Reviews of DVD Players (P. 3/6)

"£30 DVD can walk tall"

Issue: 1/2008

On test: Digilogic DVDH0701

You might not think this is a product to get particularly excited about, but the Digilogic DVDH0701 actually marks a bit of a milestone: it's the first bargain-basement DVD we've seen with an HDMI out. → More

"Pioneer DV-LX50 DVD Player"

Published on: 12/2007

On test: Pioneer DV-LX50

Nowadays, DVD players are a dime a dozen, with decks being sold in supermarkets and online for absolute peanuts. So with that in mind, is there really any sense in selling a DVD deck costing upwards of £400? Well, yes there is actually. Hardcore home cinema fans with expensive projectors and mega-screen flat-panel TVs need a top-quality video source to feed into them, one that boasts the finest components and the best build quality - virtues you simply won't get from a cheapo supermarket deck. Pioneer has been specialising in high-end DVD players like this for some time, and its latest flagship model is aiming to keep the company's fine reputation intact. The DV-LX50 is a universal player, which means it plays DVD-Audio and SACD as well as DVDs and CDs. This makes it not only the perfect deck for videophiles but music lovers too. → More

"Cambridge DVD is a sonic star"

Issue: 10/2007

On test: Cambridge Audio Azur 540D V2

Cambridge Audio's Azur 540D V2 is an evolution of a DVD player we first looked at over two years ago - and this is some upgrade. Most critically, the V2 features an HDMI output and video scaling to 1080i standard. On paper, the lack of 1080p upscaling seems a shortcoming - but we've said plenty of times that the practical difference between 1080i and 1080p images is negligible, especially on a sub-40in screen. → More

"No shame in cheap-thrills Philips"

Issue: 10/2007

On test: Philips DVP 5980

Blindingly good cheap DVD players have been the staple of Toshiba and Samsung for some time, the former producing players frankly too good for their respective price tags over the last couple of years. It now seems Philips wants to get in on the action - and we welcome it with open disc collections. → More

"Group Test: High definition disc players"

Published on: 8/2007

On test: Pioneer BDP-LX70, Toshiba HD-XE1, Panasonic DMP-BD10, Samsung BD-P1000

Sorry folks, but if you're reading this in the hopes of finding out which HD disc camp, HD DVD or Blu-ray, will win the format 'war', you've come to the wrong place. Both formats continue to have their numerous relative advantages - mainly cost on HD DVD's side and film studio support on Blu-ray's side - and it's just way too early to pick a potential winner. Presuming, of course, that both don't survive indefinitely. But what this feature certainly will do is pitch four of the highest profile HD disc players against each other to see which ones simply perform the best, irrespective of which format they belong to. → More