JVC XV-501BK DVD Player

by JVC

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 17.1 x 4.4 inches ; 9.9 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 12 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00000JFJX
• Item model number: XV501BK
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #440,877 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

JVC's XV-501 DVD-Video player is brimming with fancy features, but the player still works like a solid, stripped-down model, never sacrificing quality for features. In fact, cool extras such as Illumi-Guide control (which gives you step-by-step instructions by illuminating only applicable keys), the preset universal remote (with joystick), and the CD Text function (which displays song and album titles on the TV screen and on the unit's display panel when playing CD Text-encoded discs) all pale beside the XV-501's stellar sound and picture.

JVC, developer of the audiophile extended-resolution compact disc (XRCD), knows a thing or two about audio. In the XV-501, JVC employs its own P.E.M.D.D. (Pulse Edge Modulation Differential-Linearity-Errorless D-to-A) Converter. We found the sound quality from the unit's two-channel analog outputs markedly better--more "open," with outstanding depth and detail--than the sound from other players in its general price range, especially in playing 24-bit, 96-kHz musical programs. The XV-501 also sports the now-obligatory combination of Dolby Digital and DTS surround outputs, though you have no choice but to channel these through a Toslink optical digital connector as the player does not offer a coaxial output--an option common to most players these days.

It's becoming traditional for manufacturers to provide some form of "virtual surround" compensation for users who don't yet have surround setups. JVC's is called 3D Phonic--and while we heartily recommend the player, we cannot recommend that you use this feature, which merely sets the sound awash in phasey reverb.

On the video side, the XV-501 has all the trimmings: a composite video output for standard TVs; an S-Video output for delivery of 500-plus lines of resolution to compatible TVs; and a state-of-the-art component video output, which divides the color spectrum into three primary bands for a cleaner picture at the viewing end (on a compatible set, of course).

While the S-Video and component-video images looked very good, the composite-video image was a touch grainier than might be desired. This trait is ameliorated, however, by another of the XV-501's features, the Video Fine Processor (VFP). The VFP filters the component-video signal, using delay compensation and noise reduction to provide crisp, low-noise (low-interference) pictures. You can adjust the VFP positions to your taste: Sharp, Soft, or Manual.

The familiar computer-like graphical user interface (GUI) offers a menu from which you access the rest of the XV-501's features, which include digest, zoom, and strobe functions. The digest function shows the first scenes from nine titles (or chapters) on the disc in a 3-by-3-inch grid. You can choose the desired titles or chapter by moving the cursor to the appropriate scene. (DVDs themselves call this feature "scene selection.") The strobe function shows a series of consecutive stills in the 3-by-3-inch grid. The fun zoom function enlarges an area of the screen image to four times its normal size.

In all, this DVD-video player is a solid choice for any high-end home theater.

Pros:

• Above-average audio quality through analog outs
• Flexible video outputs
• Fast access time to tracks/chapters

Cons:

• Composite-video image slightly grainy
• No coaxial audio output

Amazon.com Product Description

Without question, DVD has revolutionized the audio and video world. As the leader in audio and video engineering, has developed its own DVD player. The size of a CD, DVD delivers the highest quality in sound and picture.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Problems with the JVC XV-501BK DVD Player, March 17, 2003

By 

Paul B Duke (Richland, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: JVC XV-501BK DVD Player (Electronics)

After a power fluctuation, my JVC player would only play G-rated movies, even with the parental controls turned off. Found out that the EEPROM needed to be reset and it solved the problem. I haven't had any problems with it where multi-layers is concerned. In fact this is one of the few machines that I haven't had that problem with. Anyone having problems with their machine should see about resetting the EEPROM. Great player otherwise.

3.0 out of 5 stars Problems with the JVC XV-501BK DVD Player, November 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: JVC XV-501BK DVD Player (Electronics)

As one of the earlier reviewers has written, the player could not play "Cruel Intentions" additionally my Player would not read "The Mummy" or "Saving Private Ryan". It will read my other DVDs. Question is what should I be looking for on the DVD to determine if my JVC will be able to read it. From the reviews it appears to have problems reading a "double layered" DVD.

5.0 out of 5 stars JVC vs Panasonic vs Toshiba - JVC wins!, October 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: JVC XV-501BK DVD Player (Electronics)

Picture and sound quality for sub-$500 players is pretty much splitting hairs. There are lots of goodies on all these players like DTS, Digital Dolby, optical outputs - but for me, these features don't really mean much to my system that consists of a 1984 Sony KV25XBR bolted to my stereo. What I was looking for was reliability, ease-of-use, price, cool features like zoom and some control over picture quality. I compared the Panasonic A110 (rented the machine), and a Toshiba 2109 (friend has one). I also looked at the Pioneer DV414 and DV525 at the store. The Panasonic seems to be a solid bare bones player, the remote was okay, but not great (tiny buttons) - construction seemed flimsy. The Toshiba 2109 was looking like the machine for me, except that I would toss the remote as far as possible and replace it with a universal. My friend with the Toshiba believes that using the remote is giving him carpal tunnel! Enter the JVC XV501BK - the remote is FABULOUS and the joystick is, well, a joy to use. The computer style GUI is a snap to navigate. The 4x ZOOM and PAN is great, and the VFP is neat - you can tweak the sharpness of the playback. The fit-and-finish of the player seemed just a cut above the Panasonic or the Toshiba, and more professional looking as well. And so it went - the JVC won my heart. I don't know if this model is being discountinued, but the store was clearing them out so I purchased this little gem for all of $269. I have now entered DVD heaven...