Features:
- 5-disc carousel changer
- DVD-Video, CD, CD-R, and CD-RW compatible (including MP3-encoded CDs)
- Optical digital-audio output
- Dolby Digital and DTS surround outputs
- Dedicated subwoofer output for use with stereo or surround speaker systems
Description:
In the DVD-CV51, five-disc convenience and Panasonic ingenuity convene at a strikingly low price, making this not only an excellent DVD player but a great bargain. The DVD-CV51's five-disc carousel changer performs play exchange (letting you switch four discs while one is playing), and does so quickly and quietly. What's more, in our tests the unit emitted only a slight whirring sound while playing--a far cry from older changers that sounded like nearby helicopters (which was fine during certain scenes from Blue Thunder but a little jarring during The Blue Lagoon). The changer has three types of video output jacks: composite, S-video, and component video. We attached a component-video cable (not supplied) to a 36-inch TV. The quality was fantastic due to this premium-quality connection and the DVD player's 10-bit, 27 MHz video digital-to-analog converters. If you're serious about video, we strongly recommended buying a television with component-video inputs. The DVD-CV51 offers extensive features tailored for video buffs, including black level control (two levels) plus the ability to adjust contrast, brightness, and color. You also can choose a specific frame on which to adjust picture parameters (called I/P/B). We like to tweak as much as the next person, but the factory settings needed no adjustments. Still, it's nice to know they're there. The unit lacks a topnotch progressive-scan video output, but at this price one can hardly be expected. The unit passes (but doesn't decode) Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround sound signals using an optical digital-audio cable, which is not supplied. To experience surround sound, you must connect it to an audio-video receiver with built-in Dolby Digital and DTS decoders. The player also has a subwoofer output to plug into an active floor shaker--and this will let you enjoy the benefits of a subwoofer with your stereo speakers even if you do not have a surround receiver or separate center and rear surround speakers. We listened to the depth charges and flying bolts in Das Boot and got ready to don our life vests, the sound was that good (even without a subwoofer). Along with Dolby and DTS, the player has two levels of Virtual Surround Sound for an ersatz multichannel audio experience. This feature is merely okay, nothing more or less. After listening to a few other soundtracks, we popped in some compact discs and found the audio quality rich and full, not thin or tinny as with other affordable DVD players. The player handles CD-R/RW audio discs and MP3-encoded discs. We burned an old Etta Jones disc on a PC and put it in the new DVD/CD changer. It read and played it back without a hitch. The key to any good electronics component--besides its performance--is its human interface: in this case the remote control, onscreen menus, and owner's manual. It was here the Panasonic did not live up to the high standards set by its video and audio performance. The layout of the keys of the remote is not as intuitive as it could be. It's also a DVD-only remote (no TV controls) and lacks lighted keys. The basic onscreen menu is legible, however, and a breeze to use for frequently used topics (audio, video, subtitles). Even still, drilling down a level or three to change picture quality brings up small icons whose purpose is difficult to discern, though the owner's manual helps. On the plus side, you can move the icon bars to the center of the screen to read them more easily. The bottom line? Highly recommended. An excellent five-disc DVD/CD changer that takes just a little time to learn how to use. --David Elrich Pros:
- Excellent picture and sound performance
- Component-video output connections
- Subwoofer output for systems without surround sound
- Handles CD-R/RW and MP3 files
- Disc indicator tells you if a loaded disc is a CD (green light) or DVD (orange)
Cons:
- DVD-only remote, no lighted keys
- Onscreen icons and remote not as intuitive as they should be
- Lacks built-in Dolby Digital or DTS decoders
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