Pioneer DV-578A (1 Viewer)

Has anyone seen this yet?

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...269012,00.html

It's probably the same as the 563A. Mine is a 667A and it looks identical (except mines black) and has the same features. It's just made in a different place. I think when I was buying mine I ran across about four different numbers. Looking at the unit and the specs they were the same.

~C.C.~

Haven't seen the unit in person yet (or even a picture online), but will be keeping lookout. Looks like this and Tosh's SD-4960 uni are hitting the market at about the same time.

Edit: Chris, per the 563A manual, the 667A is the Asian/Taiwanese market version of the 563A, but I'm not sure that the 578A is the same player with simply different nomenclature. The 563A handles MP3s but I'm not sure about WMA. There is an MP3 logo on the front of the 563A and references to MP3 in the manual, but I see no references to WMA in either place. The 578A handles both according to its specs.

The 563A manual (requires Pioneer site registration):
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...etailComponent

-p

Dan:

Thx for comment. Doesn't mean it's not true, but I haven't heard anywhere else about the 563A supposedly being discontinued. I think the unit was introduced in June 2003?

It will be interesting to see if California electronics retailer The Good Guys! makes an exception to its current policy (which changes frequently) of not carrying home Tosh or regular Pioneer (as opposed to Elite) to stock one of these two unis. Seems to me that one of these will probably rectify the DSD-to-PCM conversion when using player bass management issue that some faulted the 563A for. One or both could be hot sellers amongst peeps interested in hi rez music.

-p

Good post, Dan--thx for the 411. As I suspected, Chris, no WMA on 563A so that is an additional minor difference between it and your 667A.

It's gonna be sooo interesting to see whether Pio addressed the DSD-to-PCM/bass management issue with the 578A . . .

-p

At my work today there was a tag up for the new 578a up, but no product. And the 563a has been clearanced down to about 129 I believe. It was low, but cant remember how low.

Sean! Thx, man . . . but where--where do you work, man?! LOL.

-p

I work for Best Buy, and was wrong on my price. It was clearanced to 139.99, and the price for the 578 whenever it decides to appear will be 149.99 if the tag on the shelf is correct. We also have had in the new Toshiba 5 disc universal changer for about 180, but reading the thread about that player, it seems it has some issues.

Sean:

Thx for the reply. Do you mind dropping a line if/when the Tosh SD-4960 (the single disc universal player) shows up at your store? I'm curious as to what its retail price is going to be. -p

Sean,

Do you know when the player is due on the shelf?

ChadLB thanks for the link and heads-up. I've been wondering and wondering when Pioneer would get around to a replacement.

Here is a link with a picture:
http://www.pioneer.co.jp/catalog/dvd/dv-578a-s.php

Maybe a few more logos on the front but virtually the same - on the outside that is.

P.S. Really wish Pioneer would get the bass management right and I could connect this player directly to my receiver and not my Outlaw ICBM. Nothing against the Outlaw ICBM, it's great, just need the rack space.

Honestly, have no idea when it will show up. Could be this week, could be next week, but its definitely on the way, otherwise the tags wouldnt be put up at all.

I am not sure about the single disc Toshiba though, will have to look into that matter.

Chris Cash,

Where did you get your black unit?

Thanks!
~~Nathan

Remarkable: it drops the "SRS" 'surround' sound logo, adds "WMA/" in front of the "MP3" and adds "DVD-Audio/SACD" above the drawer. Otherwise I think it is identical.

-p

A friend of mine ordered it for me through the base exchange. Orignially I ordered a different one that looked identical to the the 563A but I guess they ran out. Then the number kept changing but the service rep assured us it was the same unit. They ended up sending me the 667A I have now. I can't remember the original number I ordered but it was black too. That was the most important thing to me at the time. If it had been silver I would have sent it back for a refund.

Oh, by the way, UPS dropped off my ICBM-1 from Outlaw Audio. I opened it to make sure it wassn't dammaged and wrapped it back up. (I'm moving soon.) I can't wait to see how it sounds.

~C.C.~

Re where Chris got a 667A: just a little further info. for the civilian population. By "base" he means Air Force base. There is a service, available to active duty and retired military personnel, called AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service). In addition to having outlets on bases and Army posts, they have a catalog service and Website (aafes.com). The 667A was shipped from Asia.

-p

Yeah, the service rep. told me it was comming directly from Sony in Japan.

~C.C.~

Anyone have any updated info on this piece?