none

I got this player about a month ago and video is very crisp, even on a 19" tv. Right now is being run through a rf modulator until i can get a newer tv. I have not heard any transport noise, spin noise, seen lip sync or any other problems for that matter. For the price you cannot go wrong. Very nice product.

Awesome picture.
Plays CDR's

very lame display.
Single speed mode in reverse slowmotion.

I recently recieved this unit after testing the panasonic A120 because i recieved a wrong shipment. The only two things that give this player value over the panasonic is the huge difference in picture quality. The fact it plays cdr's is not such a big deal because most regular home cd player play CDR's (both of mine anyway). The picture sharpness and detail is a few steps, sorry a mile ahead of the panasonic . This might just be personal taste. I'll try to describe it objectively. The panasonic had a better than VCR appeal to the picture, very clear soft , just nice. The pioneer had huge contrast very sharp pictures and deep blacks. I tested this recievers side by side for alost two hours to make sure i was making the right decision.They sound identical but there is a huge difference in the picture quality.
The display on the player is amber and very lame so it loses half a star for that.
Also the pioneer has a better remote control than the Panasonic.
I hope this helps any body comparing the two.
Movies played , Matrix, Blade, jackal(DTS) , replacement killers, tommorrow never dies , etc.

Similar Products Used:

Panasonic A120

memory storage for up to 15 discs, plays CD-Rs, excellent video.

FF/REW scan

I paid $200 and I am satisfied so far with the performance of this unit. Setup is very easy - screen size, audio out (DD, DTS, PCM), ...). It has all of the outputs I'll ever need (optical and coax audio, s-video, component video).

I have not noticed the noisy tray but my unit is behind glass doors and I am not too much of an audiophile anyway so I'm not looking for it.

I don't really like the way FF and REW move in 10 second increments but it's not hard to search.

Price & outputs

Some Lip sync lack of zoom

HAd a bout w/ the stores buying and returning, but I finally settled on this one. For less than $300 I believe you can't get a better player. I have noticed lip sync on a couple of movies, most notebly Austin Powers, but most movies play great. Gave this player 4 stars, b/c I have noticed small problems like lip sync, and pixilation in tombstone. For the price, great player. To get a step up in wuality you have to spend more than twice the price of this player.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba 2109, RCA, Pioneer 414

Picture Quality, Sound.

Noisy transport

I'd like to echo all of the positives here about the sound and picture quality of this unit. For the money it a really good bargain.

However, the disc transport noise on mine is unacceptable. Watching the Alien Special Edition DVD, it's like theres a damn cricket in the room with you. Alien is a fairly quiet movie alot of the time so this is quite noticable. The noise is not consistant on every disk, either. The Matrix CD has almost no noise (but still there) when playing and even on the Alien disk, it comes and goes seemingly changing in pitch and loudness with the layer changes.

I'm not picky. I'm not sitting 6 inches from the machine with the volume turned all the way down. At normal listening levels at about 7 feet from the unit this noise is very noticible and majorly annoying. If it were just a spinning fan type noise I could easily ignore it but it actually chirps like some hyperactive cricket.

Without this single annoyance I would give this machine 5 stars for value and overall based on its price/performance ratio. Likewise, if I thought that my machine was unique and had some unusual condition or defect I would simply write it off as such and still give this unit a 5 star rating, but since this is obviously (from reading the reviews here) a fairly common issue with this box I have to assume that many of these units are so afflicted.

Similar Products Used:

none

good value, 96 kHz audio output, component video output

sometimes picky with CD-R, construction isn't extremely solid

Overall, I am pleased with this unit. I run a digital signal out to my MSB Link DAC via a Canare digital cable. I must say the MSB is a huge improvement to the sound, but that's to be expected with a budget DVD player.

Build quality is simply fair. I haven't encountered any problems, but the tray is flimsy and the buttons don't have the positive feel that comes with well-built components. The unit's weight hints at a lightweight power supply.

I have quite a large collection of (legal) CD-Rs, and occasionally the DV-525 needs some coaxing to recognize some TDK discs. Mitsui discs (silver dye) seem to work better.

I would recommend this unit to anyone who seeks a good, basic DVD player. While not perfect, it represents a good value, and its weaknesses are minor.

Similar Products Used:

none

Very reliable player. Good features for the money, especially the ability to play everything except Laser Discs.

Too light. Have to hold it when pushing buttons, remote is hard to read (buttons too small).

I think this is a very good entery level DVD player. Mine does not have the mechanism noise I have read about in so many posts here (I just tried it out before writing this review). It played "The Matrix" without any problems, as well as CDr/rw and VCD. The DVD video and audio is very good; it has all of the connections you could want; and it seems to be very reliable (so far). For the money, it's a bargain. However, I would have to agree that the CD audio is not as good as it should be. My first generation Pioneer PD7010 from 1987 sounds better. Now that's CD audio! Yes, the scanning could be better, but I seldom use it..I just put in the movie and let it go, so it doesn't bother me. I would have no problem recommending this unit to anyone. I have always had good luck with Pioneer products. Note: The new 333 seems to be the direct replacement for the 525.

Similar Products Used:

None

NONE

DROPS AUDIO IN VARIOUS DVDs

BOUGHT PLAYER ON BELIEVING ON THE PIONEER NAME.
WHAT A BIG MISTAKE!
PLAYER DROPS AUDIO IN VARIOUS DVDs, LIKE MATRIX, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, ABYSS etc.
UNIT WAS SERVICED THREE TIMES AT AN AUTHORIZED PIONEER SERVICE CENTER, BUT PROBLEMS WERE NOT FIXED.
PIONEER CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE PITS. THERE IS REALLY NO CUSTOMER SERVICE THERE, ONLY CUSTOMER AGGRAVATION.
WOULD NEVER GO NEAR A PIONEER PRODUCT AGAIN.
ON THE CONTRARY ZENITH CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS THE TOPS IN TAKING BACK A PLAYER THAT HAD FIRMWARE PROBLEMS. THEY EVEN PAID FOR SHIPPING UNIT BACK AND REPLACED IT WITH A BRAND NEW UNIT THAT WAS WORKING FINE.
RAITE'S CUSTOMER SERVICE NOT ONLY DID THEY TAKE A UNIT BACK BUT THEY REPLACED IT WITH A BRAND NEW UPGRADED MODEL WITH NO PROBLEMS.
ONE SHOULD AVOID PIONEER JUST BASED ON THE POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE IT HAS.
THE RATING BELOW SHOULD REALLY BE ZERO (0) STARS.

Similar Products Used:

RAITE 711, RAITE 715, ZENITH DVD2200

*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

Great picture, low $$$, great sound (when it works)

Sound craps out

I purchased this unit from Onecall.com about a week ago. I have only played 2 DVD's (Matrix & A Simple Plan) and the picture was excellent. Good vibrant color and no lip synch pixelation, down conversion or freeze-up problems. However, half-way thru the 2nd DVD the sound totally crapped out. The Dolby Digital light went off and on for a while but no sound came out. I started the chapter again and had no more problems. I have a digital connection to my Sony STR-DB930. Anyone else having this sound problem??? Machine was manufactured in Aug 1999. What good is a picture without reliable sound?

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba sd-3109