The recently launched Pioneer DV-490V is a fairly attractive unit with its conspicuous appearance and a number of intriguing features. Measuring a tad over 1 inch tall and 8 inches deep- it is smaller than the DVD players launched half a decade ago by quite a distance. All the important controls, including rewind, fast forward, stop, play and the like are located on the front. The one major feature missing in this otherwise versatile gadget is an LED that lets you know when the unit is powered up. Instead the LED feature included within lets you know when the HDMI connector is being used.
The unit like its contemporaries is compatible with most of the media files available in the market today, including DVDs, DVD-R/RW, CDs, CD-R/RW, WMA and MP3 audio types. To add to that, it can even playback movies encoded in DivX, which is really remarkable. Guys who like to flaunt their pictures will be fascinated by the built-in PhotoViewer as this unique feature supports JPEG pictures. The unit also has onboard encoders for Dolby Digital and DTS including a 24-bit/96kHz audio converter. It does, however, lack an onboard encoder for Dolby Digital Plus or DTS-HD, unlike more advanced units such as the Pioneer DV 989 AVI. But considering that it is a budget DVD player, this should not be any cause for concern, as you are literally saving hundreds by opting for a more affordable model.
When it comes to video, the unit has quite a number of tricks up its sleeve, including the especially noticeable MediaTek MPEG decoder feature. This amazing feature up-converts non copy-protected DVDs to either 720P or 1080i depending on your preferences; thereby, improving the image quality and consequently its overall performance.
Tags for this article: pioneer, Entertainment
