Pioneer DV-400V-K
Manufacturer: Pioneer North America Part number: DV-400V-K
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CNET Editor rating:
Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 10 reviews
- More product information:
- Editors' blog post
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- The DV-400V is a multi-format DVD player featuring HDMI and 1080p DVD upscaling.
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as of 11/19/2008 |
CNET editors' blog post
By Matthew Moskovciak,
01/09/07
In 2006, we saw a few DVD players that could upscale to 1080p, but you had to pay a little extra for the cutting-edge technology. At CES 2007, several manufacturers have announced 1080p-upscaling DVD players, with most of the prices hovering right around $100. And while the LG Super Multi Blue Player is certainly the biggest video disc player of the show, we're betting plenty of people will be jumping on these 1080p players as a relatively cheap way to make their DVD collection look a little better.
1080p for $100
(Credit: Pioneer)Pioneer so far has the cheapest 1080p-upscaling DVD player we've seen--its DV-400V-K will cost $100 when it comes out in May. The DV-400V-K will handle upscaling over its HDMI output and will probably be able to handle 720p and 1080i resolutions as well, though the press release didn't explicitly say so. Its disc compatibility looks solid, handling DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW and CD-R/RW. It also can play back WMA, MP3, JPEG, and DivX files. The player also will be available in silver, with the model name DV-400V-S.
Samsung also released a 1080p-upscaling player, the DVD-HD1080P7. Its HDMI output can also upscale to 720p and 1080i, and it uses Silicon Optix's HQV video processing. The DVD-HD1080P7 has a 10-in-2 memory card reader, as well as DivX playback, though we don't know if it can play DivX files off the card reader. The DVD-HD1080P7 is scheduled to come out in May with a list price of $110. Samsung also will be offering a step-down non-1080p model, the DVD-HD870, which can upscale to 720p and 1080i and should come out in February with a list price of $90.
DVD-S53
(Credit: Panasonic)Panasonic's new 1080p-upscaling DVD player is the DVD-S53. Like all these players, it offers upconversion over its HDMI output, and we assume--although the press release, again, doesn't explicitly state it--that it can also upconvert to 720p and 1080i. Panasonic lists some very robust disc-compatibility specs, including DVD-R/-RW, DVD+R/+RW, both +R and -R dual layer discs and the flexible DVD-RAM format. That sounds impressive, but we're going to remain a little skeptical since Panasonic DVD players and recorders have had some disc compatibility issues in the past--despite the impressive spec sheets. The DVD-S53 should be available in April with a list price of $130.
Toshiba announced a trio of upscaling DVD players, with the SD-6000 capable of 1080p uspcaling. Like the others, it handles its upscaling over its HDMI output and can also upscale to 720p and 1080i resolutions. The SD-6000 also can handle other digital media, such as DivX, WMA, MP3 and JPEG. Disc compatibility is a little limited, handling only DVD-R/-RW and CD-R/RW. The SD-6000 will have a list price of $130 and is expected to be released in May. Toshiba also is offering a step-down upscaling player, the SD-5000, which only handles 720p and 1080i. The SD-5000 will come out in February for $80.
LG came out with the DN798 1080p DVD player but didn't offer many more details than the product name. The DN798 will have an HDMI output, as well as a USB port that can read JPEG, MP3 and WMA files. LG also will be releasing a step-down 1080i-upscaling DVD player, the DN788. We don't know when these players will come out or how much they'll cost.
User reviews
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Impressed by the quality
by r1208 on July 25, 2007
Pros: Upscaling superb, better than most upconversion dvd players that i have seen.
Cons: no optical output, digital coax works just fine though.
Summary: I work for a major consumer retailer, in the hometheater field. I have seen almost ever upconversion dvd player we carry and i have to say by far this is ...
Summary: I work for a major consumer retailer, in the hometheater field. I have seen almost ever upconversion dvd player we carry and i have to say by far this is the best one i have seen yet. The only thing even compares would be the Yamaha DV-S5950BL, and the Harmony Kardon DVD-38. But for the price this DVD player is a much better value.
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great HD DVD player for well under $100
by stxcep on November 8, 2007
Pros: easy to set up, good HDMI output quality
Cons: can't use digital audio output with HDMI output
Summary: I bought the DV-400V to go along with my new Samsung LN-T3253H HDTV as part of an upgrade to my A/V system.
Thus far I've been pleasantly surprised ...Summary: I bought the DV-400V to go along with my new Samsung LN-T3253H HDTV as part of an upgrade to my A/V system.
Thus far I've been pleasantly surprised with the video quality of the DV-400V. I have it set to 720p to match the Samsung and I've been really happy with the video via the HDMI output.
The DV-400V's menu system is pretty basic and easy to follow which allowed me to be up and running in nothing flat.
The only drawback was that the digital audio output is disabled if you are using the HDMI audio/video output. At first I almost panicked thinking I would have to choose between HDMI and digital audio output. It then dawned on me to run the HDMI to the Samsung and then run the digital optical audio output from the Samsung to my Pioneer VSX-816. Problem solved!
All in all, great value if you're looking for a HD DVD player that doesn't cost hundreds of dollars.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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It's a beauty for the price
by Topkilz on June 23, 2007
Pros: Picture, Sound, Features, Configuration
Cons: Cheesey splash screen
Summary: I have a Pioneer PDP 5071, 1015TX AV, and now the Upconverting DVD player. I would get Blu-Ray, but I am waiting for one to win.
First off, I found ...Summary: I have a Pioneer PDP 5071, 1015TX AV, and now the Upconverting DVD player. I would get Blu-Ray, but I am waiting for one to win.
First off, I found out about this player on the Audio Video Science forums. It was discussed there in a decent light (which is always a good indication of quality)
Picture
Now for my take. I really like the picture quality. Believe it or not I can tell a difference; its not a HD picture but it is less jagged than before on 480P. I have mine converting up to 1080i (I tried the 1080p and it did not work. I didn't think it would since the TV is 1080i, but the PDP507X says it can take a 1080p signal). I have not tried the 720p yet but since 1080i looks great, I dont know that I have to. I hooked up the HDMI and chose the Full-range RGB and the colors look AWESOME. I still have my settings turned kind of down on my TV so imagine if I had that at recommended reference.
Sound
I had no idea the sound out is not the same between devices. The sound output over the digital coax makes me not miss the fiber. I almost did not buy the player for lack of fiber, but I found out that at 3 feet, the impedance should not matter (and it does not). The sound going to my receiver is higher in fidelity than any other product I have hooked up didgitally to date.
Features
The player spins up a little slow, but that is bearable- the player has a USB drive on the front so you can hook up a usb drive. I hooked up an iPod shuffle and it worked. using a USB drive was perfect in sound response and interaction. I have read that if you get an external USB HDD formatted with FAT32, it is the perfect media player. This means you could hook up your music / video library directly to the DVD player and stream the contents everywhere else.
I am thouroughly impressed with this DVD player especially after I got BB to come down to their internet offer + get another 12% off for a fathers day coupon. After tax, I was less than $100.
My wife enjoys having a quality product in the home (I know Pioneer is no Denon, Onkyo, or Oppo, but fir the $, it is better than the rest).
The only drawback is the splashscreen. It is hot pink and sinply says "Pioneer" with no other grahpics. Bland.Updated
In order to keep from having to do a factory reset on the player, keep your component video hooked up to the device. THis way if you go higher than your TV can really support, you can switch back to a supported format in a pinch instead of hoping the factory reset will work.
My wife also says that if the DVD player lasts more than a year, she will give her final approval ( we have had really bad luck with Panasonic, Sony, and Phillips).Updated
OK. So I decided to see how the upconversion compared to my HD cable. On the DVD player, I had my upconversion set to 1080i and full range RGB. The colors looked much richer, but darker overall. I thought this was due to the imperfection of the DVD player until I switched the color back to component scale. I was wowed at the overall similarities in quality of the video. To be honest, I could tell minor diferences between the HD 1080i and the upconverted 1080i, but it was mostly in minute background details. The full range RGB makes up for that in color quality and also DVD performs WAY better than HD cable (cable compresses the signal and you get blocking and pixelations). For $100 you will get basically as good as picture as any source under 1080i native resoltion will allow (even cable is only broadcast at 720p). Now if you are totally into 1080p, then wait for the format winner.3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Plays Movies from my flash drive in the USB port!
by mablenay on June 26, 2007
Pros: Plays many video file formats from flash drives
Cons: some file formats slow to start when playing movies from flash drive/USB port
Summary: I wanted to save money burning dvd discs and save time by simply downloading movies and copying to my 8GB flash drive. Now I simply download the movie, copy to ...
Summary: I wanted to save money burning dvd discs and save time by simply downloading movies and copying to my 8GB flash drive. Now I simply download the movie, copy to flash drive and stick it in the USB port on the front of the DVD player! SIMPLE, EASY, but can be a bit slow to start. Video quality good. some file formats dont work properly.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Almost every format supported that you can think of and through USB!
by jaypugh on February 1, 2008
Pros: Multiple file formats supported, USB drive, Good upconversion, Tons of customization in screen settings
Cons: Interface can be a little slow, Could use an optical out, wish it supported DVD-A but can't have it all
Summary: This player blew me away. I bought it without even reading the reviews, loved it and then read to find that others loved it as well. The main reason I ...
Summary: This player blew me away. I bought it without even reading the reviews, loved it and then read to find that others loved it as well. The main reason I purchased the dv400 was the USB input but I was skeptical about the divx playback. I've read about MANY problems with other players and divx where it will play them but with glitches and hiccups all along the way. The Pioneer DV400 plays great. So far I've tested it with upscaling DVDs, playing MP3s, JPEGs and of course Divx. All worked well. My ownly complaint would be that the interface is a little clunky and that the response of the unit from the time you give the command at the remote till you see it perform the action can be a little slow. In the end this is a small gripe considering all it does and that it isn't like these DVD players have GIGS of RAM in them so they can breeze through everything quickly. The upconversion looks great and has many picture adjustments that I'm not used to seeing in a DVD player. I haven't spent enough time yet on it to see if I can actually turn all these off and let my TV do the picture adjustment other than the upconversion. One other minor complaint would be that I wouldn't mind seeing an optical out along with the rca type digital out. It was fine for me since I've filled all of my opticals on my receiver and actually needed to use the digital out which the dv400 provides but I could see where many others would not have this option. If your receiver doesn't have this input then you can find a cheap converter online without much of a problem.
To sum things up I'll just leave it at this. I liked this unit enough that I bought one, had it 2 days and purchased a 2nd one for the bedroom. You simply can't beat the ease of use if all you have to do is plug in the USB (from one unit to antoher) and then put it in your pocket in case you find another divx movie you want to download later. All this for under $100? Technology has come a long way and I'm loving it.
FYI - if you buy this at Best Buy as I did then you will have to tell them to look up the sale price that is online because it doesn't list the $91.19 price in the store. It shows $1131 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A Very Good Value
by motomura-san on July 23, 2007
Pros: HDMI Output, 1080p Upscaling
Cons: No Optical Audio Output
Summary: I bought this DVD player to accompany my new HDTV, figuring I can wait until there's a winner or a soon-to-be winner in the HD-DVD/Blu Ray battle. I ...
Summary: I bought this DVD player to accompany my new HDTV, figuring I can wait until there's a winner or a soon-to-be winner in the HD-DVD/Blu Ray battle. I purchased a region-free version too (http://www.regionfreedvd.net/), which increased the price, but I think the normal version is a bargain at $100. I have to admit that I don't really care about the extra features, like the USB port, so I won't discuss them. Also, the pink Pioneer logo doesn't bother me; I don't know why other users care about that. The HDMI output is present, and the 1080p upscaling works well. Although, it seems to me that the quality of the picture really depends upon the individual DVD's transfer. On the negative side (for me), there is no optical audio output. My receiver doesn't have any digital coax inputs, so I had to spend an additional $20 on a converter box (http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=605).
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Overall very good product
by gun_will_travel on July 20, 2007
Pros: Superior picture quality and features
Cons: Still frame shows aliasing in HD modes
Summary: This was the most recommended player at the regionfreedvd website. It plays DVDs from anywhere in the world. I am very impressed with the overall picture quality and extensive features. ...
Summary: This was the most recommended player at the regionfreedvd website. It plays DVDs from anywhere in the world. I am very impressed with the overall picture quality and extensive features. I would have liked an optical output but the digital sound is still perfect over coaxial for short cable runs like mine.
My only major complaint is that still frame does not work well in HD modes. The image is horribly aliased with diagonal lines becoming jagged. I tried it through HDMI and component at different resolutions, and the only mode that produced a clean still image was 480i. Strangely, this only occurs at 1/16 speed or slower - the image is flawless at 1/8 speed or faster. But if you freeze the picture in 720p or 1080i, it looks awful. Tried every setting known to man to fix this, but nothing works. Can't be the TV, it's a Pioneer Elite 50" plasma less than 1 year old.
The still images do look great at 480i. But they need to look great in HD, and they don't.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good so far
by lobo65 on July 3, 2007
Pros: Good DIVX player
Cons: Doesn't play as many different files as I would like
Summary: I bought this player yesterday, and it's performed well thus far. I was able to get it to play DIVX movies that I downloaded, and stored in my Seagate ...
Summary: I bought this player yesterday, and it's performed well thus far. I was able to get it to play DIVX movies that I downloaded, and stored in my Seagate external hard drive via the USB port. I do wish that it would play the .avi files I have though, but that may be impossible. I am not a A/V expert, so that may not be possible with any player. I do like this machine though, and will soon discover how well it's upconverted signal is when my HDMI switcher arrives from Monoprice.com.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great buy for the price. Can't imagine much better in the Spring of '08
by beritolam on June 20, 2008
Pros: menu navigation, small physical size, nice remote, great DIVX decoding
Cons: auto-shutoff kicks in very quickly!
Summary: It's really hard to criticize anything about this player. About the only 'con' is when you pause a movie/DIVX file -- I'm not sure the actual time ...
Summary: It's really hard to criticize anything about this player. About the only 'con' is when you pause a movie/DIVX file -- I'm not sure the actual time it takes for it to auto-shutoff, but it happens relatively quickly (around 15-20 minutes, I'd guess). But that's a small quirk and easily manageable.
Playing DIVX files was one of the main reasons I bought the Pioneer, and those of you who have tried other brands know how painful that process can be! A number of reviews I read prior to purchase praised the DIVX capabilities via the USB port, and I have to say my usage of the machine for 4 months only confirms those assessments. Dump your DIVX files onto your external HDD, hook it up to the DV-400 via USB, and watch with ease. [It's a bit tricky with my Seagate external because of the way it powers on when it detects a signal, but switching to DVD-back-to-USB mode quickly seems to solve the problem!]. I got mine via a 60-buck WOOT special, but I think I would easily pay the 70-buck asking price right now in June 2008 -- it's definitely worth it. -
Blown Away !!!
by Philspub on January 5, 2008
Pros: Excellent upconverting to1080p. Value : cost = Unmatched by any other standard DVD player.
Cons: Cannot play WMV encoded discs with HDMI output
Summary: I bought this DVD player along with the Pioneer PDP 5080 HD Plasma as an upgrade to my home theater. This by far has been two of the best investments ...
Summary: I bought this DVD player along with the Pioneer PDP 5080 HD Plasma as an upgrade to my home theater. This by far has been two of the best investments I have made in years. I'm looking to upgrade my a/v receiver to the Pioneer VXS-94TXH 7.1 to complete the set.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Pioneer North America
- Part number: DV-400V-K
- Description: The DV-400V is a multi-format DVD player featuring HDMI and 1080p DVD upscaling.
General
- Product Type DVD player
- Form Factor Tabletop
- Width 16.5 in
- Depth 8.5 in
- Enclosure Color Black
- Height 2 in
- Weight 4 lbs
VCR
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Analog Video Signal Composite video, S-Video, Component video
DVD
- Media Type DVD+R, CD, Video CD, DVD-R DL, CD-RW, DVD-RW, SVCD, CD-R, DVD+RW, DVD, DVD-R
- Video D/A Converter 12bit / 108MHz
- Audio D/A Converter 24bit / 96kHz
- Media Load Type Tray
- Picture Modes Letterbox, Pan and scan, Widescreen
- DVD Playback Modes Program play
- DVD Repeat Modes Chapter, A-B repeat, All, Title
- CD Playback Modes Program play, A-B repeat, All tracks repeat, One track repeat, Random play / shuffle
- Supported Digital Video Standards WMV, DivX, DivX (ver.6)
- Supported Digital Audio Standards WMA, MP3
- Upscaling Yes
- Output Resolution 1080p
Audio System
- Digital Audio Format Dolby Digital output, DTS digital output
- Surround Sound Effects Virtual Surround Mode
DVD Features
- Picture Zoom Yes
- TV Screen Saver Yes
- MP3 Compatible Yes
- Additional Features Auto power off, Brightness control, WMA playback, Sharpness control, Contrast control, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning, On-screen display, Digital audio playback from USB devices
Remote Control
- Type Remote control
- Technology Infrared
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x S-Video output ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Rear, 1 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 1 x Digital audio output (coaxial) ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 1 x USB ( 4 pin USB Type A ) - Front, 1 x Composite video/audio output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Component video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear
Remote Control (2nd)
- Type None
Power
- Power Device Power supply
- Type Power supply
- Power AC 120 V
Manufacturer info
- Pioneer North America
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Pioneer North America products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/
- Address:
2265 E. 220th St.
Long Beach, CA 90810 - Phone: 310/952-2111
