Panasonic DVD-RV30 DVD Player

Other products by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [1.69mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 17 x 3.2 inches ; 6.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004R8VM
• Item model number: DVD-RV30
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,022 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Review
Good things really do come in small boxes, like the tidy and modestly priced DVD-RV30U DVD player from Panasonic.

While measuring a standard 17 inches wide, the DVD-RV30U stands just 3.25 inches high, making this model an easier fit than most for crowded equipment racks or TV stands.

Despite its diminutive proportions, this DVD player boasts exemplary image and sound reproduction, along with a host of extras. Pictures are delivered via component video as well as S-video and composite jacks. First-rate performance of Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic, and PCM/stereo sound tracks is achieved via an optical digital output and single pair of conventional RCA jacks, plus a surprising subwoofer jack.

The long list of desirable extra features on this unit includes several innovations that we've never come upon before. We appreciated how quickly play began when we loaded a DVD into this machine's motorized tray--bringing up picture and sound in as little as 5 to 7 seconds. In other players, the norm for disc initializing and start-up is closer to 10 seconds. (CD play starts more slowly in this machine, with an average 11-second kickoff for the first song.)

Impatient types will also appreciate the maximum 100x normal speed scanning, which renders surprisingly clear pictures onscreen. If you're not in quite such a hurry, double speed--the slowest of the five fast-scan modes--is accompanied by an intelligible soundtrack. (This trick play only works in the fast-forward direction and can be disabled.)

For late-night home theater viewing, when you don't want to disturb sleepers, the DVD-RV30U offers a dialogue enhancement feature. Designed so that intelligibility is not lost when the system is playing at a very low overall volume, this circuit jacks up the relative volume level of just the center channel.

Been hankering for a bit more rumble in the cinematic jungle than your stereo TV's mostly midrange speakers can provide? The DVD-RV30U offers another cool sound feature--a separate output jack for delivering otherwise lost low-frequency soundtrack information to a self-powered subwoofer. Because bass signals are nondirectional, low-level information extracted from both left and right channels is mixed by the player into one output channel, and only one subwoofer needs to be used.

Other neat Panasonic touches address the mating of this player to a stereo TV. The Advanced Virtual Surround Sound (VSS) circuit works remarkably well in expanding the imaging from a two-speaker setup. By tricking the ear with precise time delay and phase-shifting cues, it creates the impression of sound coming from the listener's sides. For best results with VSS, sit precisely centered between the two speakers, at a distance equal to four times the width from speaker to speaker.

The player's ergonomics are also thoughtfully executed. The front panel is clean and attractive, befitting its slim-line dimensions. Likewise, the remote is small and easily gripped, with buttons that are logically arranged and offer a good feel. Unfortunately, the buttons aren't backlit, and, in limiting button clutter, many of the DVD-RV30U's program play functions and customizable features are only accessible and adjustable onscreen. Fortunately, that's made easier with an onscreen, Windows-like toolbar display (with drop-downs) that runs across the top of the screen. We especially liked the neat slide-rule graphic that pinpoints the percentage of a program already viewed, as well as the proportion yet to be viewed.

The only place we think Panasonic has cut corners is in the jack pack--building in only one set of audio outs, with no coaxial digital out, and no headphone jack. If you can suffer these minor shortcomings, however, you'll find satisfaction galore in the DVD-RV30U.

Pros:

• Slim-line dimensions let it slip into tiny spaces
• First-rate picture and sound reproduction
• Outstanding array of video and audio trick play features
• Sensible remote control

Cons:

• No headphone jack and no coaxial output
• Remote isn't backlit
• Cinema enhancement mode produces minimal improvements

Product Description
It's a digital world. A world where sound surrounds you and pictures dazzled the imagination. It's a world where the excitement of the movies is captured and brought to life on a simple five-inch disc - the size of a CD. Welcome to the incredible world of DVD. As a leader in digital technology, Panasonic made possible and forever changed the face of home theater. Panasonic has packed big-screen excitement into the world's smallest and lightest DVD player. Come and experience the ultimate in home theatre entertainment.The DVD-RV30 comes with advanced features to offer you a full cinema experience. It features advanced virtual surround sound (AVSS), letting you enjoy the thrilling sounds of the cinema without an elaborate home theater system. In addition to the usual left and right channel audio jacks, the DVD-RV30 comes equipped with an exclusive subwoofer output. Through an on-screen menu icon, you can choose to send bass tones to the subwoofer output for reproduction. Cinema mode lessens glare, giving you colors that are more cinema-like and improves the visibility of details in dark scenes by automatically adjusting picture contrast. Discrete Component Video Out allows for high quality transmission of digital video to compatible video equipment. 10-bit Video D/A Converter gives amazing picture quality. Still Picture Display (I/P/B) freezes an image to allow for precise picture quality adjustments. Dialogue Enhancer makes the dialog channel clearly audible over the other sound channels.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

136 of 136 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sound and video quality with a few subtle flaws, August 4, 2000

By	kiwiplex (Tulsa, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This Panasonic DVD player is made in Japan, and comes with a plethora of useful features; cinema video setting, dialogue enhancer, "resume" function (will resume movie from where it was left off even after powering off the unit), DTS and DD output (you still need a receiver with the decoder) and excellent image quality.

It plays all of the major DVD titles including problem discs such as "the Matrix with outstanding picture quality and sound. I liked that this unit did not display the annoying layer change delay common in other models. It was seamless

On the down side, there was no Chapter access from the remote. What I mean is that I was unable to access the Chapters directly via the numeric pad. I think the only way to access the Chapter directly (say from Chapter 1 to Chapter 18) is by pressing the display button first, then pressing the fast forward button once to C, and then enter the Chapter number via the numeric pad. This is very cumbersome.

The remote could also be larger and backlit.

Overall, the image and soud quality are excellent and the player performs well with any DVD. It dous not earn five stars because of the faulty chapter access feature and the remote - but these may be flaws many users will not mind at all.

Hope this helps.

115 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best DVD Player in its Class!, December 29, 2000

By	Z. Mahdavi (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have owned a DVD-ROM drive since they were first introduced three years ago. I thought that DVD-ROM would be the standard media by now, but I guess I was wrong. The picture is very bad and movies on the player look like slide shows! So I decided to get a DVD player.

I researched for several months for the right player. I researched models from Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, and Pioneer. I wanted to buy a player for around $250 that only played one disc (I didn't need a multidisc model) and had excellent picture and sound quality. Also, I didn't need a player with Dolby Digital or DTS decoders built-in to the player. My receiver could do that. After researching and researching, I became interested in the Sony DVP-S360, the Pioneer DV-333, and the Panasonic DVD-RV30 player. All three players are good players, but people have been complaining that Sony's "PrecisionDrive" is very loud especially in the quiet scenes of a movie, which could get kind of annoying. Also, many reviewers were saying that the Sony produces a nice, but "soft" picture, not a crisp DVD-like picture. Many reviewers complained that the Pioneer DV-333 is not built well and also produces a soft picture.

Everyone seemed to love the Panasonic DVD-RV30 DVD player. They all said that it produced a very clear, crisp, and vivid picture that rivaled the $1000+ DVD players and that the sound it produced was great. Also, since Panasonic is offering a $50 mail-in-rebate, I decided to buy the Panasonic DVD-RV30.

Setup took me five minutes. I took the player out of the box, plugged the power cord in, plugged the TV cable in (only composite cables are included with the player), and inserted the batteries in my remote. That was it!

This player has many features including:

Virtual Surround Sound (VSS): Uses your stereo system's speakers or your TV speakers to produce delays in the sound recreating a surround sound experience. This is personally one of my favorite features of the player. I thought it would be a gimmick that didn't work, but it works really well! I am amazed at the sound produced when VSS is on!

Dialogue Enhancer: Dialogue enhancer is supposed to increase the center channel of your home theater system by 6 DB which allows for the dialogue to come out clearer. Even on a normal TV system, dialogue enhancer definitely improves those DVDs where the dialogue is so hard to hear. I usually always leave dialogue enhancer on. Also, at night, I can turn the sound down and yet still understand what people are saying. This way, I won't wake up my family! :-)

Digital Cinema Mode: Supposed to improve the detail of the picture in dark scenes. I personally have not used this feature yet.

A direct-bass output is also featured. It allows you to connect your player directly to a subwoofer to enjoy the same kind of bass effects you would only usually get through a home theater system.

Other features include component video out, S-video out, and optical sound output for Dolby Digital and DTS. I am currently testing this player using just composite cables, and the picture is so amazingly clear on just composite cables! It is like you are in the movie when you use component video output cables, but your TV must support it. Check your TV manual to see whether it supports component video, S-video, or composite cable connections.

The remote is very intuitive and easy to use. All of the features the player is capable of is easily accessible through the remote. My only complaint is that you can't select a chapter in any sort of one-click way. That would have been a great feature, but it is not necessary.

I really like the resume feature this player has. If you decide to stop to run an errand in the middle of movie, even if you turn off the player and back on, the player will "remember" where you were in the movie and immediately take you there!

I have to agree with all of the reviews I read. Sound quality and picture quality is superb! Details are very crisp and easy to see, and fast action scenes are like a walk-in-the-park for this player. I threw all kinds of movies at my player, and it didn't seem to stress at all with any kind of scene. Even layer changes are very smooth. I did not even notice a single hint of a layer change in the movies I watched.

Finally, after playing about four hours worth of movies, the player did not get hot at all. The DVD inside the player wasn't even hot. Everything about this player seems very solid and will last a lifetime.

All in all, this player has to be one of the best players out onthe market right now, literally.

111 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very nice and affordable player, June 22, 2000

By	Adam (up and over to the left, USA) - See all my reviews

This entry-level DVD player comes with some nice features. The Virtual Surround Sound may not be completely obvious on all DVDs but it certainly enhances the quality of the sound for a good cinematic experience even if you are like me and only have to speakers. The Cinema button on the player is supposed to clarify darker scenes and make the picture more theatrical. It does lighten the scenes a bit but you will probably find yourself keeping that function off and allowing the darker scenes to be dark; only turning it on to find details in poorly lit scenes. The remote, though small, is quite easy to use and you can adjust to it quickly. Many of the buttons are a little small, but you rarely use the features on the small buttons anyway. Overall, I give this five stars for getting everything necessary and a little more for [the price]. So, if you are looking for the best DVD player at entry level, I would choose this one...oh yeah, the one-year warranty is always nice, too.