Panasonic DVD-CV51 5-Disc DVD Player
Not perfect, but quite adequate machine
I've generally been quite satisfied with the CV51 I purchased in 2001, though it occasionally fails to read a given disc, as others have noted here. When this happens, turning the player off and then on again clears up the problem, at least in my experience.<br />My needs in a DVD player are partially defined by the fact that I don't really have a home theater set-up. With a Panasonic 20-inch TV with no component video input, and two JBL speakers hooked up to an inexpensive Denon DRA-275R receiver, I'm not in a position to have the absolute best that any DVD player can offer. All I really want right now is a machine that can reliably play my DVDs and CDs, and that's what I have in the CV51.<br />I use the player for CDs as often as I do for DVDs (which is the main reason I wanted a multi-disc changer), and they sound just fine. I rarely play CD-Rs, but I've had no problems with the few I have. The CV51 lets you program 32 CD tracks, with an interface that is very easy to use.<br />There are times when I find the machine to be a bit too noisy, but not often enough to strike me as major issue. <br />DVDs played on the CV51 look great on my aforementioned 20-inch TV, but without a video component input, I'm not asking for very much from a player.<br />While I'm satisfied enough with this machine to overlook what I consider to be its minor annoyances, I'm sure there are better purchases, at least at the $150 price point, than the Panasonic CV51 DVD Player. If you can get one used for $75 or so, and you're looking for a second DVD player for the bedroom or someplace else, I'd recommend it. <br />In fact, I'm pretty sure that both my TV and the CV51 will eventually be relegated to my bedroom, once I get a 36' or larger TV for the living room.