Sony DVP NC655P/B DVD changer
Packed with features
This is my third Sony DVD player (all three are still in use): I got the first as a replacement CD player before DVDs really caught on. Then I wanted a changer once I got into DVDs and got a predecessor to the 655, the 600. I must say the 655 more than exceeded my expectation. This newer model clearly shows how Sony has built on their experiences with past models.<br />For example, a great feature any family with more than one viewer will love is the memory resume function, which is automatic but it can be disabled. For 50 discs (DVDs, CDs, VCD, etc.) the player will remember where you stopped and resume there the next time you play the disc, even if you have removed and then reinserted the disc in the meantime! You can start a movie, listen to a CD a day later, watch three other movies, and then come back and finish the first one exactly where you left off weeks later! This is a great feature.<br />Picture quality is outstanding, and there are convenient picture modes, including a user programmable one, to adjust the color, contrast, etc. to suit your viewing material and environment. Optional block noise reduction is also included. The video output easily surpasses that of my other two DVD players.<br />A final great addition is the navigation feature. One can view thumbnails on the screen of the chapters or titles on a DVD. (It can also be used for slow motion strobe playback.) I think this will be of benefit to those of us who like to find Easter eggs on DVDs, and I have found several on discs many people have! Also, for those who can burn DVDs, navigation will allow you to search the contents of your disc easily, even if you didn't make a chapter menu when you authored the DVD.<br />One drawback is the remote: it is not as intuitively laid out as the previous ones I have seen from Sony. Why do they keep moving buttons? Who knows, but once I learned where they were on my other remotes I find I need to relearn them for this remote. Also, this remote has a beveledback, which means if it is lying on the table and you go to push a button towards the edge, the remote will probably flip over before you can exert enough force to activate the button. Too bad Sony didn't notice this when they made this design change. I wish they would just ask people who actually use the things, because I knew this would be a problem as soon as I saw the remote!<br />In case anyone wonders, my player is hooked up to a Sony ES receiver and JBL surround speakers. The sound is awesome, whether playing classical CDs or the latest DTS DVDs, a shade better than many players I have heard. All in all a great unit and a good value!