Pioneer DV-F727 301 Disc DVD / CD / CD-R/ and RW Player

Product Review

Pioneer's DVF727 is a high-end AV jukebox that stores and plays up to 301 DVD's, Video CD's, audio CD's and CD-R's. Engineered for superb audio and video reproduction, the DV-F727 also offers great convenience. Enter title/artist CD text with a keyboard and mouse, find a disc or artist alphabetically, or sort discs for playback by type. This serious piece of AV hardware will be the life of the party. Key Performance Features: 300+1 Disc Control and Management. Easy Keyboard/Mouse Title and Artist Input. Easy Finding of Titles and Artists Alphabetically. Easy Disc Sorting with 20 Custom Files. Auto Update Checks Each Disc for Text and Type. 10 Bit 27MHz Video DAC with Viter-Bi Error Correction. Advanced Video DNR with Film Recognition. Advanced Video Quality Adjustments. New PVC Video Quality Enhancer VQE4 chip. TruSurround/Virtual DolbyDigital. High Quality Burr Brown Audio DAC?s. Add a Second DV-F Player for 600 Disc Control. Outputs: Composite Video. S-Video or Component. Analog Audio. Coaxial Digital Audio. Optical Digital Audio. Master-Slave Control. SR in/out. CD-Deck Synchro. Inputs for Master-Slave Control. Video. S-Video. Analog Audio. Master-Slave Control Cable. Coaxial Digital Input. Power Consumption 21W. Audio S/N 115dB. Audio T.H.D. 0.002%. Audio Dynamic Range 102dB. Dimensions: 16 9/16 x 7 9/16 x 17 1/8. Pioneer 1 Year Parts and Labor warranty. 3 Year Firmware Upgrades For Compatibility with Future DVD Authoring Technology.

Amazon.com Review

The Pioneer DV-F727 is not the average, run-of-the-mill multidisc changer. Even if your audio CD and DVD collections are quite sizeable, you can stash the goods neatly inside this 301-disc capacity "media server," then call selections up with the same ease and excitement as you would by keying an entry on a jukebox. An onscreen cataloging system helps manage your inventory, with an auto update feature that scans for new disc additions.

Should your collection really bulk out, it's even possible to double the system's capacity by linking two DV-F727s. All the while, you'll still maintain easy control over the whole kit 'n caboodle via a single, fully-featured and user-friendly remote control (supplied), or using an optional, plug-in PS/2 style computer keyboard or mouse.

One of the most elaborately featured DVD players we've ever encountered, the DV-F727 also takes care of the basics quite well--delivering pristine pictures and sound with component-video (interlace), S-Video, and composite-video outputs. Sound-wise, its optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs definitely deliver the Dolby Digital, DTS, and PCM stereo (up to 96 kHz, 24-bit) soundtracks. The player's Burr-Brown audio digital-to-analog converter and conventional analog jacks also proved quite fine.

Handy jog-shuttle dials on both the front panel and the remote make it a pleasure to manipulate the multispeed forward and reverse trick-play options.

Customizable settings let you vary picture parameters to taste or adjust the audio dynamic range for late night listening--so that soft sounds such as dialogue can be heard more clearly without making loud sounds even louder.

Given its immense disc storage capacity, this changer is remarkably compact--measuring about 16.5 inches wide, 17 inches deep, and 7.75 high.

The holding slots are accessible, one at a time, behind a motorized opening/closing Plexiglas "hood." Of course, there's also the option to quickly install and then remove a single disc--via the dedicated 301st slot--with its operation complemented by special "single loader" access and play keys.

Entering menu text and numerical data about stockpiled titles is reasonably easy. Information can be added using the onscreen soft keyboard in tandem with the cursor control joystick on the remote, or with the selection dial on the front panel. To speed up the process, there's also the option of plugging in and entering text on a conventional PS/2 computer keyboard.

Making life easier still, some music CDs now contain and automatically stream their own album and song title info (CD Text), which this changer will conveniently read, display, and automatically integrate into its program menu memory. If implemented, DVD text information is also downloadable. (A front-panel display lights up to indicate the presence of such text on a disc.)

A couple of bummers: you must abbreviate text entries when a title or artist's name exceeds 12 characters, the max this changer's memory will store and display. CD Text titles longer than 12 characters, while not memorized, will scroll across the LCD screen. Also take note: when a disc is playing, you can't enter data, or add or remove other discs.

Once program data is entered into the megachanger's memory, titles can be sorted and accessed by format (DVD or CD), disc title (alphabetically), or disc number.

Another option: you can create and name 20 custom files (10 DVD/Video CD and 10 CD) for automatic playback. However, there's still no avoiding the mandatory setup menus and unskippable FBI Warning before DVD play commences.

All in all, the DV-F727 represents a remarkable piece of engineering and entertainment prowess from the folks at Pioneer.

Pros:

• Immense storage capacity neatly organizes your disc library
• Easy entry of data via remote control, keyboard, or mouse
• Fine video and audio performance
• A host of customizable programming and performance parameters

Cons:

• Discs can't be exchanged or text entered while a disc is playing
• Text entries can't exceed 12 characters
• Menu system doesn't accommodate filing by genre or theme

Amazon.com Product Description

The Pioneer DVF727 DVD Player stores and plays up to 301 DVDs, CDs, or Video CDs. It offers easy keyboard or mouse input of title and artist, so you can search by artist or title alphabetically. It also offers easy disc sorting with 20 custom files. The auto update function checks each disc for text and type.

The Pioneer DVF727 also features 10-bit, 27 MHz video digital-to-analog conversion with Viter-Bi error correction, advanced video noise reductions with film recognition, the new PVC Video Quality Enhancer VQE4 chip, TruSurround/Virtual Dolby Digital, and a high-quality Burr Brown audio D/A converter. The Pioneer DVF727 has S-video, component, and composite output as well as optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs. This unit is backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

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