DVD Combo - In The Lab

DVD-VIDEO PERFORMANCE
Maximum white-level error: +8 IRE
Setup level: +7.5/0 IRE (switchable)
Luminance frequency response
(re level at 1 MHz)
at 4 MHz +2.6 dB
at 5 MHz +1.6 dB
at 6 MHz -1.4 dB
at 6.75 MHz (DVD limit) -1.9 dB
Onscreen horizontal resolution:
540 lines
In-player letterboxing:
poor

CD AUDIO PLAYBACK
Frequency response:
20 Hz to 20 kHz +0.15, -0.09 dB
Noise level: (re -20 dBFS, A-wtd) -73.8 dB

The picture this combo's DVD player produced was "hot" in a couple of ways. The maximum-white-level error was very high, which is likely to drive a picture tube into various types of misbehavior on very bright areas of an image. This can be corrected using the TV's contrast control in conjunction with a DVD test disc. There was also a large boost (the highest we've measured) in the midrange of the luminance frequency response, which produced a sense of hyped-up picture detail. Turning down your TV's sharpness control may produce a more accurate picture. The CD performance was good if not stellar.
- David Ranada