Great Things Come in Small Packages
Pros:
Brains and Beauty plus high-tech performance. This one has it all.
Cons:
None
The Bottom Line:
This unit has it all in a very small and beautiful package. There is no downside - it's all high-end top of the line.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I recently replaced my JVC 9000 DVD player with a Sony progressive scan model. I purchased the JVC way back in 1998 when the second generation of DVD players first arrived and had been very happy with it until watching the new Sony. Wow! What a difference a couple of years of technological advances make. I purchased the Sony model DVP-NS700P from Best Buy. It was on sale for $283. I really liked the sleek silver finish and the even smaller footprint (its only 2 inches high). But as we all know, sometimes beauty is only skin deep.
Features:
The Sony NS700P has many advanced features, including progressive scan, component line out, DTS output, 3:2 pulldown, and digital video enhancers to optimize the picture quality. I could not believe the difference in picture quality these features make. I really thought I was getting a great picture through my JVC but it doesnt even compare. In my opinion, the combination of the progressive scan and the component line out make most of this difference. The picture is clearer and crisper than most 70mm prints Ive seen at the movies [I just watched Oceans 11 at the local AMC theater and was thinking how grainy the picture looked weve come a long way baby].
This is the first DVD player Ive heard that features DTS audio. It seems a lot crisper and more dimensional than Dolby Digital. Instead of the sound coming at you from five fixed locations, DTS seems to come from many more distinct points all around the listening area. The first DVD I played was the original Jurassic Park, and the sound was a trip. You are totally engulfed in the movie experience. So, between the picture and sound improvements, this unit takes one from about a 7.5 all the way to a 9.99. I cant imagine either the sound or picture getting any better than this!
Video Theater Experience:
When you purchase this type of high-end equipment, you need a video/sound system to complement and take advantage of the advanced features. If the best you can do is hook it up to your five year old TV, then you are just wasting your money on this unit. Any basic DVD player will do nicely. For my video theater I have a Sony XBR-450 36 HDTV and a Sony STR-1075 6.1 digital tuner (see my separate reviews of these components). My speakers are Polk Audio (front & center) and B&W (rear). The speakers are my weakest link, but size is a definite problem in my theater.
Technical Talk:
I wont get too technical here, but progressive scanning (a.k.a. line doubling) replaces the old interlaced TV/VCR signals with single-pass scanning. This effectively doubles the number of scan lines present at any one time in the picture (whether at the source [DVD] or destination [TV]). Thus 480i (interlaced) becomes 480p (progressive scanning), and that can be doubled to 960p for many signal sources, such as compatible DVDs. Component Out separates the video signal components into red, green, and blue (RGB). This contributes to a cleaner picture, with less noise, color bleed-through and all those other defects weve lived with for all of these years. Professional video equipment has been RGB capable for many years, but its just getting to the home market. As previously indicated, these two advanced technical components working in unison, create a truly astonishing overall video experience.
The Remote:
As Ive stated in previous reviews, I love Sony remotes. This one is no different. The buttons and functions are logically placed, and the remote is actually quite similar to the one with my STR-1075 digital tuner, but a little smaller. The remote features scan/skip forward, reverse (fast and slow), chapter search, pause, subtitle control, angle, and instant replay. There are also shuffle, program, repeat and time/text buttons. I can only guess at their function, and assume they relate to a CD/DVD changer environment. The remote contains a directional button selection wheel that allows you to ease through the DVD menu sequence and quickly select your viewing options. The DVD menu button allows you to return to the menu at any time during the video performance. This unit, unlike some other DVD remotes, contains a separate volume control. This is helpful while adjusting the parameters of the DVD during initial setup, eliminating the need to go back and forth between several different remotes.
A Beautiful Mind:
Did I mention this is a beautiful unit? The sleek silver finish and small footprint contribute to the overall effect. The buttons are perfectly rounded to form distinct oval shapes, which compliment the hi-tech appearance of the player. While the Sony looks sort of out of place with all of my black components, it matches the Sony XBR HDTV perfectly.
In Summary:
This one has it all: looks, performance, and it doesnt cost and arm or a leg. Im impressed with this DVD player, and continue to hold very high regard for Sony products. Could it be any better? Well yes, it could record DVDs instead of just playing them, but alas, Id have to pay a little bit more to get that feature.
So in this instance, beauty is not just skin deep, it is all the way to the bone.
