"Technology has its price, and it's usually high. With the XBOX dropping below $200, a full function entertainment system is now reasonably accessible."

Intro
Before any of the "big three" consoles came out; I already had a DVD player... a good one at that. When I originally picked up my XBOX console, I shrugged at the site of forking out $300 on a console and another $30 just to play DVD's. Heck, my DVD player was excellent and never had a problem with it.

As time went on, my entertainment center started to look more like a scene out of Junkyard Wars on TLC rather than a techno-electric paradise. With three or four consoles, DVD player and a receiver hooked up to my television, it really did start to get a bit out of hand.; not to mention my wife nearly fainting when "powering up" the entertainment center...

I decided to dish out the $30 and rid myself of my DVD player. The XBOX is big enough and removing my DVD player, really saved a good deal of space.

Button, button... whose got the button?
Setting up the DVD kit was really a piece of cake, and non-techy people should have no problems getting the system to work. Simply insert the infrared receiver into any controller slot (yup, you lose a slot). That is really the only hardware hook-up you have to worry about. Once you insert a DVD you are good to go. Since your XBOX doesn't recognize DVD's until you plug in the receiver in, you're out of luck until you install it. After that, grab your remote and rollout.

I'll be the first to admit that the remote is fairly vanilla. There aren't many advanced options, and the controller is really flashier than it really is. Your basic buttons are all here. This includes different speeds of fast-forwarding and rewinding, stop, play and pause. As with all other DVD players the all-important "Menu" button which brings you to the menu frame on the DVD. Navigating through menus is done by using the arrow keys, and the button in the center of the arrows is your "enter" button which activates whatever is highlighted on your television.

To achieve the famed "slow motion" effect, just pause the DVD and hit your Forward or Reverse button. For those looking for deeper control, use the large Display button to bring up a variety of on-screen tools. These tools include everything from changing audio tracks (Dolby Digital 5.1 etc.) and language options to video and playback menus. Probably the coolest feature is the "zoom" utility. Many DVD players don't include this feature, and this allows you to enlarge the screen to fit your T.V. Since most DVD's are letterboxed, if you want to make it fit your screen this is the best option you have to "manipulate" it.

The bottom half of the controller is nothing but numbers, which to me seems like a waste of space. The buttons only function is to switch between DVD chapters. If browsing through chapters, I usually just hit the "Skip" button.

Probably my biggest gripe with the controller is the lack of a power or eject button. Since I'm lazy (you are too so don't judge me, ok?) I would have like to turn the power off via controller, instead of walking way over to the unit itself. So, powering on and off your XBOX as well as ejecting disks have to be done manually.... grrr.

Tougher than Mr. T.
Any XBOX owner will tell you that the console is not for weak. It's a huge heavy (and well constructed) piece of machinery. While I find the controllers to be a bit too "plastic-ey", I think the DVD remote is comparably made. I wish it had a "meatier" feel to it and had a bit more substance.

The general feel is the same type of material that is used for the controllers, but don't let the wimpy plastic fool you. I've dropped the thing a dozen times, and my two year old has used it as a lightsaber on more than one occasion and it?s held up well.

Those who just have to have matching accessories will truly appreciate the compatibility of the console and the remote. Both have the flat black base, with Microsoft money green highlights. The buttons have a nice feel to them.. They are firm, well in place (keep your minds out of the gutter) and seem to retract well once pushed... (clears throat)

Performance wise, I really have to give it to Microsoft. The DVD player loads faster than my Panasonic, and the quality is just as good. The audio, is actually a tad better and I was more than impressed with the fluidity of the DVD play. I know many people have complained of DVD's not playing on the system (the same goes with the PS2), but I've yet to come across any that didn't work. Even my DVD imports (Region 1 only!) work fine. VCD's also play perfectly. I really can't complain, and it is actually a slight improvement from my previous DVD player.

66 Says:
I've heard it a dozen times, "I already have a DVD player, and don't need another one.". Hey, I did too, but simply by removing my old DVD player it has made my entertainment center look much cleaner. My other issue was regarding performance, simply because I didn't want to sacrifice quality for a "clean living room".

The DVD kit is a great way to get your entertainment center up and running. The XBOX proves to be a quality gaming console for gamers, as well as a movie-buffs DVD of choice. It's a really good mixture, and the DVD options are far better than what the PS2 has to offer. Overall, I give the kit two thumbs up. Other than not having a power button and the plastic feels a bit lame-o; its a great unit.