Video, Audio, back panel connections
Options

possible lip-sync problem with
older model

Well I think everything that needed to be said about this product has already been posted here. I've used this site extensivly to buy A/V equipment, I feel obligated to post a review. Luckly I haven't experienced any lip-sync problems through about 15 titles. Audio, DTS and 5.1, are unbelievable on this unit.......almost want to trash 15 year old speakers and buy new ones just to see how much better it could sound. Only noticed slight pause at layer switch on Entrapment, but acceptible since most units have some glitch here. Overall I highly recommend this product and I am not a huge Sony fan. More opitions and connections than you'll ever need.

Similar Products Used:

RCA

graphic EQ, remote

can't think of any

I had been researching DVD players for months, and decided on the 550, but then I stumbled across this site, and learned of the lipsync problem. So I held off on buying the unit, and checked this site often to see if posters had new info on if the units were fixed or not. Once the earlier poster gave out the info on which serial numbers had the bad firmware, I went ahead and ordered it via the web for $369. I kept my fingers crossed that I would not get shipped old stock with a serial number within the "bad" range. I got lucky. I have watched many DVD's and they all look and sound flawless! I highly recommend this unit. Make sure you use the set-up feature and configure the output correctly. It was two days before I figured out why I couldn't get it to play in Dolby Digital, only Pro-Logic. I hadn't set it to Digital yet. Operator error. And thanks to all the posters who keep us all informed with the latest info. Keep it coming.

Similar Products Used:

none

Great fetures

After 10 movies and a few CDs player broke! "Precision drive" failed to close door or play discs.

Great features, crappy remote (like other Sony products) From this board it sounds like Sony should fess up and do their customers a favor by recalling all players that have firmware before 2.1

Picture quality, DVD, DTS audio quality

Lip sync problem

I purchased this Sony unit in June of 1999. I noticed the lip sync problem on a number of movies. Called Sony, they put my name on a list. This October Sony called and had Fed Ex pick up my unit for repair. Repair took less than a week. Got the unit back, NOW IT WOULDN'T PLAY CD's! Called Sony, sent a fax to Sony explaining the problem, suggesting that they replace my unit. They agreed to replace it, had itinlessthan a week. They are sending FedEx to pick up my old unit. The new unit works flawlessly, DVD's look great, I'd swear that my CD's sound better. Overall, I was very unhappy with the DVD player originally but have been won over by Sony's quick action on replacing my unit. They took good care of me! Now that the upgrade is complete I would highly recommend the Sony 560D DVD player.

I tested or tried the Panasonic A120, the JVC 501 and the Sony 550D. I brought each home and played them in real world environment of my kids and my frontroom. I bought the Sony 550D. It is a great machine. Easy to use, great picture. It looks great. The Panasonic looked cheap and it had some problems with chapter switch frame drops and pixelization. The 501 had the same problems.
The Sony was a little more money but the added features and noise reduction is worth it.

I love this unit. It took me four units and three brands to find a DVD player I liked... but it's been worth it! The first unit I purchased was a top of the line Proscan. I got it as a hedge against the possibility that Divx might really take off. From the first disk I played I was completely disapointed. The resolution was poor, there were numerous digital artifacts, and the unit had wavy horizontal and vertical lines everywhere. I took it back the next day and exchanged it for a different one... same brand and model... thinking the first had been defective. The second unit displayed all the same problems, so it went back too.
I ended up with a Panasonic A120. It was an okay machine, but looked and felt "cheap" and I just wasn't completely happy with the picture quality once I got it home. In addition, the on-screen menus and the remote drove me crazy. I realize these issues are personal preference... but it wasn't right for me. It too went back. At this point I saw the new Sony DVP-S550D that had just arrived. I auditioned the Sony in the store and liked what I saw. Though it was a little more expensive than the ProScan or Panasonic I bought it and took it home to see if it passed the "acid test".

From the first moment I hooked it up and threw in a disk I fell in love! Great picture, great audio, easy and functional menus, decent remote. It's a bit large for some people... but I have big hands and it feels good to me.

You can imagine my wife's surprise when I kept it. She's used to my nit-picking of audio, video and computer electronics... and used to my returning things that I don't like. When I do find something that meets my standards and expectations it's always something of a shock to her.

The only reason I don't give it a higher rating is that I haven't tride them all. But I'd be very surprised if you could buy a better DVD player for under a grand.

Could someone please post a detailed review of this player including all the specs. I have been unable to find a lot of info on this one, although I realize it is pretty new. Also please include whether or not this player is DTS compatible. I am really high on the Panasonic A120, so if anyone has any reasons why this player is better/worse, I would love to hear them.
Thanks.

Since I have to give a star rating to post this (there really should be a comment only option) it gets a 3 for now

My first comment is that there should be a DVD section so I would know where to place my comments (Other or Home Theater?)
I recently purchased the DVP-S550D and am very pleased with the unit. I was close to buying the JVC 501 and looked at the Toshiba 2109
and Panasonic A-120 as well. However, I was particularly impressed by the Sony's multitude of options available and the slow motion
features and performance. I liked the flexibility possible with the dual S-Video and composite output as well as the optical and coax digital
outputs. It has an internal DD decoder and plays DTS DVDs as well video CD's. I also felt that the fact it was just released this month means it has the latest available technology (hopefully). The remote and the unit itself also look more attractive than anything else I've seen (not that it matters that much).

Features, Menus

All the hype about lip-synch

I specifically bought this unit after researching other DVD players on this site. I got a newer player (SN>900000 and firmware 2.4). The first DVD I bought and played was Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Went to the second chapter and, suprise, lip synch right off the bat! I stopped and restarted and it was gone. I have to say I was shocked, thinking that everything had been fixed by the new firmware. Since then, I've played more than 20 different DVDs, none causing lip synch. Now I'm kinda gunshy, afraid that I'll go to show off my DVD player and that will happen. I'm happy to say that it hasn't happened again, but you should all know that it obviously can. I read below that several people say that they suspect dirt on the DVD, and after they clean the DVD, it's OK. I think that it is more the fact that the player was stopped and started, not the cleaning. I still think the Sony is better for the price and features than any other comparable unit I've looked at. I do agree that the enter button feels cheap. Overall, I'm happy.

It plays some movies ok.

It doesn't always work, and once it fails, you will not be playing that DVD, sorry.

Purchased in October 99. Folks this thing cost me 400 bucks. It's a SONY for God sakes. Went into service after four months and was 'fixed' at no charge. We have watched many movies successfully, but we have also endured quite a bit of lock-up. Once it goes south it will NOT let go of the disk, you literally have to unplug the thing! After dying again with the C:13:00 error tonight on Hang'em High (yes, it is a dual layer disk), I have had it. CD players were expensive and fragile when they first came out, but they worked!! I expected more from Sony. I don't want to buy a $400 DVD Player once a year. (No really, I don't!). Doesn't matter if the price drops to $200 or even $100. Steer clear of this one!

Similar Products Used:

None