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CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating -
Average user rating:
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Product summary
The good: Excellent-quality audio and video; DVD-Audio support.
The bad: Expensive; remote is small and awkward to use; the internal menu system is difficult to navigate.
The bottom line: This is a reference-quality player. But you can get other such players for less.
Specifications: Sound output mode: Surround Sound; Color: Black; Weight: 7.7 lbs; ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 01/21/2002
No-frills design
Minimalists will appreciate the player's appearance, but others may not be so enthused. Cosmetically, the DVD-S1200 is about as basic it gets: it's essentially a black box, with little in the way of design enhancements. Also, the remote is very small and awkwardly laid out, and it has no backlighting whatsoever.
However, we do appreciate the button on the front of the player (rather than on the back) that lets you switch between progressive and interlaced video. And the player offers fairly comprehensive connectivity options. There's one set of component-video outputs, an S-Video output, two composite-video outs, and an optical and a coaxial digital audio output. On top of that, Yamaha gives you 6-channel discrete (5.1) analog outputs for DVD-Audio playback and a set of 2-channel analog-audio outputs for those who lack a full-blown surround-sound rig.
Top-notch performer
The DVD-S1200 is an awesome performer from both a video and an audio perspective. We evaluated the player's video prowess first by using its progressive output on a Toshiba 65H80 HDTV-capable rear projector, then via its interlaced outs on a Runco DTV-991 driven by a Runco VHD4404Ultra video scaler. On the Toshiba set, the DVD-S1200's progressive-scan output definitely outperformed the Toshiba's internal line doubler, exhibiting a sharper, more resolved picture. Watching the opening sequence of Star Trek: Insurrection on the Toshiba revealed the player's excellent 3:2 pull-down circuitry, which assisted in rendering an extremely smooth, filmlike image.
We watched a variety of DVDs on the Runco rig via the DVD-S1200's interlaced output and were impressed with the player's video performance on the high end. In fact, the DVD-S1200 stands up to our current reference progressive-scan DVD player, the . Upon close inspection of the rear jack pack and the internal menu system, the DVD-S1200 appears identical--apart from the face-lift--to the Panasonic. The front panel has been modified slightly, and the remote is not the same. Too bad Yamaha didn't slap its logo on Panasonic's excellent remote; the illuminated keys and joysticklike navigational button found on the other remote would have added value to the Yamaha player. Continue reading
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