my amp would help a little)
*I've never had a single problem with this unit - i've used
it for hours at a time. never heats up -
*plays all the dvd's, vcd's and cd's i own without any problems -
*easy to modify.
*The display is quite legeble even from a distance.
*It plays dts, dolby and mpeg encoded discs.
*Never Ever Ever had a problem with audiosync. I use a sony STRDB940 amp - no disc has ever shown any audiosync problems.
*Enough options on the setup menu to toggle with picture, audio and other useful options.
*The slow motion funcion is able to slow down from 1/2 to 1/16th.
*cool yet simple design
*sturdy light weight unit.
** Great unit for the price **

Who designed the remote, anyway i use my sony learning remote on it now - thats much better- buttons have no reference point in the dark! GO PIONEER GO!
Zoom function would have been good.
People complain about the system tray being noisey. What's with that? the only time you gotta open or close it is either inserting or taking out a disc. ? it doesn't affect anything? strange...
easily scratched. don't put anything on top of the unit.
have clean hands or fingerprints are everywhere on the front panel. (common sence)

it has dropped in price over the last 6 months -
great entry level dvd player that packs in all the goods for a lower price. if you can get over the fact that the remote control is average. you'll love this unit. I can't see why you'd spend a lot more cash on a pricey unit that does the same thing.. (maybe you want a $400 dollar remote??) the VNR function is also a good option. with quality AV cables this can also soften the picture quality :0) - good tip.

** great unit for the price**

The Australian version to my knowledge (the recent models) have no audiosync problems. Much better than Sony QS series DVD player - for a lot less.

Similar Products Used:

none in great detail

Video quality, audio quality, design, cd-r support

layer change delay, remote

This a such a cool dvd-player. Great video playback quality and an awesome sound. But however there are some minor things which are nonetheless disturbing.

During the change of the layer, the picture freezes for a second and then continues. I never had this problem with the yamakawa. And the remote design could have been better.

But nonetheless a perfect player for the money you pay for it.

Similar Products Used:

Yamakawa AvPhile 715

Well, the replacement for the DV-414 is here in the Pioneer DV-525. Feature for feature the 525 looks like a winner. I am waiting for the arrival of the unit now. One of the things we all will be waiting to see is if the lip-sync problem that has plagued the reviews of the 414 are history or do they live on? I will be looking to see if people that have this unit give it positive reveiws.
One of the unique features that is new is the "set-up navigator". It asks a few simple questions like - is your TV 4:3 or 16:9, do you have Dolby Digital - ect and sets up the unit for you. I am curious if it will hold these settings through a vast array of DVD movies.

Based on the comparison of what it is replacing, I am giving a starting good luck send-off of 5 stars.

Peter

Great DVD player for the price ($239 from ONSALE). I was looking for a DVD player with the DD decoder built in, but since I got such a great deal on this one, I have opted to upgrade my receiver instead. Any one have any suggestions for a receiver with both DD and DTS decoding built in? So far the picture quality has been fantastic and the menu system is great. The only thing that bugs me is there is no way to dim the display, it is so much more brighter than my other components.

I just replaced a DV-414, manufactured in May 99 with a DV-525, manufactured in June 99. The picture and sound quality of the machines seems to be the same, which is to say the best in the under $400 class. I have seen no sign of the lip synch problem on either machine, probably due to each having the latest firmware. About the only changes I can see between them is that the DV-525 has a different front panel layout, new on screen menus (no sign of the "set-up navigator" mentioned by Peter) and the remote now has better graphics, although it still uses some of the smallest buttons I have ever seen on a remote. There is also some "decontenting" on the DV-525: there is no button to turn off the display, setting storage is only available for 15 discs as opposed to 30 and there is no no longer a standby light or blue Pioneer light. Overall a fantastic machine for the price.

Product spec could be found at:http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/home/dv-525.htm

Seems like a great drive, It "seems" to be able to play CDR music disc which is very important to me. just ordered it and will post another complete review later. For the price and the review that I saw for now (not really used it YET). I will give it 5 stars. :)

When I first took it out of the box, I said to myself, "How plain looking." But that was what I had said when I had first taken the Pioneer receiver that I have out of the box. What happens? They grow on you. And after seeing the picture put out by this player, I said, "Leigh, welcome to the world of DVD."This player is great. It has a sharpness to the picture that just makes you realize just how great your tv can look (compared to cable and VHS). The sound leaves nothing to be desired, and to tell you the truth, I only have it hooked up with ProLogic sound! The DD/DTS decoder from Technics will be added by next week (hopefully), and then we'll see. But, with a picture that great, I can wait for the sounds man!

I have had the 525 for about a week and all I have to say is WOW. The picture and sound are superb. I have had no problems with any disc I have seen (The Matrix, The Mummy and The Prince of Eygpt). I got it for a gift from my wife (what a sweetheart), but she got it at Costco for $269. 5 stars for quality and value.

I bought my DV-525 from the Onsale auction for $249. Previously I had only seen DVD while shopping at electronic stores. Since the new player arrived, we have watched two movies at home, The Faculty and The Matrix. Both movies played without problems and I was very pleased by the sharp picture and navigation features. I used the included A/V cables to connect the player to a 31" TV with four-speaker surround and it sounds as good as it should. I also played an audio CD in the DV-525 through the TV and for the first time heard a rear channel in the recording.
The DV-525 is very competent at handling the video part of DVD and passing the audio part to whatever component you choose to complete your home theater. That's exactly what I wanted. There will eventually be lower prices, but if you want to enjoy DVD now, buy this unit. I give it five stars as a "Best Buy"!

Unsurpassed Picture and Sound

Remote's Button's Size

After using my PC-DVD Encore 2X kit for almost 2 years some things started to get to me, no remote first, starting my very slow starting computer to play movies, constant computer freezes when playing certain movies, and no component, or optical outputs. After seeing many reviews for all models none were anywhere near perfect, not even the great picture and sound quality of the DV-414 which I first considered. After learning of the DV-525, and nearly perfect reviews from this very page I took the plunge and got it. So how was it? It plays The Matrix, Titanic, The Mummy, all new, and DVD - DVD-ROM content with incrediable video and sound quality. Audio CDs play great too. To me the visual and sound quality is exactly the same as my PC-DVD which is to say, it is still incrediable. I'm using a Monster Cable Optical Digital connection for audio, connected to a Yamaha RX-V995 DD and DTS Receiver, Boston Acoustics VR-950 mains, and Definitive BP1X sourrounds (no center (yet) or sub, but the mains take care of those outputs). On the video side it's just a composite cable supplied with the player to a 8 year old 25" TV. Yet picture is still great, and can be better by using S2 or component video outputs ( on a bigger TV of course). For $300 this player is worth every penny. Only thing that keeps this player from being a lot more is the remote (small buttons, not backlit), build quality of the player (very light), and sort of clunkiness of the tray (not exactly a stealth tray), yet to me, these things are negligable, and seem to have no effect on the quality of the movies or music I play, so it does not concern me as a major issue. I'd recomend this play as an entry level player, all the way to saying it is a great addition to an audiophile and videophile home theater setup. Great player, 5 stars all the way!

Similar Products Used:

PC-DVD Encore 2X