Sony DVP-NS575P/S

Sony DVP-NS575P/S Progressive Scan DVD Player

Sony's amazingly affordable and feature-rich DVP-NS575P/B DVD player is everything a budget-savvy music and movie lover could ask for. The progressive-scan DVP-NS575P/B plays just about any disc out there--including DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW--as well as spins your digital photos and MP3 files burned to CD-R/CD-RW discs. It will also play discs recorded in the DVD-VR format (which grants more flexible recording and editing options than do standard DVD-RW/+RW or DVD-RAM formats).Amazon.com Product Description

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVP-NS575P/B stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs through its Precision Cinema Progressive (PCP) output and 3:2 pulldown processing. 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 players detect image changes at the level of the scan-line level, while Sony's Precision Cinema Progressive (PCP) system detects them at the pixel level. The resulting picture is more faithful to the source, whether it's from film or video. That's because the player uses separate, optimized algorithms to handle the differing pixel behavior of each original format. It also uses separate algorithms to process the moving and still parts of an image, giving you sharp backgrounds and moving objects that are free from motion artifacts.

Sony DVP-NS575P/S Progressive Scan DVD Player

DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Composite- and S-video outputs bring compatibility with nearly any television.
Further, the player offers block noise reduction (which suppresses vertical edge distortions for a smoother, more natural picture) and digital video enhancement (processing that improves the crisp contrast of picture detail while controlling unwanted artifacts like "overshoot" and "ringing").

Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can also be routed through the player's coaxial digital-audio output for a simpler connection to a compatible AV receiver (but be aware that a digital-audio interconnect is not supplied).
Precision Drive 3 provides a mechanism for reading DVDs that are in less than perfect condition, eliminating errors in playback due to imperfect, scratched, or warped discs. Early generations of Precision Drive technology were only able to compensate for warped discs by moving the entire optical block, which took more time and limited the amount of correction possible. This newer system simplifies the process by moving just the lens (instead of the entire optical block) for faster and more accurate error correction.

As soon as you hook up the DVD player, a special Quick Setup screen appears ready to guide you through configuration, step by step, screen by screen. DVD resume memory kicks in whenever you stop a DVD. Later, when you come back to it, the player will pick up right where you left off before. The player holds resume points for up to six discs.

Other playback features include 10-second instant replay, DVD/CD Text display (with applicable discs), custom parental control memory for 40 discs, instant search (which provides audible scanning akin to cue and review features on cassette decks), as well as Advanced SmoothScan and SmoothSlow Modes.

What's in the Box
DVD player, remote control, 2 AA batteries, a stereo analog audio/composite-video interconnect, a user's manual, and warranty information.

From the Manufacturer
Watch your favorite movies on Sony's DVP-NS575P/S DVD player. With Sony's Precision Cinema Progressive and Precision Drive 3 systems, you'll enjoy a picture that's more faithful to the source--whether video or film--and that's virtually free of the errors that warped discs can produce. This DVD player also lets you listen to MP3 music with ease. Start enjoying DVDs and MP3s with your high-quality, affordable Sony DVD player today.

Sony DVP-NS575P/S Progressive Scan DVD Player

Precision Scan output (480p) Precision Drive 3 System compensates for flaws in DVD discs DVD-R/RW (Video Mode), DVD+R/RW, DVD-VR (VR Mode-W/CPRM) Playback JPEG / MP3 / CD-R / CD-RW Playback 12-Bit Video DAC with 54MHz Processing Dolby Digital and dts Decoding Compatible 96kHz / 24-bit Digital Output Multi-Disc Resume -6 disc Supports DVD / CD Text Precision Cinema Progressive Technology detects changes at the pixel level, for a picture faithful to the source, whether film or video, using separate algorithms Precision Drive 2 System: moves the lens for faster and more accurate error correction 4 Virtual Surround Modes Block Noise Reduction Digital Video Enhancer Custom Picture Mode Advanced SmoothScan(TM) and SmoothSlow modes Instant Replay and Instant Search Full 3:2 Reverse Conversion Outputs: Component Video, S-Video, Composite Video, Analog Audio, Coaxial Digital Outputs Includes remote control, AV cable, 2 AA batteries One year warranty Finish: Silver

Test Report

Sony DVP-NS575P/S Progressive Scan DVD Player

A Beautiful Mistake .... , September 29, 2004
Reviewer: Justin D. Olivas "jdmax1210" (USA) - Well i must say in all my time with DVD technology, there is not one brand that doesnt even compare to Sony's PICTURE QUALITY
. But Versatility wise.... thats another story . I picked up this dvd player for the DVD+RW ability, the precision picture and progressive function, and have no problems with it at all in that perspective. In fact i love this player because i pretty much use it for the DVD+RW function ... But the one thing that it is missing that some of the other players have, and i dont think Sony realizes that its pretty much the standard when it comes to video encoding... and thats (DIVX) .. yes folks be aware that this player does not play DIVX files .. so with this in mind i rate this a 4/5 ... you almost had it Sony

Great Picture & Sound, September 13, 2004
Reviewer: Brian Taylor "Strings" (TN) -
Let me start off by saying that I didn't buy this DVD player to play burnt DVDs or SVCD, I just wanted a good DVD player to play my regular DVDs when my old Sony died. The picture quality is very impressive and I DO NOT have mine hooked up progressive scan just S-video so I am sure that progressive scan would make it that much more impressive.

Pros
-Great Picture
-Great Sound
-No problems with any movies so far and plays Friends DVDs flawlessly (I had read some complaints about TV season DVDs but it hasn't happened to me.)
-Great, Easy to use remote

Cons
-No optical out (just digital coax)

Bottom Line is that if you want to play everything under the sun with progressive scan get a Phillips DVP642

Pretty good so far, June 22, 2004
Reviewer: viewer956 "viewer956" (USA) - See all my reviews

I've had this player for about a week now and am reasonably happy with it. I bought this player to replace my 3 year old Sony DVD player that couldn't read my burned DVD-R or DVD+R media.

Not a problem with this unit -- I've thrown DVD+R, DVD-R, and DVD+RW disks at it and it's had no issues whatsoever, nor has it had any problems reading the several Netflix rental DVDs I've thrown at it. So far, so good.

The picture on my 4:3 tube TV is excellent, as you'd expect, although it seems slightly darker than what I'm accustomed to, even after fiddling with the various cinema modes.

Startup time to read DVDs is definitely longer than with my 3 year old player although if it buys you the ability to read almost any disk format, it's not a big deal if you have to wait 10-15 seconds to get started.

The multi-disk memory is an excellent feature, allowing you to remove a disk and play others and when you put the disk back in, the player will take you right back to where you left off.

The only disappointment so far is that when presented with a moving, intricate picture with fine lines, the lines tend to 'wiggle' as the picture moves. (This is noticeable in the rails and fine lines of the buildings in the opening of Mystic River as the camera pans across them). My 3 year old Sony did NOT have this issue but my understanding is that this is a very common issue with DVD players.

Given that this is an (...)$80-$90 player that will do progressive video (which I'm not using yet) and seems to be happy with whatever media you throw at it, I'd suggest giving it a shot.

October 04 update -- the "wiggling lines" problem I noted in Mystic River turned out to be very unusual -- I think I've only noticed it in one other movie out of the 50 or so I've watched since writing this review. It's not a big issue.