JVC XV-S 42

...not that expensive) then the JVC XV-S42 DVD player may be the one for you.

I am always trying to keep up to date with all the latest technology. DVD players have been around since about 1996, but only now do people seem to be madly buying them. I wanted to be a part of this insanity and so I bought my first DVD player at Christmas. Although I spent all my money on it, it was definitely worth it. I have not regretted buying it, and ...
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I bought the JVC XV-S42 DVD player on Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) for £150. This is an excellent price for a DVD player as they can be extremely expensive. I have seen worse DVD players for £300. The JVC DVD player has a stylish and slim line design and it looks much more expensive than it actually is.

When it arrived and I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was how 'slim' it seemed to be. Supposedly it is a new design ... more

As you may or may not know, the DVD (Digital Versatile Disc/Digital Video Disc) is the latest in film watching technology. The DVD is the same shape as an ordinary CD for a PC or CD player. They can hold a lot more data than the VHS and this is why you will find so many features on a DVD, such as deleted scenes and interviews as well as the full-length movie. The picture and sound quality of a film on a DVD is undoubtedly better than on VHS. This is why so many people are chucking out their old video players, and are now forking out loads of cash to buy an expensive DVD player. If you are one of these people who are looking for a DVD player (that is not that expensive) then the JVC XV-S42 DVD player may be the one for you.

I am always trying to keep up to date with all the latest technology. DVD players have been around since about 1996, but only now do people seem to be madly buying them. I wanted to be a part of this insanity and so I bought my first DVD player at Christmas. Although I spent all my money on it, it was definitely worth it. I have not regretted buying it, and I think I made an excellent choice.

I bought the JVC XV-S42 DVD player on Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) for £150. This is an excellent price for a DVD player as they can be extremely expensive. I have seen worse DVD players for £300. The JVC DVD player has a stylish and slim line design and it looks much more expensive than it actually is.

When it arrived and I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was how 'slim' it seemed to be. Supposedly it is a new design and it only measures at 435mm wide, and 68mm high. This is quite small, and I had no trouble fitting it in my chosen destination. The second thing I noticed was how light it was. It is very light at 2.6kg, but it is solidly constructed, and nothing has fallen off of it since I bought it! It is silver in colour (but you can also get it in black). It has a black LCD panel at the bottom, which juts out a bit, giving it a more stylish look. It only has a few buttons on the front of the DVD player, which deals mainly with the DVD playback functions. It comes with a remote control, which is also stylish looking and goes well with the DVD player. All the buttons are easily accessible, and you can use the remote to select channels, control the DVD/CD and use the menus.

**FEATURES**

For only £150 you would expect this DVD player to have hardly any features under its stylish shell. However, you would be wrong to assume this. It boasts a remarkable amount of features for its price.

The set up menu is clear and concise. This makes setting up the DVD player quick and easy. The menu contains just four main sections: Language, Audio, Display and System. After it is setup you can do whatever you want!

All the menus are quick and easily navigated. This allows for easy access to many of the DVD players features. Such as:

· Many "Theatre" pre-sets. These alter the shade and colour of the picture, according to what film genre you are watching!
· Zoom (magnifies picture by 100%),
· Slow Motion,
· Four-speed picture search,
· Digest and Strobe modes,
· Repeat Play,
· Onscreen display,
· Multi-angle capability,
· Screensaver (when enabled the screensaver will come on after being idle for a while),
· Screen type (Widescreen or normal, whichever suits your television the best),
· High-bit/High sampling (10-bit/27MHz) Video D/A converter (reduces signal loss and digital noise, ensuring better picture quality),
· S-video and composite video outputs,
· 1-bit P.E.M. D.D. Converter with 96kHz/24-bit audio resolution (provides superior sound performance),
· 3D Phono (makes the sound clearer when using only two speakers),
· Compatible with: DVD, CD, VCD (Video CD), CD-R (CD-Recordable) and CD-RW (CD-Rewritable),
· Compatible with PAL and NTSC DVDs,
· And compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1, MPEG and DTS sound formats.

**SPECIFICATIONS**

Dimensions (W x H x D).....435 x 68 x 267.5mm

Outputs.....RGB capable 21-pin SCART, Composite and S-video jacks, Digital optical and coaxial outputs, Analogue stereo, 5.1 audio.

**PROBLEMS**

There are not a lot of buttons on the actual DVD player itself, and these are mainly for playback functions. Some may say this is a problem, but I think it just makes the DVD player easier to use and understand.

Although the sound is very good, it would be even better with surround sound. This would cost a lot more money, but it is not essential. I do not have surround sound and I am happy enough without it.

To give you a better idea of what the DVD player is like, I have given different aspects of the DVD player a rating out of 10, and I have explained why I have given it that rating.

*LOOKS..10*

The DVD player is very stylish and expensive looking. I think the DVD player is aimed more at simplicity rather than looks, but it looks great all the same!

*EASE OF USE..10*

Simple and clear menus and buttons allow easy set-up and navigation of the DVD player and its functions.

*FEATURES..10*

It has a lot of excellent and useful features that make the DVD player much more desirable. It is also fun playing around with everything. There is so much you can do!

*PICTURE..9*

The picture is excellent but in some brighter areas there can be a bit of solarisation. This is not a major problem and not always noticeable, but I am just picky! It may just be television.

*SOUND..8*

The sound is also excellent, but surround sound is needed to get the most out of the DVD players capabilities.

*VALUE FOR MONEY..10*

The value of the DVD player is very cheap for what it can do. It is definitely a bargain at this price (£150).

*OVERALL...9*

In conclusion, the JVC XV-S42 is an excellent DVD player. It has great looks, and all the features to go with it. It has a few very small things that could be improved, but I have not seen a product that doesn't. It is compatible with a wide range of discs, and sound formats. This makes it one of the best DVD players I have seen and for the best price. It would look great in anyone's living room! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a DVD player.

I hope this opinion has been of help to you!
 

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