Panasonic DVD-RP62 DVD Player
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- Number of Discs: 1
- Progressive Scan: With Progressive Scan
- DVD Type: DVD Player
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Panasonic DVD-RP62 DVD Player With Progressive Scan, MP3, WMA, XVCD, CD-R/W and DCDi
Pros
Excellent picture and sound, low price, progressive scan, features, MP3 interface
Cons
Remote design
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The Panasonic DVD-RP62 is an excellent progressive-scan player at a very reasonable price.
The Panasonic DVD-RP62 is slim DVD player that features progressive-scan playback - a feature that the owners (or potential owners) of an HDTV TVs will appreciate.
It is one of the cheapest progressive-scan DVD players and at the same time produces excellent picture quality that rivals models that cost several times more. And it incorporates Sage/Faroudja deinterlacer that is usually found in much more expensive players.
Picture
The RP62 produces excellent picture quality. You can see the smallest detail, even in the dark areas. The colors are vivid and sharpness is incredible in either progressive scan or "standard" interlaced mode. The RP62 (as its predecessor – RP56) uses Sage/Faroudja chip.
The patented Directional Correlational Deinterlacing (DCDi) of Sage/Faroudja solution makes the diagonal edges look straight and eliminates artifacts affecting moving images in video-sourced mode. The Sage chip is also very good at detecting video or film mode. The player has 2:3 pulldown processing for film-based material.
Players that use Sage/Faroudja deinterlacing chip usually cost much more than $179, for which the RP62 sells currently, yet Panasonic managed to incorporate this advanced chip (that features DCDi) in this model.
This chip does both cadence detection and deinterlacing. It suppresses artifacts caused by composite video mastering by embedded cross-color suppressor and this also completely eliminates the "chroma upsampling bug", from which, for example, a lot of Toshiba players suffer as well as some popular DVD players from Sony.
The "chroma upsampling error" (streaky saturated colors), is widespread and affects such models as Toshiba SD1600 (Zoran MPEG decoder), Apex A600 (ESS MPEG decoder) and even Sony S360 (LSI MPEG decoder).
The JVC (Mediamatics MPEG decoder) and Panasonic players (Panasonic MPEG decoder) don't have this problem. The picture quality of this player, overall, is excellent in both interlaced and progressive modes and rivals models that are much more expensive.
Playback Flexibility
The RP62 can play DVD Video, Audio CD, DVD-R, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, WMA, VCD, XVCD…
Front Panel
The RP62 is slim and is available in black as RP62K and silver as RP62S model. The display is shifted to the side of the player to be able to make it slimmer. The front panel features a shuttle control, which you can use to adjust fast or slow scan speed and direction, as well as buttons for basic and some advanced functions (like "Quick Replay").
Inputs
The RP62 has the following inputs/outs.
Video: a composite output, an S-video output and a component video out (switchable between progressive scan and interlaced modes).
To use the player's progressive scan capabilities, you have to use the component video out (and connect it to the TV that can handle 480p signal), but in the interlaced mode, you can use either it or an S-Video out.
The composite connection, on the other hand, will create cross-luminance artifacts (rainbow-like Moire patterns, dot crawl, etc.), due to the inability of a TV's comb filter to correctly separate luminance and chrominance. So even if you have a non-HDTV TV, you still should avoid using a composite video connection.
Audio: audio outs (left and right - RCA-type jacks plus RCA-type subwoofer out), an optical digital audio output (both Dolby Digital and DTS compatible), which you can use to connect it to Dolby Digital or DTS receivers or mini-systems.
CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R
Both CD-R and CD-RW discs can be played as well as DVD-R. The player has a twin-laser pickup and a built-in disc stabilizer.
MP3 and WMA Playback
In addition to DVD-Video and Audio CD, the RP62 can play WMA and MP3 files. The sound quality depends on the bit rate the file is encoded at. The player can play MP3 files encoded at up to 320 Kbps and supports variable bit rate (VBR) as well as constant bit rate.
The MP3 playback interface shows the entire file name and allows you select files for playback navigating through the directory structure. Songs are grouped based on directory and you can also use random playback.
Video CD and XVCD
The RP62 also plays VCD and XVCD. I used to use VCD, which features 352x240 resolution with video bit rate of 1150 kbps using MPEG-1 encoding. But now I make XVCD with resolution of either 720x480 at up to 2500 kbps using TMPGEnc and Nero Burning ROM.
The picture quality of XVCD at 720x480 and high bit rates is very good. The RP62 supports both constant bit rate and variable bit rate.
Performance
The player features immediate response to your commands, unlike some other players I've seen.
Sound
The sound quality from the analog outs is very good. The player also allows you use its optical digital out to output stereo, Dolby Digital or DTS signal.
Error Correction
The player plays scratched discs very well.
Quick Replay
There is a Quick Replay function that allows you replay several seconds at a touch of a button if you missed something.
Features
Other features of the RP62 include dialogue enhancer, cinema modes, still and frame advance modes, chapter preview mode. It features high-speed scan (5 speeds in both directions) at up to 200x and slow speed scan at 5 speeds
The player has random playback and programmed playback, direct track access. There are five bookmarks you can return to and you can jump to any moment on the disc by entering the time. The menus are intuitive with descriptions of what buttons to use and the MP3 interface is smooth.
The player remembers where you stopped and can resume from that moment, even if you turn it off if you push a button designated to remember the position ("Position Memory").
Remote
The remote control for the current line of Panasonic DVD player (RP62 included) has strange shape and many small similarly-sized buttons. The major functions are still easy to use but you definitely have to have adequate lighting to find the buttons for more advanced functions.
Expected Durability
The player seems solidly constructed. It is not made of titanium, but I believe it will prove quite durable in everyday use – this is based on a constant use of the previous generation of the player.
Pricing
The RP62 sells for less than $180, which is an incredible deal.
Conclusion
The Panasonic DVD-RP62 is an excellent progressive-scan player at a very reasonable price.
Current Panasonic DVD Players
Below you can find the current lineup of Panasonic DVD players:
Panasonic DVD-F65
Panasonic DVD-S55
Panasonic DVD-S35
Panasonic DVD-S25
It is one of the cheapest progressive-scan DVD players and at the same time produces excellent picture quality that rivals models that cost several times more. And it incorporates Sage/Faroudja deinterlacer that is usually found in much more expensive players.
Picture
The RP62 produces excellent picture quality. You can see the smallest detail, even in the dark areas. The colors are vivid and sharpness is incredible in either progressive scan or "standard" interlaced mode. The RP62 (as its predecessor – RP56) uses Sage/Faroudja chip.
The patented Directional Correlational Deinterlacing (DCDi) of Sage/Faroudja solution makes the diagonal edges look straight and eliminates artifacts affecting moving images in video-sourced mode. The Sage chip is also very good at detecting video or film mode. The player has 2:3 pulldown processing for film-based material.
Players that use Sage/Faroudja deinterlacing chip usually cost much more than $179, for which the RP62 sells currently, yet Panasonic managed to incorporate this advanced chip (that features DCDi) in this model.
This chip does both cadence detection and deinterlacing. It suppresses artifacts caused by composite video mastering by embedded cross-color suppressor and this also completely eliminates the "chroma upsampling bug", from which, for example, a lot of Toshiba players suffer as well as some popular DVD players from Sony.
The "chroma upsampling error" (streaky saturated colors), is widespread and affects such models as Toshiba SD1600 (Zoran MPEG decoder), Apex A600 (ESS MPEG decoder) and even Sony S360 (LSI MPEG decoder).
The JVC (Mediamatics MPEG decoder) and Panasonic players (Panasonic MPEG decoder) don't have this problem. The picture quality of this player, overall, is excellent in both interlaced and progressive modes and rivals models that are much more expensive.
Playback Flexibility
The RP62 can play DVD Video, Audio CD, DVD-R, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, WMA, VCD, XVCD…
Front Panel
The RP62 is slim and is available in black as RP62K and silver as RP62S model. The display is shifted to the side of the player to be able to make it slimmer. The front panel features a shuttle control, which you can use to adjust fast or slow scan speed and direction, as well as buttons for basic and some advanced functions (like "Quick Replay").
Inputs
The RP62 has the following inputs/outs.
Video: a composite output, an S-video output and a component video out (switchable between progressive scan and interlaced modes).
To use the player's progressive scan capabilities, you have to use the component video out (and connect it to the TV that can handle 480p signal), but in the interlaced mode, you can use either it or an S-Video out.
The composite connection, on the other hand, will create cross-luminance artifacts (rainbow-like Moire patterns, dot crawl, etc.), due to the inability of a TV's comb filter to correctly separate luminance and chrominance. So even if you have a non-HDTV TV, you still should avoid using a composite video connection.
Audio: audio outs (left and right - RCA-type jacks plus RCA-type subwoofer out), an optical digital audio output (both Dolby Digital and DTS compatible), which you can use to connect it to Dolby Digital or DTS receivers or mini-systems.
CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R
Both CD-R and CD-RW discs can be played as well as DVD-R. The player has a twin-laser pickup and a built-in disc stabilizer.
MP3 and WMA Playback
In addition to DVD-Video and Audio CD, the RP62 can play WMA and MP3 files. The sound quality depends on the bit rate the file is encoded at. The player can play MP3 files encoded at up to 320 Kbps and supports variable bit rate (VBR) as well as constant bit rate.
The MP3 playback interface shows the entire file name and allows you select files for playback navigating through the directory structure. Songs are grouped based on directory and you can also use random playback.
Video CD and XVCD
The RP62 also plays VCD and XVCD. I used to use VCD, which features 352x240 resolution with video bit rate of 1150 kbps using MPEG-1 encoding. But now I make XVCD with resolution of either 720x480 at up to 2500 kbps using TMPGEnc and Nero Burning ROM.
The picture quality of XVCD at 720x480 and high bit rates is very good. The RP62 supports both constant bit rate and variable bit rate.
Performance
The player features immediate response to your commands, unlike some other players I've seen.
Sound
The sound quality from the analog outs is very good. The player also allows you use its optical digital out to output stereo, Dolby Digital or DTS signal.
Error Correction
The player plays scratched discs very well.
Quick Replay
There is a Quick Replay function that allows you replay several seconds at a touch of a button if you missed something.
Features
Other features of the RP62 include dialogue enhancer, cinema modes, still and frame advance modes, chapter preview mode. It features high-speed scan (5 speeds in both directions) at up to 200x and slow speed scan at 5 speeds
The player has random playback and programmed playback, direct track access. There are five bookmarks you can return to and you can jump to any moment on the disc by entering the time. The menus are intuitive with descriptions of what buttons to use and the MP3 interface is smooth.
The player remembers where you stopped and can resume from that moment, even if you turn it off if you push a button designated to remember the position ("Position Memory").
Remote
The remote control for the current line of Panasonic DVD player (RP62 included) has strange shape and many small similarly-sized buttons. The major functions are still easy to use but you definitely have to have adequate lighting to find the buttons for more advanced functions.
Expected Durability
The player seems solidly constructed. It is not made of titanium, but I believe it will prove quite durable in everyday use – this is based on a constant use of the previous generation of the player.
Pricing
The RP62 sells for less than $180, which is an incredible deal.
Conclusion
The Panasonic DVD-RP62 is an excellent progressive-scan player at a very reasonable price.
Current Panasonic DVD Players
Below you can find the current lineup of Panasonic DVD players:
Panasonic DVD-F65
Panasonic DVD-S55
Panasonic DVD-S35
Panasonic DVD-S25
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