Amazon.co.uk Review
Samsung helped pioneer the value DVD player and has managed to produce another excellent example with the DVD-511, which offers plenty of features and is still eminently affordable. The DVD-511 looks a cut above the crowd with its metallic front panel and classy looks. It includes the pretty much standard set of connectors on the back. You've three ways to hook up your television, via the Composite, S-VHS or an RGB-capable Scart socket. For sound you have optical and coaxial digital audio and a set of standard stereo phono sockets. This is all you really need unless your audio-visual setup starts to become exotic.
The on-screen text-based menus are simple to navigate and the remote has large, sensibly placed navigation buttons. It's when you start to examine the detailed feature set that the DVD-511 starts to show its worth. It can convert an NTSC signal into a PAL signal and output a 60Hz Pal signal. There's black-level adjustment so you can match the image to your television. It can also play sound during the double-speed picture search and there's a memory setting so that you can jump to your favourite part of a film quickly. There's also a 2x and 4x digital zoom and a 3-D spatial-sound mode.
The 10-bit video DAC delivers an excellent picture with high saturation and contrast, particularly if you are using the RGB Scart connection. Sound reproduction is up to the mark but doesn't quite match the picture quality, although you'll need a good ear to notice under most circumstances.
Samsung has managed to produce a budget-price DVD player without sacrificing too much in the process, making it a fine choice for those looking for a value player with something a little extra.--Miles Berkeley