Great picture, dual optical pick-ups, Component Video out

Freezes sometimes between tracks, reverse is a pain

This DVD player is my first. The difference in video quality over S-VHS has been incredible. Having been my first unit I can not say how it compares to others, but I've certainly been happy with the video and audio quality. I certainly can compare the audio quality with a standard CD player; it performs very well.

The one problem I have had is that certain disks momentarily freeze between tracks. It has always been a curiosity more than a nuisance, particularly since it's only momentary. However, I just bought Metallica's Cunning Stunts--I had to be careful typing that--DVD. The player hangs up completely between track 12 and track 13. I have to hit the play button. That's a nuisance!

I have to believe I have a unit that has the tracking gain or some other adjustment incorrectly set. I have seen no other reviewers that have experienced this problem. Oh well...

Since I have only experienced this DVD player and I have had this problem I can only give the unit three to three-and-a-half stars. Since the latter rating is not an option...

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N/A

Good Picture, Dual Pickup, Smooth Search

No DTS

Set it up with Onkyo TX-DS575 reciever,Infinity CC-3,RS-3. Play the "Eagles" in DTS it was sooo sweet!! Watching movies with burning fire and sea storm makes the sound come to life. Such much detail sound you don't want to leave the living room. If the player doesn't have a DTS built in than pick up a reciever with DTS decoder...prices are dropping after this 99 year.

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Onkyo TX-SV727
Sony HI-Fi VCR

I bought this 2weeks ago and am in love with this player. I bought the Panasonic A310 returned it, then the Pioneer 606D and returned it and just when I was about return this one, "Peter an Audiophile" answered my heart break.."Will it pass DTS audio to my reciever (Yamaha A1)". I'm still not sure why Sony doesn't atleast say that will "pass" the audio but the 96khz and the 24 bit reads just like every other DVD player, that will pass the DTS audio, that displays the "DTS" logo. I look forward to my first DTS DVD to arrive soon.Thanks!!

Bought & hooked up the S500D over the weekend. After reading all of the comments below about whether or not the unit will pass through DTS I took the logical step of calling Sony to ask them. The young lady first said that the 7700, due out soon, will be the first to be able to handle DTS. But she clearly was reading from a database, so I asked her to check further. She was very pleasant and when she came back on the line she acknowledged her mistake and said that the S500D WILL pass DTS signals through, it simply won't decode them. Since the player was one of three items I upgraded this weekend, and since one of the others was my receiver from a Pioneer DSP-1 to a Yamaha 995 (which does have on board DTS decoding), I feel much better. BTW, great DVD Player! (I paid $419 at a local WIZ after a bit of haggling).

Plays everything. Great sound

single play.

Was very happy with my 3000 until I got a new Wega. Looked for a DVD with component video and 5.1 sound. Got a good deal on ebay. First, there is a difference between svideo and component video. Second, the decoder plays great through my 5.1 sound system. Will keep my s3000 on the spare TV in the play room. My work horse will be the 500d.

Great machine. Would purchase again.

Blue light shines bright.

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Sony dvp-s3000

The shuttle jog remote; the aesthetic quality; SONY namebrand; component video out; built-in Dolby Digital

no DTS (or maybe this is a strength).

I have had this DVD Player for over 3 years now and do not have any complaints. It has functioned above and beyond the call of duty. The on screen menus are easy to navigate and leave nothing to be desired.

The remote is simply incredible. This is the best DVD remote available on the market today. Sturdy and intuitive.

There is no DTS trademark printed on the front of the player, which is a strength in my opinion. DTS claims to have a superior sound format simply because they "use less compression". In truth, the Dolby Digital format and the DTS format are practically identical exept for the volume dynamics. From my own experiences, DTS seems to be less suitable for the home theater experience. The sound tracks seem to be incredibly loud in some areas and whisper quiet in others. DTS often results in a constant fumble with the volume control.

So is it a detriment that the DVP-S500D does not have DTS output? Not really. DTS seems to be a fading novelty that is taking the path of DIVX and BETA. Now that DTS has been analyzed completely, we have discovered an ineffective compression technology that crowds the DVD disc and threatens to hog so much room that the video quality suffers. The superior compression algorithms of Dolby Digital have been applauded by practically everyone, and the DVP-S500D delivers in spades.

The flag of Dolby Digital rips proudly in the strong winds above the warship of the home theater industry while the starving DTS enthusiasts are hungerly waiting at the shore, squinting into the sun, waiting for their ship to arrive.

It looks like some of the studios have experimented with DTS recently, however. They have ripped out all DVD extras and attempted to cram the resource hogging DTS format onto the disc. Most DTS supporters appear as sad little children on Christmas Day, however, frowning at the lone pile of sticks and coal under a limp dried out evergreen. DTS boasted. DTS promised. DTS hyped. But DTS did not deliver.

So if you can get your hands on one of these SONY DVP-S500D, do it! It is probably the best DVD player that SONY has yet to manufacture. It focuses on pure, sharp visual clarity and audio excellence instead of substituting novelties such as DTS or 5 disc carousels. This is a DVD Player for those that can recognize and appreciate perfection without getting distracted by industry hype and sales pitches.

Jamison

The shuttle jog remote; the aesthetic quality; SONY namebrand; component video out; built-in Dolby Digital

no DTS (or maybe this is a strength).

I have had this DVD Player for over 3 years now and do not have any complaints. It has functioned above and beyond the call of duty. The on screen menus are easy to navigate and leave nothing to be desired.

The remote is simply incredible. This is the best DVD remote available on the market today. Sturdy and intuitive.

There is no DTS trademark printed on the front of the player, which is a strength in my opinion. DTS claims to have a superior sound format simply because they "use less compression". In truth, the Dolby Digital format and the DTS format are practically identical exept for the volume dynamics. From my own experiences, DTS seems to be less suitable for the home theater experience. The sound tracks seem to be incredibly loud in some areas and whisper quiet in others. DTS often results in a constant fumble with the volume control.

So is it a detriment that the DVP-S500D does not have DTS output? Not really. DTS seems to be a fading novelty that is taking the path of DIVX and BETA. Now that DTS has been analyzed completely, we have discovered an ineffective compression technology that crowds the DVD disc and threatens to hog so much room that the video quality suffers. The superior compression algorithms of Dolby Digital have been applauded by practically everyone, and the DVP-S500D delivers in spades.

The flag of Dolby Digital rips proudly in the strong winds above the warship of the home theater industry while the starving DTS enthusiasts are hungerly waiting at the shore, squinting into the sun, waiting for their ship to arrive.

It looks like some of the studios have experimented with DTS recently, however. They have ripped out all DVD extras and attempted to cram the resource hogging DTS format onto the disc. Most DTS supporters appear as sad little children on Christmas Day, however, frowning at the lone pile of sticks and coal under a limp dried out evergreen. DTS boasted. DTS promised. DTS hyped. But DTS did not deliver.

So if you can get your hands on one of these SONY DVP-S500D, do it! It is probably the best DVD player that SONY has yet to manufacture. It focuses on pure, sharp visual clarity and audio excellence instead of substituting novelties such as DTS or 5 disc carousels. This is a DVD Player for those that can recognize and appreciate perfection without getting distracted by industry hype and sales pitches.

Jamison

Great picture and sound. All the sound setup options let you get the most out of your home theater.

The forward and reverse toggle is a little difficult. I always seem to pass by the point I was looking for.

I did extensive research before making a decision. I talked to different salesmen at high end audio/video stores (they know a hell of a lot more about the products than the kids at BestBuy or CercuitCity do). I read a lot of reveiws on the web and in magazines, and I talked to a couple of folks who already owned DVD players. I extremely pleased with this unit.
I have to admit when the DVD format first came out I was a bit sceptical. I had a Pioneer LD/5 CD player and loved that. In fact I still have that unit hooked up because I still own a ton of LD's. I thought how much better could the DVD be than the LD. I was wrong. It's like comparing the LD to a VCR. This unit is a vast improvement to the LD.
I have no regrets. If I had to make the choice again I would not hesitate to buy this model again.
I am going to purchase the Sony STR-DE945 reciever soon to get even more out of my 550D. I can't wait.

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This is my first DVD player.

I have owned this player for 7 months and have nothing but good things to say about it. The picture put out is exceptional as is the sound(2 S-video outputs, Component output, Coaxial and Optical outputs, and 5.1 channel outputs). My only concern was that after I bought it, DTS started becoming more prominent in the world of DVD and CD's. I did not know whether it could pass the DTS sound from DVD's to my reciever(any CD, DVD player etc. can pass a normal audio DTS signal from a normal CD to a reciever as long as the player has a digital out and you have a decoder). But I am happy to report that having just picked up the Yamaha RX-V2095 reciever which has a DTS decoder, and putting in the DTS demo disc with Titanic trailers and more into the DVP-S500D, the sound went through in all its 5.1 glory. So if your worried about buying this player and that it might not pass through the DTS signal, worry no more because it does!!

This thing sounds surprisingly good for a DVD transport. The onboard D/A is actually excellent, and Coax and Optical digital out are provided if you have a better DAC.
A great value!! If you don't need component video out or DD decoding though, look at the S-300 instead...