Pioneer DV-563A Review (1 Viewer)

[robertLP]

Thanks Shankar,

Actually, I had given up & just exchanged the player for a new one, and I don't have any problems now. I guess I just got a bum decoder or something.

I, too, am impressed by this player. A bargain for the $179 price...

Rob

 

[Bob U]

Hi folks,

Read a good part of this thread today and thanks for all of the information.

My Toshiba SD3109 died recently and would have cost more in parts to fix than it was worth. Unfortunately, needed something to keep me going and could not afford a Denon 2900 or even 2200 right now. So bought a 563 for $160 +tax at Circuit City this weekend. I have some comments and questions:

Video -

I tend to think the black bars on my Toshiba on letterbox were blacker than they are now with the 563. I had the Tosh set to "something blacker", perhaps 0 IRE rather than 7.5? Looked a bit better, though I don't seem to lack for black or contrast on the actual image.

On openings of DVD's, I see a jitter (such as on the FBI warnings) and some verticle lines on openings are wavy. I do not notice either when a movie is playing.

BUT, I do have 2 pixel rows top left for about 1/3rd of the horizontal image that are red or yellow "fringing" and a little on the bottom right edge. A little bothersome. I am using interlaced out, 4:3 to my XBR Wega via component.

On the small white boxes (before running the test) on the THX video test, the right of the white box containers is smudgy yellow. Not noticed when the test is run.

Is this tweakable? Should I exchange the unit or is this to be expected?

Audio -

Better than I would have expected. I have not yet tried the analog outs and will tonight. I am coincerned about the crossover points as my audio is so well balanced now for DD and DTS and Analog sources from CD players, RDAT's, etc.


What I would like to be able to do, and not sure if I can, is throw and disc at the 563 and only change inputs on the proc, if possible. For example, right now:

Play DD DVD, no change to 563, use Digi out and select input with digi in on the proc

Same with DTS

Play CD or CD-r on the 563, just either select the analog 32 channel on the proc OR the Digi in and use the procs DACS

All this works fine. Even DTS Audio discs.

NOW, when I activate and tweak the 5.1 outputs, will this still work without making changes on the 563? And can I just select SACD and/or DVD-A MC with selecting the 5.1 input on the proc? Or, will there be times, such as when I desire SACD 2 channel or 24/192 that things will have to change?

What would be the best defaults then, and what will have to change across DD, DTS, CD, DVD-A MC, SACD 2 ch, SACD MC, 24/96, 24/192? Make sense?

For example, I have the "Money" SACD sampler. What is the easiest way to switch between the 5.1 and the hi res 2 channel versions?

Appreciate your thoughts, particualry on the video things right now as I need to know whether to try another 563 to see if it is better.

Thanks.

-=Bob=-

 

[Bob U]

Boy do I know how to kill a conversation

Anyway - playing with it more video-wise and I notice that the built in setup menus are not crisp square lines, either. Anyone have one of these and a flat screen Wega and can confirm theirs has good vertical lines in setup menus? If so, I think I definitely need to exchange this one.

 

[Bob U]

Can anyone confirm the menus are not square when viewing them interlaced before I take this unit back as defective?

 

[Taya]

Bob,

I am not sure what you mean but menu not square. I do not think they are squares... I am pretty happy overall with the price/performance of this unit. I would capture this one as a BRIGHT player, both on the picture and sound...

 

[Paul.S]

Bob U: I think the response time re your inquiries might be a little slower than usual because of the Holidays.

Mild "party pooping": has anyone heard anything of (an)other budget universal player(s) being introduced at CES next month?

-p

 

[Bob U]

Taya:

The right and left edges of the setup menus are not straight vertical lines. The horizontal lines are good.But the outlined rectangular boxes are not rectangles in *most* cases. Sometimes keystoned, sometimes a little pincushioned. Varies with each menu. And it is also noticeable on letterboxed introduction screens, but not in movies.

Does that help?

Also, on things like the FBI warnings, are the white lettrs jittery for any of you?

Again, I am using it interlaced on a 4:3 Wega and can not test progressive. My gut is I need to exchange this.

 

[Gary DeRoy]

The FBI warnings may jitter on some DVDs. I noticed it some on my 563 then played my JVC and they did the same thing. I just never noticed before. It may be better or worse on some TVs, depending on I/O voltage matches, etc, I would imagine.

The skewed lines sound like too much white level is bending the lines (the colored lines, too). You have to set up your TV to the 563 using Video Essentials or Avia. If you had set it up with another DVD player, expect the settings to be quite different. If you haven't, it's time to do it.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ernest Yee]

If you can exchange it, just do it. As for the picture quality not being square, that sounds more like geometry problems w/ the Wega than the DVD player. Jitteriness would be from the player.

 

[Bob U]

Well, I had no geometry problems before with the Wega nor with TV on it. The Wega is set pretty well for all sources. I would be surprised if white level make any difference, but I shall try.

 

[Scott_lb]

Question: Does this Pioneer unit have internal bass management? I don't think so, but I wanted to ask in order to be sure. I realize that this question may have already been answered, but I'm at work right now and don't have time to read through 17 pages of posts. I am currently using a Sony 7700, Sony 333ES receiver (with 6 channel input available), and an M&K sub/satelite speaker set-up. If this unit does not have internal bass management I will likely go with the Denon 2200 later on. Unfortunately, money is an issue and that makes the Pioneer that much more attractive!

Edit: I am only interested in utilizing the player's bass management capabilities for DVD-Audio and SACD. I'd use the receiver's bass management for movies and games.

 

[Brian L]

Yes it does, but like many players, it could be better.

Crossover for DVD-A is 200 Hz...way too high for many users. IIRC, for SACD and DD/DTS, its more like 100 Hz or so. Much more tolerable.

BGL

 

[Gary DeRoy]

Bob U,
If you've never set up your Wega with Avia or VE, you might be surprised what a difference it can make. You have to set it up with each DVD player you use. The 563 is a little fussy. The picture can look very good, but you have to set it up. I realize that you didn't have problems before. Some players need to be optimized more than others, but you should take the time to do it on any player.
You can always take your 563 back to CC and exchange it. If you have the same problem, use a setup dvd. But eventually, you'll want to use the setup dvd anyway.

 

[Gary DeRoy]

Scott,
You might find out more information HERE

 

[Bob U]

Thanks for the replies. I did setup the Wega with VE early on. But here is where my confusion comes in.

I do not see or recall any setting on either the Wega OR the 563 that would adjust vertical lines. And it seems to me that any adjustments made to the Wega now will also modify the viewing of cable and VHS as well, which look just fine. So what settings specifically might make vertical line changes? And note I do not see a problem while watching video - just menus and opening splash screens.

If you look at the menu shots in the link in the post above, you can see a little of the bad geometry I see. But mine is MUCH worse.

Appreciate any pointers to the proper settings and I will try before I exchange the unit.

 

[Gary DeRoy]

I was about to say that Bob may have started celibrating New Year's Day a little early, when I thought I remembered seeing other posts about the 563 and Wega. A search for these 2 words on here and other forums may show something.
Anyway, Bob, it's usually the white control (contrast) that makes skewed lines. Sometimes the change to get rid of them is very subtle. Still, I'd take it back to CC and get another one. Also, try the search and see if the 563 and Wega are incompatible.

 

[Bob U]

Well, I'll be damned

Ok, geometry is now very good. BUT, picture looks like it is not bright enough, a little soft, a little red hot even though it is set to the VE standards. And it looks even dimmer and softer through cable.

Any suggestions? And where should the Wega MODE and TRINTONE be set. Currently on Movie and Medium.

Thanks for the help folks. Appreciated. And I can save a trip to Circuit City

-=Bob=-

 

[Gary DeRoy]

I can't answer the questions about the Wega. Maybe someone who has one can help.
If you haven't got 60 to 100 hours on the 563 yet, just make the color adjustments you like, maybe increase the sharpness (the 563 goes from blur to normal to 'added junk', not like most that go from normal to 'added junk', so you may need more sharpness than before). After you have 100 hours on it, run VE or Avia again. Actually, if I recall, the 563 was the only player I've had that was easier to set up, initially, with Avia than VE.

 

[Bob U]

Well, the image is getting better, but if I have it spot on for VE, then it is not at all acceptible for watching Cable. But...let's talk audio today.

I finally hooked up the analog outputs (5.1). Had used the 2 ch analogs previously and found that, for CD for example, the dig out to my proc and using the proc to decode sounded far better than using the analog out of the 563. Same with DVD-A 24/96 2 channel.

Now that 5.1 outs have been activated, not sure what is also active simultaneously and will tset that today. For example, if I have 5.1 selected out, can I still use the digi out for 2 channel DVD-A with no 563 menu changes? I know that to listen to SACD 2 channel, I will have to make menu changes before playback. Also possible for 24/192 DVD-A I will have to make a change from 5.1 to 2 ch out on the 563. As it is now, the 2 ch analog output is on when set to 5.1 out, but maybe 10-15 dB lower in output level. More testing to be done.

NOW...the crossover points are just wrong. And the sub output level OR test tone level is really wrong.

I am set for all channels small plus sub on. I have the sub at +6 and all channels at -6 and the sub is still at least 10dB below channel level through the test tones.

DVD-A 6 channel does sound acceptibly good. Not sure how far off the bass level really is. SACD 6 ch has very little bottom.

Now, just in case you are wondering, I use a Behringer Feedback Destroyer between the Proc sub out and the sub, so I can not change the level out from the proc to compensate for this. The BFD has no level controls, so I can't boost bass there. And I will not go behind the sub to play Multichannel Audio and make a change that is an estimate at best to fix this. So, the level change really needs to be made at the bass management side of the 563 and it can not. I will see how the VE test tones compare to the internal 563 test tones though and see if that helps.

As I said, SACD MC appears to have very little bass perhaps because of the level available and probably equally because of the cross over point.

I emailed Pioneer to ask if there might be a firmware upgrade to correct the wrong choice of x-over points and bass levels/test tone. The emailed back to call customer service, so I did. CS says the x-over points follow the Dolby Digital Standard for SACD will not be changed. I tried to explain they were incorrect on this and all x-over points should be 80Hz and the levels were wrong. They promised to get to engineering after the CES show and get back to me in 3 weeks to tell me what standards they are following and why posters that claim the DVD-A and SACD x-over points are incorrect are incorrect themselves. Hopefully, they will reply, but would not be surprised if my request for more info has already been tossed.

So, that is what I know today. More testing to come.

-=Bob=-

 

[Tom Grooms]

CS says the x-over points follow the Dolby Digital Standard for SACD will not be changed. I tried to explain they were incorrect on this and all x-over points should be 80Hz and the levels were wrong.

80Hz would be nice but I believe they are 100hz (DVD-A) and 120hz (SACD). Also remember that DD and DTS use a +10db boost on the LFE. You may need to recalibrate for DD/DTS and multichannel music. Just a thought and I could be wrong. I don't own this player