[Lost!]

Hi!


I am trying to decide between these two models for Music and DivX playback and I will be more than glad if you can shed some lights.


This player will be hooked up with Marantz SR-5004 and I already have a Sony BDP-S360 which I wish I didn't buy it and could go with Samsung BD-P4600 now and enjoy the h264 and HD files at a reasonable price instead of buying another player, however that time has passed and next time I go for a HTPC.

Back to the comparison, Pioneer DV420VK is newer than Yamaha S661 I guess, and although Yamaha claims S661 is DivX certified (and pretty similar to DV-S6160), it is not certified in DivX web site: http://www.divx.com/en/partner/certified/oemodm


According to DivX website:


- Yamaha DV-S6160 is certified on 01-28-2007 for "DivX Ultra - Home Theater Profile (720x576)"


- Pioneer DV-420V-K is certified on 04-09-2009 for "DivX Home Theater Profile Version 3 (720x576)"


Not sure what has been added in Profile Version 3 of DivX but for sure it is newer because first certified player was on 12-09-2008 versus DivX Ultra on 01-12-2006.


Other than the major difference above, it seems that Yamaha has a 20 second startup time (according to other people's review) and Pioneer 420 does not have this problem. Maybe it is because Yamaha has Shuffle Playback mode and first reads entire CD or USB drive files before starts to play and it takes more time.


- None of the players have OPTICAL audio digital out but they have COAXIAL.


+ Both Players Have USB and HDMI.


So far, I've found these information online and if anybody can help me decide which one is better choice, please help.


Also, if Pioneer is a better choice, is it better to get 420K-V or get the older 610 and use Hkan firmware?


Thank you.

 

[schneidian]

I have the SAME issue...


What did you decide and why?


I would easily purchase the Yamaha S1800 but really like the useability of the USB port on the S661BL or Pio 420V-K.


Really torn between the two...


Any advise would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

 

[jsmiddleton4]

HKAN has after market/third party firmware for the 420.


I am mistaken. Apparently not available for the 420. My apologies.

 

[Hkan]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jsmiddleton4 /forum/post/18036400


HKAN has after market/third party firmware for the 420.


I am mistaken. Apparently not available for the 420. My apologies.

Sure I have, you just have to look deeper for them as I do not have any web pages for the DV-420.

All firmwares are located at the firmware page!

Go to www.pioneerfaq.info and the click on the text Firmwares, then click the (english)flag and you will see all firmwares that are availible at PioneerFAQ.

 

[jsmiddleton4]

I found the OEM firmware. Do you have a custom firmware for the 420?

 

[Hkan]

Yes I do! You cant miss it

if you find the OEM firmwares.

 

[Jeffredo]

That Yamaha looks like a Pioneer DV-4XXV series rebadge. Even the remote's basic shape (if not the buttons) is very close.


I did try a DV-420V-K and while I liked the audio quality and general performance (fast load times, quiet, great menus and remote) it did have a very dark picture on stock settings via HDMI (plus a fairly pronounced yellowish cast on my Vizio LCD). The gamma settings on -3 correct "almost" correct it to what the Oppo DV-981HD I own are at on default. -3 or +3 is the maximum gamma correction. Even using a color meter (for Brightness/Contrast/Color/Hue) I could never get the picture right. By comparison the Oppo DV-981HD was perfect at default settings (for both the player and TV - "0" for all those items), so I don't feel its my set's fault.


Hkan's custom firmware might fix those issues, but I never tried it. Also, neither of those issues were present when the player was connected via component.

 

[jsmiddleton4]

Ah, its all the way at the bottom of the page..... My bad.

 

[Hkan]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jsmiddleton4 /forum/post/18045311


Ah, its all the way at the bottom of the page..... My bad.

Sure is.

New players are just aded at the end, so you can say it is sorted by release year!

 

[schneidian]

HKan,


Thanks for your firmware!

Is there a way to correct to darkness/Yellow issues with the Pio 420V-K while using HDMI?


or Should I just pick another DVD player?


Really like the USB option for photo, vids and ripping to CD's this player offers...


Any other ideas would be much appreciated!!!


Thanks...

 

[kfuss]



Quote:
Is there a way to correct to darkness/Yellow issues with the Pio 420V-K while using HDMI?

In the HDMI setup you have the choice of two RGB color systems plus one called "Component." My NTSC TV likes the Component color system, and with that chosen, there's absolutely no problems with dark or yellow output.


BTW, "Component" is a very confusing choice of words here. It does NOT refer to the Component connection to the TV, but rather to the color system the HDMI connection uses. Many other players call this YCbCr, which avoids the confusion.