Price Paid:  $350.00 from Richer Sounds

Summary:
Absolutely perfect for a first time buyer, but as mentioned, beware CD playback. Plus, if you do buy one and like me live in the UK, try to buy it pre-hacked. Sony's are ludicrously expensive to chip after you buy them, and there are some shops that refuse to do it at all due to the complexity of them.

Strengths:
Superb looks and very stylish for a basic DVD player. DVD sound through my Panasonic digital amp has to be heard to be believed and offers picture quality better than other DVD players I have seen that cost twice as much. Very well set out remote with no clutter and useless unusable gadgets.

Weaknesses:
No CDR/CDRW playback. Due to single laser, pause between disc layers mid-film can be annoying. CD audio playback is awful. I have a ten year old Sony portable CD player which sounds better through the same amp, so don't buy it if you intend to use it as a general music playback device. However, who buy's a DVD player to use a CD player? Someone who really isn't that bothered about how their music sounds anyway, that's who.

Similar Products Used:
Various older DVD players.

Price Paid:  $375.00 from Gerald Giles UK

Summary:
A good solid no frills player. An excellent starter machine.

Strengths:
Basic slim design and lack of useless/confusing features. Has a superb sharp picture and a good clear sound as well. If you want a good first DVD player, this is it. Looks very nice in silver too!

Weaknesses:
Accessing some of the setup features from the remote and onscreen menus can be difficult.CD audio sound is a little odd. Nothing else.

Similar Products Used:
No other experience with DVD.

Summary:
Sony´s latest basic DVD player comes with a Sony typical complete outfit for a reasonable price. It seem to be a ggod choice for those, who are not very experienced in DVD and who are going to wait for a new DVD-player (or -recorder) generation without wasting money for a low cost player one can have instantly.
The DVP-S335 has got two SCART-connectors, one for monitor purposes, the other (bidirectional) for a VCR. There are RCA connectors for Composite Video and the analogous audio signal (stereo downmix) as well as for the digital audio PCM output. Moreover the player has got an S-VHS connector.
A nice feature is the real power switch, which can swith of the player completely. In ON-position, one can reach the standby modus via remote control. The remote control is very handy because of the ergonomic layout.
The drive is reasonably quiet and has got quick access times to the tracks and chapters. It comes with only one laser unit, which is capable only in reading DVDs and CDs. It is not possible to play CD-ROMs :-(.
The picture- and sound quality is excellent for a player in this price category, and satisfies with almost every material I fed in. The sound quality when playing a CD comes very close to my old REVOX B226 CD player.

The built in menues are clearly readable and understandable, even for unexperienced users!

The player is only region codefree, if the hardware is modified at a service workshop (only interesting for outer-USA states :-)

Conclusion:
The Sony DVP-S335 is one of the best choices for DVD beginners at the moment on the market. It comes with a complete outfit, picture and sound quality, which leaves open only very few wishes.