Pioneer DV444 Progressive-Scan DVD Player (Silver)

Other products by Pioneer

Product Details

Product Manual [3.76mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 5.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 9 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005O4JH
• Item model number: dv444
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #164,051 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 17, 2005

Product Description

From Digital Living Today
In order to keep up with the multiplying media formats born of the latest audio-visual technology, it used to be necessary to have a ridiculously large stack of devices and decoders to play them. But now, in an effort to streamline design and reduce the clutter of redundancy, Pioneer has come out with a state-of-the-art DVD player that can use its motor and tray to decode a wide variety of CD formats. In short, the DV444 is a full-featured, sleek-looking, single-play DVD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW/VCD/MP3 player. And what's even better about Pioneer's new machine is that it does all of this superbly. Progressive Scan Output (a method to increase image resolution), works together with separated audio and video circuits for ultra-clean, noise-free images and sound. A plethora of inputs and outputs allow you to hang onto your multitude of other appliances, in the event that you can't bear to part with them.

Product Description
The DV-444 offers truly superior performance in a super-slim package. Progressive scan output, high-end error correction and tracking, and separate audio and video circuits just begin to tell the story. This machine was engineered and built for demanding AV enthusiasts who want a lot, in a little space.So sleek and stylish it will work anywhere - thanks to the drive mechanism, which has been reduced in size to 5.5 cm height! Get a kick out of playing MP3 files and find your favorite songs through the easy file navigation function shown on-screen. The latest technology is included, like SRS TruSurround, which creates a virtual sound field to give the impression of surround sound. Create one of the slimmest Digital Home Cinema combinations by combining this unit with the ultra-slim VSX-C300 A/V receiver and the matching S-V50-K or S-V50-QL Home Cinema Speaker set.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

166 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Player for All Reasons, September 21, 2001

By	"azstrider" (Phoenix, Az United States) - See all my reviews

Bought this player in September/2001. It has an excellent range of hook-up options including a full range of digital and analog alternatives. This means that it will fit whatever configuration you have and will take advantage of the top end features of your other units (monitor/TV/amplifier/receiver). It also means that it will be able to grow along with your system. The manual is well structured and steps you through the hookup and basic setup quickly. You can then move into the custom setup to mix and match to your preferences and the other components of your system. Once you get used to the on screen menu with navigation through the features and options then finer tuning of your setup is a piece of cake.
The player features are as advertised including the Audio CD (off-the-shelf and burned) and MP3 playback and navigation functions. I was looking primarily for progressive scan DVD features and was not disappointed. The quality of image is excellent and it is able to drive my Hitachii projection TV better than the older Pioneer DVD/LD player that it replaced (being retired to another room with our LD collection).
The slimline features and easy to read display make this unit easy to fit into any setup. If you have a TV/DVD setup in mind, then the feature of being able to control both the set and player from the one control will come in handy. The unit does a good job of self identifying the features of your components as well as the media that you have fed it. It takes the guesswork out of setup and operations.

Bottom Line: I'd highly recommend the Pioneer DVD-444 if you are looking for a first time DVD/CD unit, an extension to your existing setup or an upgrade to a DVD unit that can deliver a higher quality image.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding player for now & the future, December 2, 2001

By A Customer

This is quite a find. The Pioneer 444 is simple to use, has an ultra-thin profile (1 rack-unit in height), and has the progressive scan features that will make it a viable player for those who will someday switch to a 16:9 television. It has both coaxial and optial digital audio outputs, as well as S-Video, standard RCA, and component video outputs. The on-screen menu has both a "basic" and "advnaced" mode, and the quality of the unit is what we have come to expect from an industry leader like Pioneer. And if that price at Amazon remains (...), this is one of the greatest bargains in the DVD world. It is a top-quality player for now, and for years to come. The only players better than this are those with true 1080i (HDTV) and optical video cable compatibility. But this player will still be compatible with the new televisions, unlike most DVD players sold before. This is a solid investment.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very solid player, January 13, 2002

By	David (Laguna Niguel, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I have had this machine for three months now and have a high end home theater system. I have been using laser discs since the invention of AC-3 and had two other DVD players before this one. I can say that this has been the most solid player to date the the sound and video output are awesome. I would highly recommend this player to anyone seeking a high quality player that supports most new and old formats in the DVD universe today.