Video Asylum

Posted by Bill Spohn on January 15, 2000 at 09:19:13:

In Reply to: Affordable DVD Transport posted by Russ on January 14, 2000 at 07:45:38:

It depends on whether your aim is audio or video, or both. For audio only, a dedicated transport is a valid answer. If you would use it for dual purpose, however, you would be looking for a unit that has a good transport mechanism, such that it wouldn't compromise the sound through your audio chain, but also a competent video section.

I auditioned many different units before settling on the Elite DV-09. I should add that I did not listen to the less expensive DV-05, which might function quite well as a transport at a lower price, while having less video bells and whistles (which may not be that important to you.

I agree that it seems a bit rude to buy a complete player and not use the D/A conversion in it (for pure audio, I use a Classe DAC1, and for video, a Lex MC1, so the only digital processing the Elite does is to the video signal itself), but I don't know of a product that provides video - only processing and expects to feed a digital audio signal out without processing. Maybe someone will get around to building one, but on the other hand, they would be disqualifying themselves from the market that slowly upgrades and would use the player as a complete unit until they could afford the upgrade of a good separate DA converter or AV preamp.