Mega Changers......Which one to buy?

Well - if you're going for a Sony changer, get the ES variant. The normal consumer line is usually very lowly regarded and usually is prone to numerous problems. The ES line on the other hand is usually well regarded. I personally own a 200 disc ES player that's been serving me well for probably almost 2 years now.

 

From what i've read both the regular and ES models are practically using the same internals. I just recently sold my 200 disk Sony DVD changer and its driving me crazy. I got spoiled being able to just sit down in front of the T.V., pick up the remote, and be able to watch any movie I want without ever having to touch a Jewel case. I hated to sell my changer but it wasn't progressive scan. That didn't matter when I had the 27". But it made a big difference on the 55". I will be getting the 400 disk Sony soon.

~C.C.~

 

Chris, can you post more info or the source of your information about the differences between ES and the regular models?

Which Sony are you planning on getting?

I just did a froogle on the cx985v and the best price was $300. Here's the link: http://www.hotbuyselectronics.com/it...item_id=105455

 

Hi, i just posted you a long message in response to the Sony ES and Standard DVD players, I lost it due to not being able to have URL's on my page until i have posted more than 15 postings(I am new)

Go to crutchfield online and compare the two models. They are exactly the same except the audio and video processors are different on the two models. GO WITH THE ES. you get a five year warranty, and very superior processing(make sure it is bought by factory authorized retailer though, or warranty is void). It is REALLY nice. I was seriously thinking about buying it for myself to tell you the truth. Good luck!

 

I wish the ES model fit my budget, but at twice the price it doesn't. I don't have an hdtv yet and that's not in the picture for quite a while either.

I noticed another difference between the two. The ES will categorize discs by title, disc type, or genre. The other just does title or slot number.

They both have a keyboard input that would allow data entry, but shouldn't they get a lot of the info right of the dvd or cd?

 

i think that the keyboard is there(on ES model) that way if a disc happens to not have the cd text code, you can put it in yourself. Yeah, i don't think that the regular model has cd text compatibility(meaning that you would have to hand type all of the discs yourself). I don't see that being a big problem with keyboard input though. Note: not all of the discs are encoded with disc name,track title, etc. I think that is what you mean by your question? wasn't sure that i answered you correctly. it has to be on the disc in order to be read, otherwise it has to be hand typed in.(using keyboard input). Hope that answers your question.

 

Yeah, the pretty much answers the keyboard question.

I have had some experience between the ES and non ES models. I bought the ES version of an audio/video receiver. Within 6 months one of the audio channels failed. Sent it in and Sony told me it would be 6 months before they could get the needed part.

However, Sony said that wans't fair to me and said we'll just replace it, except your model is discontinued, would you mind if we used the next year's model to replace it with?

I said yes. So the ES model was quickly defective, but Sony's response to the situation was appropriate.

I've also got a 200CD sony jukebox (not ES) and never had any problem with it. Must be approaching 8-10 years old now.

 

I ALMOST bought this unit, (the ES) I REALLY had my heart set on it! I went into an audio dealer that said in the store window that they carried ES(about time i was really into buying this)and i asked them about the disc player. They said that they didn't carry the ES line anymore, "were just having too many problems with it". I then asked"what kind of problems". And they again replied with"we were having too many problems with it". So i dropped it and looked around. I think that they were maybe a little bizarre shall i say, but nevertheless, it made me a little bit weary about buying it. Another thing is, is that the unit plays DVD's and CD's bla..bla..bla. So it gets used all of the time. Meaning it could wear out faster. I think that i saw circuit city at about 350 for the standard one(on sale). Not completely sure though.

 

Crutchfied wants $400 for it (of course they are always pricey) so the $350 on sale for CC sounds about right. The $300 price I found with Froogle is from an outfit I've never heard of.

 

yeah, you got to watch out for that stuff. throw in the extra 50 and get yourself a warranty that is actually worth something. vann's has it for 359 including shipping, and they are factory authorized. I think that would be the best that you are going to do without waiting another year for it to come down in price.

Good luck, glad that i could help you out a little

~Eric

 

and you will get out of sales tax this way

Eric

 

I have a friend that I work with that bought the non ES model. He loves it . He has had it for about three months and no problems. Oh, and it does read disk text just like my 200 disk unit did. The problem is not all disks have title text. This has no short comings of the player but yet a lack of support by the ones making the disks. Out of the 60 disks I had in my 200 disk unit only ten percent of them had text. One thing about the new unit that I like is if it doesn't have text you can go to the disks track selection and use the picture there on your DVD title page. My unit only had crappy cartoon pictures. Not that I really cared, I mean how long do you plan on sitting and staring at your DVD menu? As for reliability issues we'll have to see. I had my unit for five years and never had a single problem out of it. The only reason I sold it is because I bought a 55" Mitsubishi and it didn't have progressive scan.

~C.C.~

 

Chris, when you say new unit, are you talking about the non ES model?

 

Yes,the DVP-CX985V which is the non ES model.

~C.C.~

 

Do all progressive scan players put out the same number of horizontal lines? That is the key for HDTV isn't it? I would want this player to be my HDTV player come the day I get an HDTV.

I was looking at the Sony site and they cite this feature: 480P Output Type: Precision Cinema Progressive.

What is 480P Output Type?

I notice this one does SACD only. Of SACD and DVD-Audio, has one or the other become dominant?

 

I just checked out the CX985V on epinions.com and the disc navigation was hammered by several reviewers. I'm really reluctant to buy this baby now.

Here's a link to epinions:
http://www.epinions.com/pr-Sony_DVP-CX985V_DVD

 

I've got a CDP-CX355 300 disc megachanger. I tell you, this thing has saved me from swapping discs like crazy and saved lots of time cleaning messes of cds left over due to my laziness in putting them back in cases.

The current one I have has been chugging for almost a year now, doing it's job as a transport quite well. I use the optical out to my receiver, which I'm sure has DACs far superior to those in that changer. However, the first one I had ate discs. The transport mechanism is in the back left corner, and it was a b*tch getting the jammed discs out of there. This was on the second day I had it though, went back, did an over the counter exchange, and the new one has worked well thus far.

 

I have a Sony CX350 and CX450 and have never had a problem. The are hooked up to each other and to a slink-e and it rocks.