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Sony's 5-Disc DVD Changer...Never judge a player by its cover
Date of Review: May 5, 2006
The Bottom Line: Sony "Quality" may not be in the packaging, but the ultimate results speak volumes.
After nearly 5 years of what seemed like constant use, my JVC DVD player decided to call it quits. Who can blame it after countless hours of playing Pixar movies, Care Bear episodes, Baby Einstein offerings as well as a smattering of Rush concerts...but I digress as I often do when writing Epinions.
So I began my search for a replacement DVD player, hoping to take advantage of the latest technological leaps made since I purchased my original player. Considering myself a "JVC" man, I quickly review their latest offerings - many of which seemed fairly impressive. Locating and buying a new JVD DVD player is another matter entirely.
Suffice to say that after several days of online searching, I decided to give up on my quest for another JVC player and focus my attention on Sony.
Fortunately at that time, Sony had just released their DVP-NC85H/S 5-disc carousel player, a follow-up to their very successful DVP-NC80 line. Since the model was new, there was little solid information out on it, aside from the usual "expect it to be good, since it's a Sony".
I also had to wonder if I needed the "convenience" of a 5-disc carousel. Already have a 5-disc CD carousel negated the advantages of repeating that flexibility with a DVD player. I mean, after all, who watches hours of interrupted movies at any given time?
Ok - strike that. I have 3 kids. I know not what I was talking about just then.
I made the online purchase, picked up the player at my local Best Buy and proceeded to bring it home where the big 'set up' would begin.
What struck me immediately after taking the player out of the very sturdy exterior box was just how fragile the actual player appeared. It weighed next to nothing, have a very flimsy metal 'feel' to it and the remote control almost felt like a toy. "This is Sony quality?" I thought to myself. "It better play better than it feels" I uttered to no one in particular.
Physical set up was a breeze as it offered a number of input options. From Coax Audio, RCA, S-Video, Composite, Component and Optical Audio connections options, there's something for everyone. So whether you're hooking it up directly to an amp or right to your TV, you'll have plenty of options to choose from.
The on-screen set up was fairly straight forward and easy to follow, though it was somewhat perplexing when selecting the 'type' of TV set this player was going to be hooked up into. Essentially, there's wasn't an option for a standard 4:3 TV. Odd, huh?
In any case, once the set up procedure was complete, I went on to the main test - the viewing and audio test. I selected several Digital-Video and DTS-Audio movies from my library to check the clarity of the player. Frankly, I was amazed. Now, granted, my JVC DVD player was 5 years old, but the difference in video quality and audio separation on this Sony was amazing.
There was a tangible increase in resolution and color saturation, and the audio separation in DTS and 5.1 modes was clear. Finally, I was realizing the full potential of my Yamaha received and NHT speakers.
Sony claims the following, which seems to support my exceptional viewing experience.
The DVP-NC85H five-disc DVD player offers 720p/1080i upscaling through an HDMI connection (High Definition Multi Media Interface). HDMI allows the transfer of uncompressed digital audio and video signals to other HDMI equipped components, providing an uncompromised picture. It also features Precision Cinema Progressive technology, which delivers accurate and vivid images to the television. Unlike other DVD players that detect image changes at the Scan line level-Sony's Precision Cinema Progressive (PCP) system detects them at the Pixel level. This results in images closer to the original source data, because separate, optimized algorithms are used to handle the differing Pixel behavior. Precision Drive III mechanism is also included, which helps maximize the performance of DVD collections by reading data even on some physically "warped" discs. Other benefits include a 12bit/108MHz video DAC (digital to analog converter), and 24 bit/192KHz audio, providing high-quality video and audio processing for vivid images and crystal clear sound.
As for the 5-disc carousel, it works well enough, though you have to use the remote to 'skip' a disc, even when the player is open and you're loading it. A little annoyance, but only that; an annoyance.
Other 'nice' features include a smooth slow-motion feature along with a smooth, audio-included speed up feature. This allows you to watch a movie/video in less time by quickly, and almost imperceptibly, increasing the viewing speed...Very nifty little feature. Plus, the players onboard memory allows you to resume watching a movie at the exact point where you left off, even if you've powered down or taken the DVD out of the tray.
Features galore, flimsy exterior but great results makes this player one to consider if you're in the market for a new DVD player.
Below is a list of technical specifations of the Sony DVP-NC85H 5-Disc DVD Carousel Player
Thanks, as always, for reading.
-John
Technical Specifications
On Screen Controls: Yes
Convenience Features
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HDMI™ Technology: Upscaling of DVD Materials up to 720P or 1080i
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Instant Replay: Yes
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Instant Search: Yes
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Multiple Disc Resume: 6 Disc
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Smooth Slow: Yes
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Noise Reduction: Yes
Video
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Digital-to-Analog Converter: 12-Bit, 108 Mhz
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DVD (VR Mode) Playback: Yes (with CPRM)1
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DVD Playback: Yes1
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Precision Cinema Progressive™ Technology: Yes
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Screen Saver: Yes
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SVCD Playback: Yes1
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VCD Playback: Yes1
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DVD R DL Read Compatibility: Yes1
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DVD R Read Compatibility: Yes1
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DVD RW Read Compatibility: Yes1
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DVD-R Read Compatibility: Yes1
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DVD-RW (VR Mode) Read Compatibility: Yes (with CPRM)1
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DVD-RW Read Compatibility: Yes1
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JPEG Playback: Yes1
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Precision Drive 3: Yes
Audio
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Digital-to-Analog Converter: 24 Bit 192 kHz
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CD Playback: Yes (CD, CD-R, CD-RW)2
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dts? Output: Yes
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MP3 Playback: Yes3
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Dolby? Digital: Yes
Inputs and Outputs
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Coaxial Audio Digital Output(s): 1 (Rear)
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RCA Audio Output(s): 1 (Rear)
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S-Video Output(s): 1 (Rear)
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Composite Video Output(s): 1 (Rear)
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Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Output(s): 1 (Rear)
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Optical Audio Digital Output(s): 1 (Rear)
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HDMI™1 Connection Output(s): 1 (Rear)
Power
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Power Requirements: AC120V, 60 Hz
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Power Consumption (in Operation): 12 Watts
Weights and Measurements
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Weight: Approx. 9lbs, 11oz. (4.4Kg)
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Dimensions (Approx) WxHxD: 17" x 3 14/15" x 16 1/7" (430 x 83 x 410mm)
