The first decision facing many DVD player purchasers has become one of brand. You can go with a known and recognised brand such as Pioneer or Sony, with a greater level of security over whether the player will be of a high quality, widely compatible, and to enjoy a higher level of support with dealers in every town. Alternatively, you can take the gamble of saving a bit of cash by selecting a little-or-unknown brand subject to significantly more variable quality standards. However, the rules of the game are changing, and the big names have realised that there is significant value (and profit) by targeting the budget end of the market.

This Pioneer - the fourth in the 500 series beginning with the 505, is therefore a very modern and refined design. The player on test is actually a Region 3 native Pioneer 535K from Scan, which comes automatically region-free from the box. The Pioneer is now competing with many of the no-name brands which have proliferated at this end of the market.

The Pioneer comes clad in the classic champagne gold of higher-budget machines, and very nice it looks too. Black options are also available from some retailers. Pioneer's basic chassis design has not changed much since it's original machines, but the 535 has a few more chiselled edges bringing it bang up-to-date. The size of the black area around the display has been reduced, which gives the player a more streamlined look. Gone are the quick access numerical buttons on the fascia, which are hardly ever used, and tend to clutter the front of machines that have them. The LCD display is large and clear, with excellent contrast and nice large symbols for the various functions which can be read from a distance. It's a bit of a shame that Pioneer have opted to leave off the blue led used on previous models, as it was always quite stylish and a bit of a talking point ! Also gone is the button for 'vitual surround' which I am sure will not be missed by many.

Because it is the 'K' variant, this player sports microphone sockets and volume and echo level controls on the fascia for karaoke. If you are the type of person to enjoy this sort of thing then all power to you and you probably have a collection of the correct type of disks to make use of this feature. The majority of users are likely to leave these untouched for the life of the player.

Because this player is badged as a Region 3 machine, there are no SCART connectors. Picture output is restricted to S-video, composite or component sockets. The inclusion of a component output is notable on a machine at this budget level, because such a signal is only usually included on high-end projectors, rear-projection or plasma screens. This would indicate an imbalance being spent on the source, and the delivery method. However, it offers flexibility, and the option to upgrade your screen at a later date and enjoy a higher quality picture, so its inclusion on the Pioneer is welcome. As with the colour, other versions of the 535 are on the market at various retailers, so purchasers should take care to ensure that they know which region the machine is from, and what socketry it enjoys at the rear.

This player sports the two standard methods of outputting digital sound - optical and co-axial connections. Pioneer have adopted an interesting strategy here, as they have also released the 530 player at an even lower price, which is the same as the 535 but does not have the optical connector. As most digital amps have both, this is a possible way of saving more pennies, but I could counsel caution to ensure that you have the right options with your hardware, and to consider what upgrades you might be making during the lifetime of your player.

A switch at the back of the player allows the user to select whether picture output is PAL, NTSC or automatic, which provides maximum flexibility when managing your display. A table in the instruction book provides guidance over which format the player will output in each set of circumstances, including PAL60 when required.

The build quality of the Pioneer is high, with good quality materials being utilised in the chassis and case. However, anyone used to higher-end Pioneer or other brand machines might find the 535 to be a bit light and flimsy. It is no more light and flimsy than the other budget machines on the market, but nor is it more weighty or sturdy.

Anyone with experience of the innards of DVD players may well experience extreme surprise when popping the bonnet on the 535. It is by far the most compact and streamlined design I have ever seen. The power unit is small, and located directly behind the power input cable. The transport sits directly in the centre of the player, while the entire circuitboard and chipset is located directly below the transport mechanism. The section of the chassis to the right-hand side of the player is entirely empty - it is no wonder the player is so light !

With the design as it is, it is not possible to identify any chipset information, but that silicon which is visible are simply Pioneer's own-branded chips. Motherboard and drive connectors are also custom designs. The transport sitting on top is extremely solidly constructed and attached, and the action is smooth and reassuring.

The Pioneer happily plays CD's, DVD's, VCD's and CDR discs with music and film content, but there are no features to access or play MP3's like most budget machines on the market. Dolby Pro-Logic, Dolby Digital, and DTS bitstreams can be handled with ease.

When it comes to features, Pioneer have thankfully re-visited the machines internal menus from previous models. The menus now have selectable coloured backgrounds, and a more comprehensive structure with menu tabs along the top, and selections appearing down the right-hand of the screen. This makes them slightly more user-friendly, although they still don't have the accessibility or beauty of even some of more recent budget machines such as the Manhattan. However, the importance of these menus is often overstated, as they are typically only needed when setting up the player at first, or if being used in different hardware setups.

Another area where Pioneer have improved the 5 series players is on the operation of the disc transport mechanism. Loud disc spinning noises, especially when navigating a disc, have been reduced, although not entirely banished. There is still a gentle whirring which can be heard during particularly quiet scenes, or when using pause. The access speed of the drive has also been increased, and the Pioneer now compares reasonably to some of the faster machines on the market. Navigating menus is no-longer the click-and-wait experience it was on earlier models. When it comes to layer changes though, Pioneer have not yet eliminated the pause altogether, and the 535 is not as quick to refocus the laser as some of its contemporaries.

One huge improvement over previous models is the power operation of the 535. Where the power switch has been a hard-power before, the operation of the switch is now tied into the standby function of the player. This means that a power off can be overridden by the remote. It may seem an insignificant point, but once you've settled into the sofa, it can be annoying if a player has been powered down in a way which cannot be overridden by the remote.

Unfortunately, the Pioneer does retain one particularly annoying feature which blights one of the more commonly used functions of disc management - the fast forward/reverse search. The 535 has only a single speed of search, and this function is operated by holding down the search buttons. This is an extremely hit and miss affair, and the search can start or stop with no warning. Further, with no control over the speed, it can be extremely difficult to actually find the desired spot on a disc with any accuracy.

It is amazing that DVD player manufacturers to a man seem incapable of designing a remote control that can be used be any human being with normal opposable thumbs. The Pioneer remote is better than many efforts imposed on us recently, but it is still home to a collection of tiny buttons in a non-intuitive arrangement. I have a five-year old Panasonic VCR remote which handles a great number of functions through the remote, but the design is comfortable and natural. The key might be a flap having common-use buttons on the outside, and less-used functions behind. I'm not convinced that everyday access is necessary to functions such as the number pad, the 'angle' button or the A-B programming options. Could we try that next time please manufacturers ?

As stated earlier, this is a player sourced from Region 3, and it has been adjusted to allow automatic region-free operation. This is different to other players on the market which might be Region 2 machines with SCARTS, which have been 'chipped' to allow auto-region or region selection. However, these machines often require complicated remote handset codes for operation. Other machines from other regions have also cropped up with different combinations.

This machine has been on test for an extended period, and it has played every disc thrown at it. This includes Region 1, Region 2 and Region 4 titles which were both modern discs, and back catalogue issues. However, I did not have access to any RCE encoded discs to check compatibility with this new form of region protection. I would predict that RCE discs would NOT play because of the machine's automated region selection. RCE has not yet been used on many discs, and only in Region 1, but if you are planning to import your entertainment you may want to give this point serious consideration. Discounting RCE though, the Pioneer offers plain reliability - users can be confident that any disc will play without any crashing or incompatibility concerns which tend to plague other budget machines.

Much like disc compatibility, the Pioneer is reassuringly reliable when it comes to picture quality. Bringing the best out of most discs, signal through the S-video output is clean and bright. Edge definition is excellent, even when displayed to a huge size with a video projector - especially with anamorphically compressed material. The composite output is also surprisingly excellent, and shows little degradation from the standards of the S-video.

When the Pioneer is asked to produce detailed images, even in scenes with drifting fog or smoke, or when the picture is dark, the picture is smoothed and subtle. High-speed action is also represented without much in the way of blocking or blurring on all but the worst encoded discs. The T2-UE disc is an excellent example, as it is a well produced disc offering a blend of very dark scenes, detail and quick movement. The Pioneer made the experience thoroughly enjoyable.

Colour is also an experience to be enjoyed with the 535, and it is strong and bright when the situation allows. This does not, however, mean that pictures on the Pioneer are oversaturated or cartoonish. The colours are simply well-defined and rich. Skintones are convincing and scenes such as skys or water, which are notoriously difficult to render with believable depth, are excellent.

Pioneer often trades on its excellence for audio quality, and the 535 is no exception to this rule. Digital sound from DVD discs is always handled with strength and aplomb.

Pro logic sound is beautifully represented and demonstrates an excellent definition and spaciousness. Even though the channels are significantly compressed in this format, the Pioneer passes on the best levels of detail and placement.

Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks are produced with an ability that far surpasses the kind of money you have to part with for this machine. With half-decent amplification the Pioneer sings its way through some of the great demo discs. This is an ideal player to demonstrate the subtle differences between the two formats, as while the Dolby Digital tracks are deep and strong, DTS discs demonstrate a slightly higher fidelity and depth. Whichever digital system you select, you can be guaranteed that the effects will be expertly placed and as sonically clean as the recording on the disc will allow. The 535 produces a truly rich deep bass, which when teamed with a subwoofer creates a sound which will certainly allow your neighbours to enjoy your movies almost as much as you ! The thundering tanks of DTS Saving Private Ryan might as well be rumbling through your living room.

When it comes to audio CD's and DTS, the Pioneer trounces it's budget competition at reproducing deep and detailed sounds. Where many DVD players in this category can sound tinny and lightweight, the 535 wades in with a respectable amount of verve and bass. With the DTS-encoded music CD 'Brand New Day', the haunting melodies and swooping percussion surround the listener and amaze with their definition. The quality is certainly comparable to £100-£150 or more standalone CD players, meaning this player could reasonably play a dual role within a hi-/home cinema stacking system and eliminate the need for a separate CD unit

Anyone on the market for a budget DVD player should give serious consideration to the Pioneer DVD-535K or one of the members of its family - the 535 and the 530. Pioneer offers the consumer a compromise. What you miss out in options and features, you make up for with the excellent picture and sound. And let's face it, when you're enjoying the latest blockbuster, is it really the internal menu system of the player, or its inability to play compressed music files that you care about ? Those needing specific features will be able to determine whether this player is for them. Those that are new to DVD, and want to enjoy the top picture and sound quality that the format offers, will be extremely satisfied with this Pioneer player. The operation of the search mechanism is frustrating and annoyingly unnecessary, but this is the only true fly in the ointment. Inexperienced customers might also take comfort from the fact that they are buying into a recognised brand, and the quality and support which accompanies that fact.

Dan Bates

	Build	Picture	Sound	Features	Speed	Value	Overall
	8	9	9	6	8	9	9