View Full Version : DVD-A player - other features VS Quality
I'm starting to look at DVD-A players (Panasonic / Toshiba) and came across two Toshiba players at Best Buy Canada. They are the SD3800 and the SD4800.
Normally one would think that the 4800 would be better than the 3800, right? It's more expensive and *should* have better playback.
But the 4800 has extra features such as a Digital Photo Viewer. I really want a DVD-A player and really don't care about the DPV and other such features.
And the 3800 has gold connectors while the 4800 does not. Of course I don't have gold connectors (RCA plugs) on my stereo... :rolleyes:
Anyway would these extra features in the 4800 mean more electronics in the machine which would mean *poorer* DVD-A performance? Or does it really matter at this price point.
For those interested:
http://www.bestbuy.com/search/sr02.asp?m=1&SC=1&SV=toshiba+dvd
Todd Fredericks
11-18-2002, 09:54 AM
Gary, I looked at the 3800 and I don't think it's a DVD-Audio player. The 4800 is. I know the Toshiba 9200 is supposed to be a good player but I believe that's been discontinued and is difficult to track down (prices US $500-800). I'd be interested in what others have to say...
Todd
Looks like you are right about the 3800, Todd.
But still - there was another player there, below the 4800 model with the gold RCA plugs as I described. Looks like I did not get the model number correct.
Oh well ...
wynnwikman
11-18-2002, 10:33 AM
Something else to think about if you can get an order from J&R to Canada without too much hassle... On their new catalog cover they are promoting the JVC XV-SA75GD DVD-A player for $129.99 (less than half of original price). I assume it is on their website too. I have one, and am real happy with it. (got a demo model for a little less)
Wynn
Todd Fredericks
11-19-2002, 05:42 AM
Gary, I did some research last night and it seems like the two favorite DVD players (w/DVD-A & progressive scan) at the $200 level are the Toshiba 4800 and the Panasonic RP-82. Both are supposed to be very good machines with a few different strengths & weaknesses. I'll bet if you wait a few weeks there will be some kileer deals for the holidays...
Todd
Ed Bishop
11-19-2002, 05:50 AM
Originally posted by wynnwikman
Something else to think about if you can get an order from J&R to Canada without too much hassle... On their new catalog cover they are promoting the JVC XV-SA75GD DVD-A player for $129.99 (less than half of original price). I assume it is on their website too. I have one, and am real happy with it. (got a demo model for a little less)
Wynn
Wynn, since the player also plays DVDs, does it have a zoom feature? For viewing video, I've found this to be a delight: if you want to blow up an image, you can, but even better, you can reduce an image and get the true 'full frame.' I use this for full frame and letterboxed sources, and you get some extra picture info that's lost in the 'safe area' that is factored in to most video remasterings. I didn't by my JVC DVD-A player for that reason; it turned out to be an unexpected bonus I use time and again to get all the image that's on the digital video master. I know this has nothing at all to do with what Gary needs(sorry, Gary)but was curious if the lower-priced players also have this feature.
ED:cool:
Todd Fredericks
11-19-2002, 06:02 AM
From my late night reading last night, I believe the Toshiba 4800 has a similair zoom feature. I spent a few hours doing some searches on the Home theatre Forum. Both are supposed to be very good machines. ED, how do you rate the JVC? As you can tell I'm heading towards getting a new DVD player soon. My 4 year old Proscan is dying...
Todd
Richard Feirstein
11-19-2002, 06:50 AM
Gary, you really want a DVD-A player with full bass management and channel timing alignment adjustments. These are currently few and far between. (Unless you use 5 identical full range speakers and a sub, all placed at an equal distance from your listening spot).
Ed Bishop
11-19-2002, 07:29 AM
Originally posted by Todd Fredericks
From my late night reading last night, I believe the Toshiba 4800 has a similair zoom feature. I spent a few hours doing some searches on the Home theatre Forum. Both are supposed to be very good machines. ED, how do you rate the JVC? As you can tell I'm heading towards getting a new DVD player soon. My 4 year old Proscan is dying...
Todd
I like my model just fine[JVC XV-D723]. I bought it on Ken Pohlmann's recommendation in Sound & Vision[April 2001 issue]. He noted the incomplete bass management, but since there is SOME, that hasn't been a real problem(and a good woofer will cover the other speakers, anyway, as long as you're getting decent bass response from them). This JVC also has the channel timing and db level adjustments, no small thing sometimes. Of course, some receivers and amps have these features, too, so you're covered either way. As noted, this also has the visual zoom that I like using so much. The only drawback--didn't matter at the time, as I had yet to get a PC--was that it won't play CDR's(luckily I have a few players that do and just kept one in the system for just that purpose). Although the JVC being discussed here is a less expensive model, it should have some of my deck's features, and by now they've certainly added CDR capability.
By now they may have also added full bass management. Unfortunately, a lot of players out there still don't have any management functions at all, which is stupid, since you don't want ALL your bass to have to come from the woofer. I'd check the specs on the JVC Wynn posted before buying one. At that price I'm not sure it would have everything you need. Then again, maybe it does.
ED:cool:
Todd Fredericks
11-19-2002, 08:46 PM
Gary, I saw a Toshiba 4800 at Best Buy tonight. It wasn't hooked up so I couldn't give it a spin. It seems like a nice budget DVD player. It's not a Sony 777ES in build quality but I'm sure it's good for the money. They have it on sale for US$188.99.
Todd
Good price, Todd! Up here they are $399.00 reduced to $349.00 this week. Your price works out to be $302.38 Canadian (assuming a $60% exchange rate) so I'm "out" by only $50.00.
Good point, Richard. But for now, I'm just "itching" to hear some DVD-A titles. So a budget player is "good enough" for now! And I can throw it into the house system (with TV) at a later date.
But do I really need bass management with "full range" speakers? Timing adjustments - definitely!
Beagle
11-20-2002, 06:39 AM
Originally posted by Gary
Good price, Todd! Up here they are $399.00 reduced to $349.00 this week
Future Shop had the 4800 at $349.00 in a flyer last week. I went in on Saturday to check it out and they told me that model hasn't come in yet. So I applied for a FS credit card instead!
Richard Feirstein
11-20-2002, 08:20 AM
If all 5 of your speakers can reach down to 50 Hz or below you don't need bass management; so long as you also have a sub in the system for the .1 channel. Few systems meet this requirement. Also; just because a receiver or DVD-A player has timing and bass management features that usually does not apply to the DVD-A output which is analog.
Richard.
krabapple
11-20-2002, 08:22 AM
Originally posted by Todd Fredericks
Gary, I did some research last night and it seems like the two favorite DVD players (w/DVD-A & progressive scan) at the $200 level are the Toshiba 4800 and the Panasonic RP-82. Both are supposed to be very good machines with a few different strengths & weaknesses. I'll bet if you wait a few weeks there will be some kileer deals for the holidays...
Todd
Or, spring for the new cheap Panasonic model that does DVD-A *and* SACD, and, if I read correctly, also does bass management of DVD-A and SACD sources.
krabapple
11-20-2002, 08:29 AM
Originally posted by Ed Bishop
[B]
I like my model just fine[JVC XV-D723]. I bought it on Ken Pohlmann's recommendation in Sound & Vision[April 2001 issue]. He noted the incomplete bass management, but since there is SOME, that hasn't been a real problem(and a good woofer will cover the other speakers, anyway, as long as you're getting decent bass response from them). This JVC also has the channel timing and db level adjustments, no small thing sometimes. Of course, some receivers and amps have these features, too, so you're covered either way.
No, you're not, for DVD-A sources, unless your receiver does delay adjustment and bass managment in the *analog* domain, which most don't. This means that to use these funcitns , you'd have to let the receiver convert the signal back to digital first, then back to analog after processing, quite likely losing the 'high resolution.
Most DVD-a And SACD players up until very recently only do full bass management and time management on Dolby Digital /DTS sources. Most HT receivers only do it in the digital domain, meaning there's an extra ADC -DAC step for analog sources.
Looks like the new models are finally addressing this.
wynnwikman
11-20-2002, 11:04 AM
Hi, yes the JVC on sale at J&R has the zoom feature (the player is on closeout, it was a much higher list price)
I bought a laserdisc player way back when to address the sound/video quality issues inherent in VHS. DVD does some great things, and at a much better price point than laserdiscs ever were (players and media) I am glad DVD has gotten such a strong reception.
Wynn
Originally posted by krabapple
Or, spring for the new cheap Panasonic model that does DVD-A *and* SACD, and, if I read correctly, also does bass management of DVD-A and SACD sources.
What was that model number again?
Is this the one that also does upsampling?
krabapple
11-20-2002, 01:42 PM
Originally posted by Gary
What was that model number again?
Pioneer DV-45A
Is this the one that also does upsampling?
I don't know. Upsampling is pointless audiophile wankery anyway. IMHO.
To make things more "fun" I took a close look at DVD-V players. Guess what? Both DVD-A and DVD-V are both 192 Khz / 24 bit.
Don't know what a DVD-V player would sound like playing a DVD-A. It's the same resolution but...??? Who knows? I'll stick to DVD-A.
So I guess no one knows the answer to my original question? Would the extra features in a machine such as a Digital Photo Viewer reduce the sound quality of DVD-A?
And what about Rotel? No one has mentioned this audio company.
The Panasonic DVDRP825 is on "sale" for $359.00.
There is a new JVC 7 disc player JVC XV-FA 925L for $399.00. But the CD exchange system looks "wonky" to me.
Todd Fredericks
11-20-2002, 08:12 PM
I'm kind of torn between the Toshiba SD4800 ($188.99 + tax) and the Panny RP82 ($206 + shipping). I've been doing a lot of reading since this thread started and it seems like the Panny is considered a bit better. I'm wondering should I wait a few weeks for the price to possibly come down or get it this week. My DVD player is really on it's last leg and sinking quick (chokes up half way through a disc now). Gary, which one are you closer to getting??
Todd
krabapple
11-20-2002, 11:42 PM
Originally posted by Gary
To make things more "fun" I took a close look at DVD-V players. Guess what? Both DVD-A and DVD-V are both 192 Khz / 24 bit.
Don't know what a DVD-V player would sound like playing a DVD-A. It's the same resolution but...??? Who knows? I'll stick to DVD-A.
er..it won't sound like anything if you play the DVD-A tracks, unless it also is a DVD-A player.
All DVD-A players are DVD-V players too, but not vice-versa....though all DVD-V players nowadays should be able to play the *Dolby Digital* and DTS tracks on a DVD-A.
So I guess no one knows the answer to my original question? Would the extra features in a machine such as a Digital Photo Viewer reduce the sound quality of DVD-A?
There's no universally correct answer. It depends on the way the thing is built. Some players have a 'video bypass' mode that avoids off the video circuitry, to address this (perhaps inaudible) issue.
And what about Rotel? No one has mentioned this audio company.
The Panasonic DVDRP825 is on "sale" for $359.00.
There is a new JVC 7 disc player JVC XV-FA 925L for $399.00. But the CD exchange system looks "wonky" to me.
Are these DVD-V players or DVD-A players?
All three are DVD-A players.
The video bypass feature sounds very interesting!
Todd Fredericks
11-21-2002, 05:33 AM
I think the Toshiba and Panasonic have video bypass features.
Todd
Originally posted by Todd Fredericks
I think the Toshiba and Panasonic have video bypass features.
Todd
:D
I think I'm getting closer in my decision. Both have zoom, too!
Think I'll be springing for a new TV, too, so I'll make sure the brands match! It may boil down to the price - or looks! Toshiba is black and the Panasonic is silver. Yes, this means that I can't figure out how to integrate DVD-A into the "big stereo" without installing a controlling television set and it'll have to reside in my TV room. :(
Todd Fredericks
11-22-2002, 05:35 AM
Okay, I did it. No no that but I ordered a new DVD player. I decided to go with the Panasonic RP82. Onecall has it for $206 (including shipping). Right now is not the best time for me financially but with the holidays coming up I'll be damned if I can't cheer myself up with a movie or 200. I hopefully will get this by Tuesday or Wednesday. My old DVD player is on it's death-bed. It can't read several discs and the ones it can, skips/freezes a lot half way through a film. The other advantage of this new player is that it has DVD-A. So, at least I can get some future hi-rez titles if they're not available on SACD. Another good thing with this being a progressive player is that one day if I ever get an HD TV then It'll shine. I might do this if things are better on the money front when I get my tax refund next year. Hopefully prices will come down a bit more...
Todd
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