Pioneer DV-393-S Progressive Scan DVD Player with Div-X by Pioneer
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Digital camera reviews of Pioneer DV-393-S Progressive Scan DVD Player with Div-X
Digital camera Review: Great DVD Player!
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this player. I've only had it a couple of months, so I can't speak to its longevity and reliability, but for a pretty low price you're getting a lot of capabilities. First of all, it plays Video CDs better than any player I've ever had. I've had a lot of problems with skipping and stopping - not on this player. Also, I put my first British DVD in it yesterday and it played perfectly with no setting adjustments - couldn't even tell there was any special multi-regional functionality involved. It remembers the last several DVDs or VCD you've played, so that if you eject it (accidentally or on purpose), it'll pick right back up where you stopped. It seems to be a great player, and I'm very pleased with it.Digital camera Review: Setup a Breeze, Works Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
Very happy with this DVD player. Sets up in a snap, and played my PAL DVD's without a hitch. Just remember to set it to NTSC for your American TV, and you shouldn't have a problem.Digital camera Review: Specifications of the Pioneer DV-383S Multi Region Code Free Zone Free DVD Player PAL/NTSC on ANY TV
Summary: 5 Stars
Very reliable, great reputation for endurance, versatile, and easy to operate.
There is another model, very similar to this one, called the Pioneer DV-373S, which has the exact same specs as those for the DV-383S. The DV-383S (the model I am writing about here) is newer, of course, and the front of the unit is different. For example, the older 373S has the drawer in the front center of the unit, while the DV-383S has it on the front right.
Other than where on the face of the unit the drawer is situated, I noted no other perceptible differences in the units, except the newer unit is $20 more. Updated circuitry and newer firmware (to make it even more compatible with various media) may be what sets it apart from its predecessor.
About firmware: Not too many DVD player owners trouble themselves to (or even know that they can) go to the manufacturer's website to see if new firmware is available to download so they can upgrade the unit in order to make it more compatible and less glitchy about accepting different media--i.e., different manufacturers' CD-RWs or DVD-RWs.
Many DVD player manufacturers have firmware available on their sites so that consumers can "flash" (electronically upgrade the circuitry of) their players. The instructions are usually posted with the downloadable file, but the process is easy enough:
1. Download the firmware file into any folder on your computer (creating an empty one is the best idea)
2. Click on the file to get it to open or to extract its contents (it may extract into the same folder or it may create another new one)
3. Highlight the extracted file(s) and right-click your mouse button (a sub menu opens)
4. From the options in the sub menu, select "Burn onto CD"
5. Put a blank CD in your CD or DVD burner and allow the files to burn on the CD
(The instructions for highlighting all the files, right-clicking, and selecting "Burn onto CD" are Windows XP specific. If you are not able to follow that procedure, burn the file(s) onto a CD the way you normally do).
Then you just put the newly created CD in your DVD player and follow the instructions (if you are required to do anything at all). While the CD is playing in the DVD player, it will "flash" itself.
A cautionary note: Unless you are confident that you can follow the above procedure for flashing your DVD player, don't do it. The same caution applies here as applies when you attempt to "flash" your computer's BIOS: If you do something wrong, you could render the unit inoperable. Generally, this happens two ways: The flash process is interrupted somehow (like, the power goes out) or you've burned the wrong firmware and you're trying to flash the unit with incorrect instructions.
But it all boils down to this: The Pioneer DV-383S is simply a newer version of the DV-373S--meaning the DV-383S's circuitry already has the firmware updates that the DV-373S lacked.
Since the description on Amazon.com is not as complete as that found on the manufacturer's site, I have copied them here. (I compared the specs for the DV-373S and the DV-383S and they are identical).
PIONEER DV383S Multi-Region DVD Player
GUARANTEED TO PLAY ALL REGION DVDS ON YOUR TV
NTSC and PAL compatible
Introduction:
Pioneer's DV383-S DVD/CD player with PureCinema Progressive Scan looks great, plays just about anything and delivers exceptional video and audio performance.
PLAYBACK VERSATILITY
With its Twin Laser Pickup, the DV373 plays DVD Video, Divx, DVD-R/-RW, CD/CD-R/-RW, WMA & MP3 audio files and JPEG picture files.
DISC NAVIGATOR
This new and highly user-friendly interface makes it easier to browse and view JPEG picture files.
ADVANCED 54MHZ/12-BIT DIGITAL TO ANALOGUE VIDEO CONVERTER
Reproduces smooth high-resolution video imagery in combination with Pioneer's PureCinema 2:3 Progressive Scan system.
PAL/NTSC PROGRESSIVE SCAN
Progressive Scan, both on PAL and NTSC signals, adds additional frames which results in smooth, natural cinema-like images, free of disturbing artifacts around the edges of moving objects.
GREAT AUDIO OUTPUT
The DV373 offers digital outputs for Dolby Digital and DTS surround, plus a high-end 192kHz/24-bit digital to analogue audio converter for high-fidelity musical performance.
Key Features
Plays DVD Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW (Video Format), CD, CD-R/RW, VCD, SVCD, WMA, MP3 and JPEG formats
Plays All-Region DVDs: Region 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 0
Plays PAL and NTSC Region DVDs on all TVs.
DVD-R/DVD-RW compatible
WMA/MP3/Jpeg playback
Advanced Disc Navigator
Specifications:
Advanced GUI
Virtual surround
Twin laser pick-up
Dual progressive scan: PAL/NTSC
Advanced disc navigator
Animated thumbnails
Zoom function
Cursor key on front panel
Set up navigator
Low power consumption standby: 0.12W
Jpeg photo viewer
WMA
MP3
54Mhz/12-bit Video DAC
192kHz/24-bit Audio DAC
PAL/NTSC video converter
Dolby digital decoder
DTS decoder
Component out
S-Video out
Video out
Audio out
Coaxial out
Remote control
Height:55mm
Supplied Accessories:
Remote Control
Batteries
Instruction Manual
Stereo AV Cables - RCA Type (Red, Yellow, White)
Power Cord
Digital camera Review: Works like the manual states, but with a little patience
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this machine mainly to play PAL VCD's I bought in China. I've had to rely on a computer to play these disks, but I'd much rather use my TV.
Initially, after following the instructions in the manual for switching to NTSC mode (from Auto), the player behaved like my old DVD player; scrolling the picture because the output was still PAL.
It turns out the Standby/OnOff button is a bit slow; if you hit it too quickly to change modes, the button press isn't detected.
Allowing for a bit more time, instead of a quick click, and the mode switch to NTSC works. I watched several of my Chinese PAL disks, as well as a Chinese Region 3 "House of Flying Daggers" DVD.
One function I wish it had; I'd like to be able to burn several AVIs onto a DVD-R (as opposed to several CD-ROM's). The manual states specifically that the machine will read AVI videos on CD-ROM. I burned a DVD-R disk just to experiment: The machine detects the disk as a DVD, and the disk navigation function is disabled. Shucks.
I still rate it 5 stars because it works as advertised, and it's the machine I've needed for a long time.
Digital camera Review: excellent product
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this region free DVD player a few weeks ago. It works very well. It was easy to install and I was able to watch movies in the European format in a few minutes.