After trying to put it off as long as possible, I finally caved into buying a DVD player. The decision was prompted by the release of Ghost in the Shell on region 2 - and being a massive Anime fan, I couldn't resist :-)

The Samsung 709 is modestly priced with the average price being anywhere between 190-230. I got mine for 210 from Richer Sounds in Guildford, and despite being warned about them, I've always found their service to be very friendly. However, my primary motivation was not price, but the fact that it can be made regionless easily.

The player itself is housed in a nice shiny brushed aluminium-look-alike case, with a Samsung logo embossed into the top. There doesn't appear to be any cooling vents which may be a consideration if you plan to place it with other heat-generating devices.

The back of the machine is a little sparse. You have, a co-ax digital out, RGB SCART out, S-video out and composite video out. You get audio phono cables, a composite video cable and an S-video cable thrown in, but they're the usual cheap stuff.

The front panel has the usual DVD control buttons - nothing outstanding. The VFD display is much nicer than other budget DVD players, with a proper alpha-numeric display and provides good information. The on-screen display is attractive, and the in-disc menus for subtitles, audio track etc are kept small and at the top of the screen without getting in the way of the picture.

The remote feels (and looks) cheap and plastic - which seems to be a curse of many DVD players, whether they are cheap or expensive. With the batteries in the balance feels a little strange. However, the little built-in thumb joystick to control menus is a nice touch and works well. The remote also has the ability to control basic TV functions, such as channel and volume etc.

The usual zoom function is there, with a two level zoom, which you can pan around in while zoomed in. It also has four "bookmarks" available, so you can save your place in a film.

Some earlier models of the 709 had problems with The Matrix, mine seems to be ok - so is probably running one of the later firmware upgrades (i haven't opened the box to check!). But it's definitely worth checking before purchasing to make sure you're not being ripped off with one of the early models.

There is also an excellent, un-official 709 owners site at www.709online.com with a FAQ, details of the different multiregion hacks and a users forum.

Picture Quality = 10
Very good.. a little grainy at times - but this is probably down to the mid-range SCART cables I'm using. The NTSC to PAL conversion for region 1 discs is excellent - with the option of output being PAL50 or PAL60.

Sound Quality = 9
Great using a pro-logic amp. Can't say about the DTS output though.

Build Quality = 8
Very tough feeling box - DVD tray solid and smooth.

Playback = 9
Doesn't appear to have any problems with troublesome discs, or region 1 discs when the hack has been applied.

Speed = 7
A little slow when first loading a new disc, but nothing really to moan about.

Looks = 6
Some may be put off by the colour, and a black-case option would've been nice, but otherwise it's functional. Somewhat square and boring on the front panel.

Overall = 9
An excellent budget player with features you're more likely to find in mid-range models. Along with the easy multiregion hack a definite contender for your home cinema setup.