More reviews up on DVD.net.au, Stargate:Ultimate Edition and Happy Tree Friends, see all of my previous reviews here
I’ve also just bought a new DVD Player, Pioneer DV-676A, brand new model featuring:
Video
Audio
All that for AUS$235. It was a toss up between the Sony DVPNS780 and the DV-676A but at $100 less and essentially exactly the same features (and Divx playback and DVD-A/SACD decoders) the Pioneer won.
I’ll be writing a full review which will be published on dvd.net.au as soon as I’ve had some time to play with it (and buy a DVD-A or SACD disc).
I have done the same at Bankstown City HiFi in Aus. for AUD$230. This replaces my 655A which is the original version of this machine in Australia. I paid 4x times the price of the new machine in my original purchase of the 655A. I am staggered but delighted at this new price.
Here is the manual…. http://www.pioneer.com.sg/storefront/manual/DV-676A-S.pdf
I have accumulated many SACD and DVD-A discs and the new machine plays these and absolutely everything else beautifully. The reason I decided to move now was I recently bought a Pioneer 108 burner which does DVD+R DL (dual layer discs). These freeze on my 655A but the nice guys at Bankstown let me bring some discs to test and they worked fine on the 676A. Blank dual layer discs are very expensive at the moment AUD$12-13 but this shouldn’t be a problem for too long.
Pioneer have advanced the technology again and this little sucker (yes it’s actually smaller!!) is audibly superior in all modes… and the pictures are to the usual Pioneer high standards.
What are you all sitting there for? Go and snap up a great bargain!! Enjoy!
Paul