- Dolby Digital and DTS output
- Component, composite, and S-video outputs
- Onscreen bit-rate meter
- Perfect still-picture frame advance
- DVD-video, Video CD, audio CD, CD-R, and CD-RW playback
Technical Details
Product Details
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Product Description
Amazon.com Review
"Value packed" is a phrase that accurately describes Philips' DVD711AT DVD-video player. This simple yet high-performance model offers a slew of connection options; the ability to play back DVD-video, audio CDs, Video CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs; and very fine picture and sound quality. To top it off, the DVD711AT's remote control is uncomplicated yet highly effective.
In terms of performance, this is a honey of a DVD player. Picture quality is among the best we've seen in this price range, with a fine color balance, good black level, and fine resolution of detail. The sound quality is quite good too, though audio purists will always prefer the sound from a quality dedicated CD player.
When it comes time to plug the DVD711AT into your system, you may choose from component video, S-video, or composite video outputs, coaxial or optical digital audio outputs, and two pair of stereo analog outputs. However, the DVD711AT does not offer a headphone jack, which may be a concern if you prefer stealth-mode listening sessions.
Despite their ubiquitous nature, remote controls are very personal items. Some prefer massive wands with complex arrays of buttons and gobs of macro controls. If you're in this camp, then the DVD711AT's small, contoured, very simple remote may be a disappointment. We happen to come from the other school of remote appreciation, and very much like the DVD711AT's remote for its simplicity and ease of navigation. The onscreen display (OSD) controls are highlighted in yellow with small icons, so with the touch of one of five buttons you can change subtitles, language tracks, camera angle, zoom, or titles and chapters--nifty! Of course, in an ideal world this remote would also be illuminated, but in this price range that remains a dream, not reality.
Speaking of OSD, the one here is very easy to manage and refreshingly clean, as opposed to some of the large and difficult menus we often encounter. We're still not crazy about the bright blue and rather large display window Philips uses on its front panels, but as long as the player is to the side of your TV this won't be a major distraction.
There's little else to add. The Philips DVD711AT proved to be a clean machine with a fine balance of features and quality and deserves a strong recommendation. --Wayne Garcia
Pros:
- Excellent picture quality
- Component and S-video outputs
- Coaxial digital output
- Plays CD-Rs and CD-RWs
- Sweet little remote
Cons:
- Bright display can be distracting
- No headphone jack
Amazon.com Product Description
The Philips DVD711AT DVD player uses discrete dual-laser pickup technology to provide the best possible picture and sound with both DVD- and CD- formatted discs. Along with a 10-bit video digital-to-analog converter and a 96 kHz, 24-bit audio digital-to-analog converter, the player offers coaxial and optical digital outputs and virtual surround sound.
Other technical features include a perfect still-picture frame advance function, multiple viewing angles and zoom capabilities, and an onscreen bit-rate meter. On the connectivity front, the player incorporates component, composite, and S-Video outputs.
Additional features include a headphone jack with volume control and an onscreen menu system. The Philips DVD711AT is also equipped with a PIN-lock parental control system to prevent children from watching up to 80 preprogrammed discs on the family DVD player.
Philips provides a warranty of one year on parts and 90 days on labor.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
146 of 147 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Technology is Upgradeable,
By
This review is from: Philips DVD711AT DVD Player (Electronics)
I don't have a need for a very expensive DVD player right now. To be honest, I don't think the performance features are worth the price jump. I own some pretty serious audiophile equipment; however, I don't have a high-definition TV, so I can't comment on digital imagery. I've purchased many DVD cheapo units before, and to be honest, linear branching seems to be the most problematic trouble symptom for many players. Philips didn't necessarily outshine the competition, but it is a much more solid performer in general. You get tiny pauses between linear branches (dual layer switches), which are hardly noticeable and compared to the other DVD players that require firmware upgrades to fix the lockups, the Philips is champion. I owned the GE 1105P and 1106P and they were nightmares. They would skip over chapters and lock up, so I was very close to buying a very expensive unit. I happened upon the 711 and boy am I glad I did. It isn't that it is a flawless machine, but what a lot of people don't realize is that it is upgradeable. This means, that if it can't run a DVD (which I haven't noticed and I've played all of the trouble makers) or a technology like VCDs, Philips can mail you a disc to pop in the unit and it will flash the BIOS and fix the problem. This should be a standard feature in all DVD players. What I'm hoping for is for an upgrade that will allow this unit to become MP3 compatible. I don't know if they will, but it certainly is possible, notice "Feature Upgradeable" on the box. Even salesmen don't have a clue as to what that means. People who are complaining about the unit struggling with CD-R/W and VCDs, most likely have a legit concern, but the good news is that it can be fixed without having to ship it to Philips or having to take it to a repair shop. In the long run, being able to download a patch off the Internet, burn it to CD and pop it into your DVD player will be much more convenient than having to ship the unit out. It is a brand new product, and with most brand new products, there will be a few bugs, but in this case they can be user-patched which is a big plus. Philips doesn't have any Web site up for this unit yet, but I'll be thrilled when they do. The thought of being able to upgrade to a new technology, format, or being able to troubleshoot discs that won't play, far outweighs the minor performance issues. I'm basing my review on DVD performance and CD performance. I don't care if it can play VCDs or CD-R/W flawlessly, because most DVD players in this price range can't play CD-R/Ws and VCDs at all. Philips gave us a dual-laser setup, so playing CDs is just as fast as an ordinary CD player. Taking into consideration that you can get this unit for sub $200, it is a bargain. My opinion is is as follows: Who the heck buys a DVD player to play CD-R/Ws or VCDs in this price range anyway? It is just an extra bonus that it can play these formats as well as it does. Both of these issues could be addressed if people report it to Philips. Perhaps the person who said Philips responded by saying that these performance issues weren't problems, didn't give Philips a chance to explain why they weren't problems. All I can say, after dealing with Thomson Electronics (GE, RCA) products, is that Philips tech-support seemed real honest to me. Thomson Electronics wouldn't even admit that their players had performance issues. Philips seemed to acknowledge the possibility that future problems could arise. That's why this disc upgradeable DVD player is revolutionary. No problem is a problem when you can flash your own BIOS. Don't hesitate to at least check it out. You can spend $500 if you want, but think about what you really need. If you already have a CD-Player, you're not going to have any problems. If you do, call Philips for a patch or download one yourself.
88 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
You get what you pay for.,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Philips DVD711AT DVD Player (Electronics)
I bought this player to replace my DVD-ROM drive, which was hopelessly fickle about playing DVDs. The good thing about the Philips DVD711 is that it has yet to reject one of my DVDs. It is an inexpensive player with great audio and a lot of options for a player of its cost. That said, the system does have its flaws, though minor ones. It shows no indication of being able to support DVD-R, a format which it is said to be compatible with in the technical specification on Amazon, but not mentioned once in the manual. Additionally, the player seems chained to its remote control. If you lose the remote or it gets broken, you lose all access to the on screen menu and navigation capability, as there are no navigation or menu buttons on the player itself. Don't let what appears to be a fast-forward/rewind jog-dial on the front fool you either. Accessing the frame advance, zoom, and other advanced features means dealing with the sometimes cryptic hierarchical on-screen menu system. If a track has multiple angles, an on screen display in the form of a semitransparent box shows you which angle you're currently viewing. The only problem with this is that there is no way to disable it, and it invades the picture space like a Borg cube ready to assimilate your movie. That's a little harsh of course, but one would think the main purpose of a DVD player is to provide quality DVD playback at all times. This is not user error, the manual specifically states, "The angle icon remains displayed until multiple angles are no longer available." However, these are relatively small issues. Few DVD titles include multiple-angle tracks, DVD-R has yet to become popular, and most of us try to keep our remote controls where they can be found. If you're looking for a cheap DVD player that gets the job done, this is a good buy.
59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Picture and Sound,
By A Customer
This review is from: Philips DVD711AT DVD Player (Electronics)
I purchased the DVD 711 despite a lack of information available. Even the Philips web site does not acknowledge its existence yet. The unit is light but sturdy. The picture is first rate with perfect still frames. I'm using the S-Video output (no cable provided) but it does include component video out if you can use it. Sound is awesome, although I am using only the Digital dolby stereo out to a receiver, not the available DTS. The unit has any features I can imagine wanting - 4X and 32X search forwards and reverse, 1/8x, 1/4x, and 1/2x slow motion, muti-angle, three level zoom (on still frames), and it reads CD-R/RW. No glitches through the first 3 discs. Unfortunately, the remote is small and relies too much on the on-screen display, adding multiple key strokes. Slo-mo can take 5 or 6 keys to get there. This is a small annoyance, and most commonly used functions are well laid out. There is a slight delay between pressing keys and a response, and I often find I need to press a second time very firmly to input. Considering the price though, this unit is a great bargain. It certainly is worth a look by anyone looking for a unit.
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