Sony SLV-D500P DVD/VCR Combo

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Manufacturer: Sony
Price at amazon.com: Used from $120.00

List price $249.99



Product Features:

• DVD/VCR combo unit with WEGA styling and 1-month, 8-event VCR programming, DVD bookmarking, and picture zoom
• Progressive-scan output with 54 MHz video DAC renders seamless, flicker-free images on compatible televisions
• Plays a wealth of formats, including DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, MP3 CD, JPEG image CD, and S-VHS tape (at VHS resolution)
• 4-head VCR offers VCR Plus+ programming, commercial skip, and 19-micron heads for clear images from EP recordings
• Includes multibrand remote control that operates most TVs

Product Description:

Enjoy multiformat convenience and high-end video quality with this classy, versatile combination DVD player and VCR. Sony's WEGA-styled SLV-D500P handles just about any conceivable media format, from VHS and S-VHS tapes (which it renders at standard VHS resolution) to DVD-Video, video mode DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW to MP3 CD and JPEG picture CD. Enjoy your library of VHS videos and your digital media files all in the comfort of your living room or bedroom. Whether you already own an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the SLV-D500P can deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. Other DVD features include a 54 MHz digital-to-analog converter, disc bookmarking, picture zoom, parental lock, and a screen saver. The VCR section offers everything from one-month, eight-event advance programming to commercial skip. Your camcorder or gaming console plugs right into the front panel for hassle-free connections. Its four-head design ensures smooth slow-motion play (forward and reverse) and clear still-frame images, and with hi-fi sound the unit records and plays back stereo audio tracks. Its 19-micron heads deliver the clearest possible picture when recording or viewing in EP (extended-play) mode. VCR Plus+ simplifies advance programming, commercial skip makes it easy to zip past commercials and unwanted "coming attractions," and the built-in Quickset timer dial lets you program the VCR with just a quick turn of the wrist (press the Quickset dial, then turn the knob to set the date, start time, stop time, and channel). Connections with combo units are often inconvenient, forcing you to use separate video hookups for each section (DVD, VCR), a problem for some TVs. This player has it figured out: a single RF or composite-video connection to a television will display either the DVD or the VCR signal, depending on which format you're viewing. If you want to view DVDs in S-video or in component-video (either interlaced or progressive-scan), you will need to use two inputs, however, as the device will not upconvert the signal from the VCR to either of those higher-resolution formats. It's a different deal for audio: you can listen through a single set of stereo analog-audio cables for each component (one is supplied), or if you want to enjoy DVDs in discrete 5.1-channel surround sound, you can send the DVD's audio to a compatible audio/video receiver and a multichannel speaker system through a digital-audio interconnect (either optical or coaxial, not supplied). The unit also comes with an RF cable that will transmit VHS/DVD audio and video to your TV, a multilingual onscreen display (English, Spanish, French), and a multibrand TV/DVD/VCR remote control. What's in the Box DVD/VCR combo, remote control, remote batteries (two AA), user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, coaxial video cable, and warranty information.
From the Manufacturer DVD meets VHS in this dynamic combination component--Sony’s SLV-D500P Combination DVD and VCR Player. Experience vivid DVD entertainment and the ease of VHS recording. Features include JPEG Digital Picture Playback (CD-R/RW), a Quickset Timer Dial, VCR Plus+ Programming, Cinema Illumination, a Multi-Brand TV Remote Control, and Progressive Output for DVD (480P). Also enjoy DVD, DVD+RW/+R, DVD-RW/-R (Video Mode) Playback, and CD, SVCD, VCD, CD-R/RW* und MP3 Playback - you'll see and hear the... read more

Description from Manufacturer: Enjoy multiformat convenience and high-end video quality with this classy, versatile combination DVD player and VCR. Sony's WEGA-styled SLV-D500P handles just about any conceivable media format, from VHS and S-VHS tapes (which it renders at standard VHS resolution) to DVD-Video, video mode DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW to MP3 CD and JPEG picture CD. Enjoy your library of VHS videos and your digital media files all in the comfort of your living room or bedroom.

Whether you already own an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the SLV-D500P can deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. Other DVD features include a 54 MHz digital-to-analog converter, disc bookmarking, picture zoom, parental lock, and a screen saver.

The VCR section offers everything from one-month, eight-event advance programming to commercial skip. Your camcorder or gaming console plugs right into the front panel for hassle-free connections. Its four-head design ensures smooth slow-motion play (forward and reverse) and clear still-frame images, and with hi-fi sound the unit records and plays back stereo audio tracks. Its 19-micron heads deliver the clearest possible picture when recording or viewing in EP (extended-play) mode. VCR Plus+ simplifies advance programming, commercial skip makes it easy to zip past commercials and unwanted "coming attractions," and the built-in Quickset timer dial lets you program the VCR with just a quick turn of the wrist (press the Quickset dial, then turn the knob to set the date, start time, stop time, and channel).

Connections with combo units are often inconvenient, forcing you to use separate video hookups for each section (DVD, VCR), a problem for some TVs. This player has it figured out: a single RF or composite-video connection to a television will display either the DVD or the VCR signal, depending on which format you're viewing. If you want to view DVDs in S-video or in component-video (either interlaced or progressive-scan), you will need to use two inputs, however, as the device will not upconvert the signal from the VCR to either of those higher-resolution formats.

It's a different deal for audio: you can listen through a single set of stereo analog-audio cables for each component (one is supplied), or if you want to enjoy DVDs in discrete 5.1-channel surround sound, you can send the DVD's audio to a compatible audio/video receiver and a multichannel speaker system through a digital-audio interconnect (either optical or coaxial, not supplied). The unit also comes with an RF cable that will transmit VHS/DVD audio and video to your TV, a multilingual onscreen display (English, Spanish, French), and a multibrand TV/DVD/VCR remote control.

What's in the Box
DVD/VCR combo, remote control, remote batteries (two AA), user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, coaxial video cable, and warranty information.Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: Decent for the Price, But... Rating:
I just took delivery of the Sony SLV-D500P DVD/VCR Combo earlier today. Contrary to some other reviewers' experiences, my unit has no noise issues whatsoever. The picture quality with both DVD und VCR is decent, but I do have some quibbles:

1) The DVD output doesn't offer 3:2 reverse pulldown for watching DVDs of films [movies] (which have a different native frame rate than video, und require this feature to avoid nasty visual artifacts.) The Phillips combo offers this at the same price, but has gotten bad reviews for other reasons.

2) The VHS output doesn't offer an S-Video Out jack, so one is forced to use the lower-quality Composite or Antenna Out jacks.

3) To use the Component Video outputs (which yield the best quality) of the DVD player, you must turn on the "Progressive" setting, which, despite a button for it on the front panel, is frustratingly difficult to do, and often requires repeated attempts. (And the DVD output will be scrambled until you do.) And then you must turn it off again when using the VCR, or the VCR picture will be scrambled!

4) The remote is terrible! (32 buttons of the exact same size [tiny] and shape, which do eveything from selecting channels to controlling system settings.) Don't even try to use this in the dark!

If you can afford the space, buy a separate DVD und VCR - you'll be glad you did, und you can buy both for the same total cost. If you don't have the space, as I didn't, this will do.

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Comment: This unit is NOT loud! Rating:
After I ordered the SLV-D500P, I read the review below
about the unit being loud. I was a little worried,
but after I received the SLV-D500P my
fears were put to rest. It isn't loud at all,
either this guy got a bad unit or is reviewing the
wrong product.

First we tested a DVD-R that we made using our
iMac SuperDrive. It worked wonderfully.
The picture quality is excellent, but be sure
to modify the built in sound settings if you
don't have surround sound, because the volume will
appear relatively quiet compared to your TV audio
unless you modify the DVD player settings to say
Audio: TV. Then it will sound fine.

We are using this DVD Player with the
Sony KV-27FS100 Flat Panel TV. This combo
makes an excellent relatively low cost, but quality,
Entertainment System.

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Comment: I won't buy Sony again. Rating:
From the product description, this DVD/VCR combo from Sony sounded terrific. However, the DVD player did not work. The unit played VCR tapes well, but would not play DVDs. I sent the unit back for a refund. This is the second dud DVD player I purchased from Sony. I won't buy Sony products again.

Posted at November 11, 2003 06:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)