Harmon Kardon DVD-22

[kaylanmia]

comments and opinions would be great hey whats the deal with pixel by pixel progressive scan processing which is advertised by Harmon Kardon as being better then other progressive DVD players at CCity it gets rave reviews by over 60 customers any take AVS experts

[Q of BanditZ]

Solid. I like this unit and I like the 31 that's coming out, too. Very solid. What you're tripping up on is some proprietary marketing terminology. Bottom line is: It's going to do a nice pro scan picture for ya.

It's just like their receivers have Logic 7. That's "their thing" just like that "pixel by pixel" is.

Go for it!

[ranman1]

Is this a good dvd player for a DLP? All my AV equiptment is Harmon Kardon and I would like to stick with that brand unless it is inferior in any way (at a given price point). How would the PQ of this unit compare to an upconverting DVD player like the Denon 1910? I am expecting delivery of my new Mitsubushi 62725 DLP in a week.

[kaylanmia]

i am surprised that if this player is a HOT player then how come only two people have commented on it? It seems like sometimes this forum is partisan to Denon...does that mean Harmon Kardon is really actually not even close to a Denon 1910???

[Q of BanditZ]

I don't think a lot of people have bought it for a number of reasons.

1.) Still pretty new

2.) Not a lot of expsoure, and yes, around here, Denon seems to be the predominant hot topic. There's a LOT that slips under the radar. HK 22 and 31 are just two of these items.

3.) HK just isn't known for this sort of thing.

That all being said, no one knows or has bothered to buy the unit yet and report their findings here. I hope at least one person takes a gamble and buys it from a place with a good return policy. I know Amazon has it and I think BB and CC have it, too.

I own the HK 630 receiver, and if they make DVD players as well as they make their receivers, I think this would be a solid buy.

Somehow, and I could be shocked, I doubt it could compete with a 1080i upconverted picture on the Denon or anything else for that matter. The HK players do not upconvert at all.

They probably both have really nice 480p though and I notice some proprietary language that leads me to believe that HK has put some extra tricks in these machines. Kind of like Logic 7 is a proprietary sound field that HK uses on their receivers. And it kicks butt.

[kaylanmia]

lol...i feel important today that someone took notice of my small post but from reading many of the Denon 1910 upconverts using DVI I see a real split in opinions...and yes the Harmon DVD 22 is selling at Circuit C. for $199.00 way under Harmon MSRP...by the way I am currently hooked up to a Sony WE50610 with Monster Silver ZF component cables from a very old consumer reports best rated Hitachi DVP305 that had component out but no progressive scan from 1999...lol...so i am sure when I buy this Harmon Kardon DVD22 I will be going wow wee wow...or maybe not because I did buy the Bravo D2 and coulndt see enough difference and returned it and also bought the Panasonic RP47 and returned it because I wanted that D2...bottom line...Star Wars Trilogy comes out tommorrow and I will buy the HKDVD22 if anyone is reading...lol...and yes I am a geeky girl...but Hot Geeky Girl

[snap]

I've seen a few comments regarding the HK22, but absolutely nothing, not even on HK's site, with regards to the HK31. Does anybody have any info on this player?

-snap-

[Q of BanditZ]

Try the HK, kay. :p You're home free with CC. I love their 110 percent price match trick, too.

I emailed Hk the other day about the 31, as I might consider it myself. Here's the response. I am withholding identities for security and privacy obviously. This was written to me on 9-17-04.




For the DVD 31, they have been pushing this back a number of times.
Possibly within the next 2-3 weeks.
If you have any other questions or need further assistance, please let
me know.

FWIW, Amazon has had that 31 listed for weeks on end. I have no idea how accurate that information is whatsoever but check it out!

I'm annoyed that they added DVD-A but no SACD to the 31...unless of course that's why the delay happened. Maybe I'll get a real last minute shocker. Consider HK's excellent background in audio, IF the 31 were to become a universal player, that would be something definitely worth considering.

I certainly can vouch for their awesome receivers.

[kaylanmia]

oh great...apparently I am not the only one that thinks this player might need a second look...every google website i have visited is sold out...not that "ought" to say something for the player...ANYONE ANYONE ANYONE chime in if you own this player...ooohh i am mad now...oh by the way is that dvd audio brand decoder chip make the sound on regular DVD movies better? I dont listen to DVD audio but hey if one hundred clams will enhance the audio reproduction on my DVD movies...i am all for it...

[kaylanmia]

sorry let me clarify my last question...its for the consideration on the upgraded HK DVD31 retailing at $299.00...which is one hundred more then the HK DVD22

[snatch]

Well, I don't have much use for DVD-audio, but I have a LOT of use for the DVD22. I have it hooked up to my Sammy DLP and the picture is absolutely great. The player even has its own test screen for color/black level adjustments as well as the ability to adjust color/black level setting outputs on the player itself.

I was very picky in looking for a dvd player for my set, and this one is the best one I"ve come across by far.

[ranster]

Kay, the dvd-audio section has nothing to do with the DVD-video (in my understanding). Go for it, I agree with others that you won't be disappointed. I didn't pick this player since it didn't do dvd-a or sacd. But if this isn't a priority for you, don't worry about it!

[Q of BanditZ]

I'd look at the 31 myself. That thing's looking stacked. For about $40-$50 more tops, the HK 31 looks sweet. It looks like a direct counterpart to the forthcoming Panny s97.

Based on what I see with their receivers, since I own an HK 630, I feel confident that if you buy either the 22 or the 31, you will be very happy.

[kaylanmia]

i wish my post could be more chock full of nuts...but when you have a SonyGWIII and a PanasonicSAHE100S it almost makes you want to just wait a bit longer to match up either DVD name component, upcoming Sony and Panasonics upconverters...now if i went with an older Denon 2200 which goes for about $500 i could get that Silcon Image chip that most seem to scream about how much better it is with film based dvd's...hmm thnks for all the great input...i feel electronically validated...

[tomszo6]

Is the 31 available ?
Tom

[Cyrk]

I just returned my Samsung HD841 w/DVI because of the Black Crush problem and picked up the HK DVD 22 (got it for 159.99 from CC, Price matched there online price) and this thing has an amazing picture so much cleaner and less grainy than the Samsung player... very happy with it so far. I have noticed that on some of my burned dvd from my pc that the picture will stay stuck and the sound will still go on. Kinda of annoying. Other than that this player rocks. PQ is amazing on my Samsung DLP HLP6163W! Even the wifey comment how much better the pq was...

-Dave

[kaylanmia]

yep i read some reviews that it had a hardtime playing back burned discs...that price funny i could have sworn i saw it online for that $150 price but when i went back to it it was back to $199...well i found it to pickup in Florence, SC so on my way to FL next weekend i am buying in advance and picking up...thnks..

[Q of BanditZ]

Originally posted by tomszo6
Is the 31 available ?
Tom

Should be very soon, if not now.

[snap]

Is the HK 22 region free or does anybody know how to make it region free?

-snap-

[erios79]

Also, Does the dvd22 pass blacker than Black

[Q of BanditZ]

I think, but I'm not sure, Kris Deering got his hands on the 21 and we should know more about this as early as this week, if he's able to get the test results up that quickly... ;)

[kaylanmia]

you know i own the Sony KF50we610 and with all the posts and recomendations pointing towards that dam Panasonic XP30 with Faro chip...its in the mail arriving in a few but guilt riddens me to open it and then not liking it...could i be all wrong about this player and just go with all the Panny lovers...considering the GWIII thread has everyone screaming XP30...who am i to consider buying the Harman???

[Jim Kiler]

Also, Does the dvd22 pass blacker than Black

Unfortunately it does not.

I just found this thread, I have owned my DVD 22 for a couple months now. I am sure you can find better but at the time and price I am very happy with it. I own a 34" Sony XBR TV and this player is a nice improvement over the old JVC that had flicker issues with my TV in progressive mode.

This player does auto stretch 4:3 material, I didn't realize this was the norm as JVC doesn't.

I just saw the secrets has a new DVD shootout, but no DVD 22. Maybe that is good as most players appear bad or flawed after reading the reviews.

[Jim Kiler]

I forgot to add, the HK DVD22 does not have the chroma bug from what I can discern.

But this player uses the AMLogic 3370 chipset. On the latest secrets shootout, i see the Neu Neo - HVD108 has the AMLogic 3400 chipset, while this is a upconverting player it probably is a close to how the HK would hold up.

[Q of BanditZ]

The Neo player got trashed six ways to Tuesday from what I see. That's not very promising.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=120

Scroll down a bit. The Neu108? That's ugly.

[Jim Kiler]

That's not very promising

Well it is all we have to work with aside from owner input. The neo failed layer changes, I have yet to notice one since I got my DVD22. I also cannot see the chroma bug and the Neo failed that as well. Maybe I was premature to say the two are close.

I wonder if Kris of secrets is waiting for the DVD31 for testing.

[Q of BanditZ]

Maybe I was premature to say the two are close.

For HK's sake, let's hope you are correct. ;)

The 31 looks to be a really nice unit. Looks almost like a clone of the forthcoming Panny s97 on paper...

[kaylanmia]

could it be remotely possible you are wrong about the chipset...lol...cause that last shootout made the Denon 1910 look really attractive...lol...i dont know what i am worried about...i havent a clue as to what to look for when it fails...all i know is...when i had that Samsung HD931 in upconverted 1080i thru DVI it looked GREAT...but definitely had Black Crush...and so I got greedy and returned it waiting for a "better" player...thnks guys...

[dulyebr]

how annoying is that damn blue light! I emailed h/k to see if it was possible to to turn it down/off, nope. Ironic that you can dim the display, which isn't very bright, but the led light which is blinding when the lights are dimmed is on all the time.

My solution: I put some tin foil (shiny side down) on some double stick tape, then cut the tape into a very small square, which I placed over the led light. It looks pretty good, and actually matches my h/k avr-430 better since the power light on the avr is only on the edge of the button.

Other than that issue, very happy, the picture quality is unmatched. This is my third dvd player. First was a Toshiba($199) purchased in 2000, then I tried a the first Samsung DVI player, which sucked! - like watching through a dirty screen door not to mention the horrible remote. Sold that one and then went to the dvd22 and I was amazed! Very film-like image, and something I didn't expect, sound quality was so far ahead of the other two players! These are my impressions using a Sony Hi-Def CRT TV, H/K AVR430 receiver and Infinity Entra Speakers.

Cheers everyone

[cosgeo]

I bought the DVD 22 a week ago and so far I got to say that this machine rocks. Superb picture Q and sound is amazing....surround speakers sound so much better now. This is my fourth player and by far the best....my CD's also sound great now...I have had my AVR 630 for a year now and the 22 has breathed new life into it..(plus the upgrade!!)

Would any one happen to know if there are any firmware upgrades available for ithe DVD 22 ?? I see that some other DVD players have....

[Rick Hilst]

I have had a DVD31 for almost a month now. I watched a fair number of DVDs in that time and am of the opinion that the PQ and the sound are both very good.

[TulsaMike]

I just picked one up last night from CC. This is my 3rd DVD player for my new LG Plasma and I have to say that it looks really good. My first was a Sony 575 then an LG418 upscaling (could not get upscaling to work) the component video hooked up to this LG plasma monitor looks near HD. I am very happy with this player so far. It is constructed well only gripe is that the buttons on the backlit remote have no print on them. I have yet to do video calibration with this unit using DVE.

-Michael

[robertc88]

I read some reviews from owners on circuitcity.com. Most were very positive regarding this player.

I did see one hooked up at CC and I though the picture was very very good. More than likely I'll give it a go in the near future and see how I feel about the PQ on my Tosh 50" RPTV.