Hyundai HDP-550S DVD Player

Rating:
Summary: low budget dvd
Review: * audio is very decent
* Video quality is bad (grainy, colors too saturated)
* video signal turns off in completely black scenes
* decent price
* remote is not userfriendly
can read other region codes !!!

Rating:
Summary: NOW QUITE PLEASED! (Was: EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED!!!)
Review: ******UPDATE 29 OCT 2002*******

Okay, after a month of familiarity, I can definitely say that I am now pleased with my Hyundai HDP-550S! Yes, the "setup" issues (S-Video and subtitles) are annoying and rather strange, and yes it takes like five whole seconds longer to "load" than other players, and its manual is sparser than the already sparse manuals of today (namely, it leaves out those "setup" instructions), but it is a fine product all the same for most people who aren't terribly demanding A/V-philes (nothing wrong with those folks, though). I have, actually, bought one for a friend as well, so happy am I with this product!

****UPDATE 25 SEP 2002****

Thanks very, very much, fellow "Electronics Fan" from SF, CA!! You're certainly a whole lot more helpful than Hyundai Electronics Pacific! I haven't tried out your suggestion yet (am waiting on my THIRD player -- LOL), but it makes a lot of sense!

ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

********original review of early September**********'

The $$$ price (after mail-in rebate) sounds great, but I could not get this Hyundai HDP-550S DVD Player to work! Yes, I know how to connect S-Video and optical audio...I've done that with my other players with no problem. I've since exchanged the HDP-550S I originally received with another, and it's still not sending any video or audio signals! My TV and audio receiver are fine, so they're not the issue.

BEWARE THIS HYUNDAI. There is no technical support info in the manual (i.e., where to go for service), no Hyundai help line, only an e-mail address not in the manual but on a separate sheet of paper.

Again, I know how to connect optical audio and S-Video (as straightforward as can be), and my connections are fine (tried another player, an RCA make, successfully), so I can only conclude that the two Hyundai HDP-550S DVD Players I've tried so far are at fault. Interestingly, both were manufactured in March of this year ('02)...might there have been a run of defects at the factory??

Rating:
Summary: For the price you cannot beat it
Review: Had a JVC DVD player (250.00) 2 years ago and it started acting up not wanting to play disks etc. Saw this one I figured for the prive cannot go wrong. Got it, hooked it up and it is a great player. Admitted basic functions but the video is sharp and clean, loads very fast, and with all of the audio outputs sounds great. This player should cost more... Would recommend to anyone looking for a DVD player.

Rating:
Summary: i liked it! YOU WILL TOO!
Review: i am a college student and i like to watch a lot of DVDs during my free time. Hyundai DVD player gives VERY clean screen and has all of the features that other DVD players have... and plus it's very inexpensive so even a student like me can afford it (...) it's a great DVD player and i recommend it to people who want to save money and enjoy watching a lot of DVDs.

Rating:
Summary: Not Very Good!
Review: I bought it because the reviews were pretty good. I received mine and the subtitles do not go away after I shut them off repeatedly. It also takes about 10 times before it actually loads a DVD. You get what you pay for here!

Rating:
Summary: Best Buy for the money
Review: I bought this unit for the price and was surprised by its features and quality of video. It offeres 5.1 surround sound output and optical jack. You can't ask for more at this price.

Rating:
Summary: Problem with remote controller
Review: I buy one last days, it looks and sound so nice, but the remote controller needs to be near the equipment. I don't like to stand up every time i press any button on the remote controller.

I'm going to the shop today to change it by a new one without that problem.

Rating:
Summary: I WAS WRONG
Review: I HAD AN EXPERT FRIEND OF MINE TO COME OVER AND HELP ME TO SET THIS DVD UP...WE WERE UP AND RUNNING IN 30 MIN....I HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A SOME WHAT NEGATIVE REVIEW...BUT NOW HAVE CHANGED THAT TO A VERY POSITIVE REVIEW....SO NOW I GIVE 5 STARS TO THIS PLAYER....IT HAS MET MY NEEDS FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN AND RESTORED MY FAITH BACK WITH AMAZON.COM I DIDNT THINK THAT THEY WOULD INTENTIONALY SELL A PRODUCT BAD...YOU CAN READ BOTH REVIEWS...

Rating:
Summary: best buy
Review: I have received this DVD player last week. It was easy to install and sounds great. I have connected with my receiver and sounds great. Last year I bought a DVD player and had to pay three times more than this unit.
It is best bargain ever.

Rating:
Summary: The subtitle problem can be fixed!
Review: I haven't tried too many DVD players, but it seems to play the DVDs we rented fine, so it gets 3 stars for satisfactory performance on that count. It doesn't get any more stars than that because of the subtitle problem, which is the result of poor programming on Hyundai's part. But here's a workaround that we figured out by reading the manual. When the DVD tray is open, press the "setup" button and choose "language" on the menu that appears. On the popup menu, move to the "subtitle" entry and press "enter". Then scroll to a language other than English, such as German. Press "enter", and then exit the setup menu. The settings will be saved, and you can now load your DVD, which will then play without any subtitles appearing. The settings will be kept after you turn off your DVD player, too.

So, the annoying subtitle problem can be fixed, but it is annoying that it has to be dealt with in the first place.