Daewoo 9000S5

Author's product rating:   

Picture Playback	Good
Sound Level	Good
Range of Features	Average
Durability	Excellent
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Low cost, no problems, consistent playback
Disadvantages:	lack of functionality (especially without the remote ! )

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I bought this player from Amazon 2 years ago for £32.99 - It was a bargain, and I'm still pretty pleased with my buy. Came with remote control, instructions (which were good), and a SCART cable, which is always a bonus!

It looks fairly standard, almost nicely designed... but somehow lacking. There is a bit of a mix of colours on the front - blue panelling, green standby/on light and turquoise display, which (a) makes it seem like a mish-mash of other DVD players, and (b) somehow reminds me of the old BBC computers from the 80s.

The low price is reflected by this, and the clunky buttons, and slightly awkward and bumbling motion of the disc-tray when in ejects.

Having said this, it plays discs extremely well. It is multi-region and has no problems with DVDs from any region. It also plays CDs, mp3s, VCDs etc. with an excellent and easy to use interface and menu selection.

The picture and sound quality are great, so no complaints there. You rarely get that "blocky" screen that sometimes happens with cheap digital devices and there is never any problem with the sound - clear, crisp, good range of volumes.

It also features zoom, slow-motion and some other fun gimicks, but that's what they are. They are not THAT useful!

I have two "complaints" about the player. When it is playing, you can hear a strange whirring/screeching noise coming from the case. I imagine it's the cheap motor in there, but it can be a little distracting if you're watching a DVD with the volume down low. Secondly, if you lose the remote, or it runs out of battery, you are in trouble. The lack of buttons/controls on the player itself, means that you can only play whatever is selected when the DVD starts. Whether this is "play all" or "play episode one" is down to the DVD... but I find it annoying to be so dependant on the remote control (mostly because I tend to lose remote controls, and my car keys, all the time!).

Overall though, a solid piece of equipment. It plays well, and does it's job. And was so cheap, especially 2 years ago, when lots of players were selling for £200+. If you're on a budget, then get this. Otherwise, I'd recommend you look into a Phillips or Sony player. This is the workhorse of the DVD player market... it's not pretty, but it does the job (often while sweating and grunting).