Chinese Star 336K

Recently after dramatic dropping in prices of DVD Players / CD Rom Drives & the Medias, the DVD Players are now quite affordable for movie lovers & those who believe in quality entertainment. Recently a new features packed Chinese DVD Player (Star 336K) is gaining customer attention in presence of other branded / expensive DVD players.

This slim-lined design DVD Player is equipped with following functions:

Capable to playback:

. DVD

. DVD R/RW

. VCD (R/Rw)

. CD

. MP3

. Photo Cd (Kodak / Jpeg)

. SVCD

. HDCD

. Mini Cds

Has following outputs (I'll call them universal outputs)

. Composite Video Output

. SVHS Output

. Component Output (three Port - Red, Green, Blue)

. VGA Output (for direct connection to a Monitor)

. 6-Channel (5.1 Dolby Digital Output)

. Optical Output (for experiencing DTS sound)

. AC3 Output (2 Channel Dolby Digital)

Other specific features, which are not common in other expensive DVD Players in this price:

. Progressive Scan adaptability for flicker free picture (depending on your TV set, having such function)

. Region Free (capable to playback all Regions)

. Picture Zooming (In / Out )

. Interactive dual (optional) GUI Menu / Display (for easy operation)

. VCD Digest Menu Function (track / time wise)

. Smooth Reverse / Forwarding / Slow Motions (with variety)

. Super High Error Correction Laser Pick-up (which is not vogue in other expensive DVD Players)

. Quick / Precise Loading of Disc & Tracks

. Picture Format adaptability (Wide / Normal)

. Friendly Remote Control (Having different colors for differing operations)

. Video / Audio Quality Setups (with lot of variations)

. Screen Saver

. Disk eject function through Remote

. Volume control

. Bookmark facility (where one can bookmark choice-able scenes of the movie)

. Other normal functions, like Picture Angle / Subtitle / Audio language / Menu/10 Bit Video DA Converter/NTSC / PAL

Equalizer (for displaying sound pattern)

Review:

At a first glance, the DVD player will attract due to its slim-lined design (only about 3" thick!), when I connected this DVD player with my 29" 100 Hz (LG Flatron TV), the picture quality was superb. Since this player has 6-Channel Dolby Digital Output (5.1), therefore I connected this with my Hif-fi Component System (Panasonic AK 177) already equipped with a decoder having 6-Channel Inputs, with an optional sub woofer output. The movie, I selected for review was "Lord of the Rings" & "The Matrix Reloaded" & there was a thrill of Theater like sound, every sound channel was working with warmth & without any distortion & thanks to the picture adjustment option, picture resolution was great, colors are rich & vivid in nature.

The sound adjustment functions of this DVD Player are unique, dealing in all business like Bass /Treble Boost / Centre Dimension & Criteria like switching through Live / Room / Hall / Church / Arena mode / PCM / Virtual Surround / Stereo / Mono/Left/Right, which is quite alien in other expensive DVD Players like Pioneer, Sony & Panasonic.

Sound quality of CD, Mp3 & VCD are also satisfactory. Thanks to the Picture CD support (Jpeg Kodak), I could watch all my family album, collected by my digital camera & burned to a single CD. The slideshows, presented by this DVD was unique, having many transition effect like up & down, left & right option akin to PowerPoint, also have the ability to Zoon-in/out a picture, beside you can also rotate a picture in any angle plus the thumbnail option. I think children will enjoy the Animal photo Cds or elders will from natural photo Cds.

Something about 6 channel Output or Dolby Digital 5.1 sound effect?

Perhaps many readers are not aware of this sound function. This is one of the latest sound systems like DTS (Digital Theatre System). which can be achieved by DVD Players / Combo Hifis / also built in expensive TVs. But now many various DVD players (ranging from higher prices) has equipped with built in Decoder / supplied Speakers, like, Left / Right / Surround Left / Right / Centre Speaker & a Sub-woofer. Therefore, no additional accessories are required, except a TV set. But this DVD (336 K) has only output of 6-channel, therefore you'll need additional Hifi (like Panasonic AK 177 or other amplifier for reproducing).

After 6 Channel output connections, sound like voice of dialogue, firing, walking, music will come from 6 different speakers (channels) with precision / detail, as originally decoded in the said DVD or recommended by the Director of the movie. Resultantly a theatre like sound will achieve. For example, during a song, the vocal will come from Centre Speaker (normally placed in top of a TV set), beside Jhankar / Bass & other sound will come from other speakers, separately, or during a war scene the different guns shots, blasts, dialogue / music will come from different directions, separately, unlike conventional two pin stereo which is not capable..

Negative points:

Yes, readers! A good reviewer is one, who, besides highlighting positive points, can also project negative ones too!, so while doing that responsibility, I would like to comment that this DVD Player is:

. A very low priced, as compared to its enormous functions, keeping in view the other

predecessor (DVD Players), I think China is catching market..

. Resume Play is not functional, in case of power off or power outage, not at least in standby mode, except power on.

. Non availability of power off function from Remote Control, except Player itself.

. Color shifting / mixing (in Text) is noticeable in Red colors, even connected through Component jacks / VGA.

. Remote Sensor is at the first corner of DVD Player, which is not ideal and can make trouble.

. Disk Tray is noisy, when loading

. While playing back some DVDs, the player can be felt trembling.

. Player's fluorescent display is very cheap looking & in one color (green), which can be upgraded with multi color.

******************