Goodmans GDVD124

Author's product rating:   

Picture Playback
Sound Level
Range of Features
Durability
Value for Money

Advantages:	stylish, excellent quality price, many features, good after sales service
Disadvantages:	out of stock

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

DVDs is great for little children who like to watch their cartoons over and over again. No matter how many times you play a DVD the quality will always be the same. This is why we decided to buy a DVD player.
On top of that, a DVD offers a remarkable colour reproduction. It provides far superior picture and sound quality than a VHS tape.
DVD's do not deteriorate like VHS tapes over time or wear out with excessive use.
DVD's are fairly flexible in what they can do. They add the option of multiple camera angles, different movie ratings, and so on.
Other advantages include; the ability to play audio CD's in a DVD video player, and since DVD videodisks are smaller, they are easier to store than VHS videotapes.

When choosing any electronic device you have to ask yourself what features do you really need. I was looking for something reasonably priced and ease of use, at least 2.1 audio system, a region code 2 and able to play MP3s.
A comparison site helped in the decision making and after few days of shopping around we opted for a Goodmans GDVD-124 with a Goodmans GHC-35cinema system.
For me it was a winner. Not only it features what I wanted but has more to it.

I was thrilled to remove the packaging and find the DVD player unit, an infrared remote, a scart cable, 2 AA batteries for the control and the user’s guide.
First of all, I loaded the batteries in the control and put it away so that I could test it once the unit is fully operational.
I then had a glance at the back of the player. It is full of output terminals and looks pretty complicated. The connection to the TV may well be harder than I thought. But not at all, it was very simple and was done in no time.

The secret is to follow the instruction manual and voila. You are guided step by step and if you do what is said in the book, it is a piece of cake.
When we ordered this package, it was not only featuring a DVD unit but also the 2.1 cinema system. It was inclusive of a super-woofer, 2 speakers (called satellite) and 2 speaker stands. The finish is still in silvery grey. Very nice of course, with smooth lines and an attractive design.
The whole thing came to a price of just under £200, a very good price indeed.
To my mind it is the best choice (after my digital camera) I have ever done in electronics. But I am afraid to say that as far as I am concerned they do not manufacture them anymore.
I got to know that when I realised a function of the sub wasn’t working. So I phoned the place where I bought it. What a waste of time. Apparently we bought the last in stock. The sales team recommended we get directly in touch with Goodmans and try to get a replacement. Or alternatively we could return the whole unit to them and choose another product. That was something I wasn’t even considering. I was satisfied with it and the only thing I wanted is another sub. So we called the Goodmans HQ and the customer service team kindly sent another one. But Goodmans said we were lucky to get it as they interrupted their production but they didn’t say why. Hmmm, I wonder now.

Let’s write the technical terms now.

Specification:
It plays DVD SVCD/CVD VCD/DVCD CD-MP3 CD-DA to the maximum capacity of 650MB or 74 minutes depending on the format and up to 4.7GB (2 hours of play) for single layer DVD and 9.4GB (4.5hours of play) for double layers DVD.
It also plays mini-discs.
Video-format is MPEG 1, MPEG 2
Audio format is MPEG 1, LAYER 1, LAYER 2, and LAYER 3
Signal output: PAL/NTSC
DOLBY DIGITAL/DTS
1 scar socket
1 headphone socket
Regional code is 2 meaning able to play disc manufactured in Europe, Middle East and Japan.
(You can update your DVD player to multiregion or region free code by taking it to an electronics shop, which will do the recommended operation.)
It has a fairly rectangular shape, its dimension are W432 x D310 x H80mm, it
weighs 4kg and has a silvery grey colour finish.

Features:
*On screen display: -DVD mode: current title, current and total chapter, playback time counter, current and total view angle, play pause stop search skip icon, subtitle, current and total languages, audio tracks, digital sound track type, repeat chapter.
-CD-MP3 mode: current and total directory, current and total track, playback time counter, repeat, play pause skip stop search icon.

*Screensaver: when no operation or button is activated within 18 seconds an automatic screensaver appears with a floating DVD logo to protect the TV screen.

*Remote functions buttons:
- Display: on screen display menu bar
- 4 cursors with an “Enter” cursor in the middle to confirm an entry
- Select: to select an entry
- Clear: to clear an entry
- Return: to return to previous page
- PAL/NTSC: TV output system
- Numeric keys allow you to program chapter or track
- GOTO is a search function
- Repeat: play back chapter, track
- Prog: allows to set a programming (available only with certain DVDs)
- Menu activates the disc main menu
- Title: when pressed will play from the existing disc title
- Zoom: enlarge up to 4 times pictures
- Sub title off/on
- Angle: different view angles are offered

*Rating level password: this DVD player has a preset password so that it can’t play DVDs with a higher rating level than the one already programmed. It is acting like a child lock and can be changed.

I think I have put the major functions and features of this very good DVD unit. I need now to write about the 2.1 system that comes with it but not today. Not that I had enough already but my daughters are now out of bed and are calling on me.

Hope you enjoyed it.