Pioneer DV525 DVD Player
Pioneer...THE NAME SAYS IT ALL!
After having owned this DVD player for about a now for 3 1/2 years ...I feel that I made a great choice. (Replaced by the 333 and then improved again with the 434 Progressive Scan model in 2002.)  I had been thinking about getting the Pioneer DVL-888. THE reason...Well it was not only a DVD player, but it plays Laser Discs, (Pioneer WAS the Major Player in developing this format!), CD-Video's, and KAROKE DISCS! They are really only the ones to get this type from! (It has a competition mode in it for Karoke: total up the scores of players, and a lot of other neat stuff, like mic imputs and on-screen scoring, etc.) Well, the old cash on hand was practically bare'n, so I said let's go for it and get the 525! I bought it and got \\"PATTON\\", Windham Hill: \\"WINTER SOLTICE ON ICE\\" (GREAT MULTI-VIEW DVD)and \\"Mannheim Steamroller LIVE CHRISTMAS CONCERT\\" (has discription of the songs and the players as an optional feature). Since then \\"WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (Excellent 3 HOURS with an added 29 minutes of how-did-they-do-it scenes you can option to play at the same time as the whole program! NEAT!) This player comes with S-Video and component RCA outputs, as well as component video outputs. (NO RF or Cable outs, why would you? YUCK!) Component video is something you usually see on expensive players. This player also has two ways to hookup for the audio DIGITAL SIGNAL: 1 each of optical and coaxal (RCA JACK). YES, you should get a DOLBY DIGITAL RECEIVER not just a 'READY' one or a SURROUND SOUND ONLY. It is the only player to have a 15 memory position in it to remember how you like your DVD to play everytime! Can't get that on your bargin basement players or even some of the so called great players! Hookup was easy. With my multi-control link to my Pioneer receiver I have TWO controls to operate my DVD. I didn't have any problems accept staying awake to play with the \\"New Toy\\" I had a few problems understanding the directions and finding things like the digital rate info., BUT WOW what a picture on my 14 year old 25\\" SONY XBR and my Sheffield CD's NEVER SOUNDED SO GOOD. (Direct to vinyl record Co. and for-runner of the BEST recording techniques in the business, does DOUG SAX ring a bell?) ALL my CD's sound much better than my 10 year old cd changer with then the latest 1 bit chip. I'm hooked up to Pioneer VSX-D606S Receiver, THE FIRST DIGITAL RECEIVER ON THE MARKET!, and a complement of JBL SPEAKERS, the mains are RS-52 2 way's 6 1/2\\" that will take all 105 RMS WATTS PER CHANNEL (4x125 Music Pwr=500 Watts) that the receiver puts out in Dolby DIGITAL SURROUND! The Sub-Woofer is Line Powered. Remember, the sound you get is only as good as the system you've put together! If you've got crappy speakers you'll get crappy sound! I'M GLAD, I'VE GOT A REAL GOOD PLAYER FOR THE MONEY. I've heard nothing but bad reviews for the Toshiba's and \\"too expensive\\" for the Sony's, even tho the Sony's are good players. GET one, you'll enjoy it better than buying a \\"bargin one\\" at TARGET or K-mart. I'm an ex-stereo salesman and it took me a LONG time to decided. Once I saw the new 525 in action, it didn't take any longer, just the amount of time to get out my credit card! Check out the NEW COMBINATION UNITS> DVD's with Speakers and Amplifiers included!  Good values now starting at $[...], what used to be the SALE PRICE THIS DVD 525, I still OWN!  See the PIONEER's, THE SONY's, THE PANASONICS', and the more expensive, KENWOOD'S, ONKYO'S, and DENON's for more combos! <BR>(Updated Aug. 11, 2003)