RSSHarman Kardon DVD 25 Reviewed
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Harman Kardon is one of those great companies that makes products that not only sound and work well, but also look good with clean, uncluttered lines. The Harman Kardon DVD 25 is a single DVD player model that joins the DVD 50 changer (reviewed in issue one) in their lineup. The DVD 25 is a progressive scan DVD player that also decodes MP3s, Video CDs and, of course, CD. Retailing for $349, it occupies that spot just above the lower end for that person demanding just a bit extra from their DVD player.
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The DVD 25 has Harman Kardon's signature modern design, which I found attractive and refreshing upon removal from the box. It is a charcoal black color, with the disc drawer in silver and, interestingly enough, weighs a little over 15 pounds, pointing to a better than average build quality. The display panel is offset to the top right of the player, and has nice legible graphics in white LED form. The back of the player has coaxial and Toslink digital outs, S- Video out, composite out, analog audio out, and component out. One of the nice features of the DVD 25 is the fact that you can switch between progressive scan and interlaced via the setup menu, avoiding a switch somewhere on the physical unit.
Unique Features
The cosmetics of the unit and the remote deserve a special mention. The charcoal black facade of the DVD 25 is split between a matte bottom half, and a mirrored top half. When turned on, the display lights up, and the transport control labels on the front of the player light up in green. This creates a very sophisticated, European look and feel to the player which belies its relatively modest cost. In an age when many manufacturers are racing to build the slimmest players possible, Harman Kardon has brought a player that is normal in size, with- easy to use controls and an easy to read display. These are the kinds of features that are most appreciated by those of us that enjoy ergonomics and cosmetics as much as we do ease of use functionality.
The remote is also excellent. It is also black, completely backlit (a nice plus for a player in this price bracket), properly shaped to fit in the palm of your hand, and the buttons are well grouped. The main transport buttons are shaped for easy usage without having to look at the remote. For example, the reverse button is in the shape of a left facing arrow, rather than just having the arrow printed on the button. Harman Kardon could teach quite a few companies about design and ergonomics.
Installation/Setup/Ease of Use
The notable attention to detail that Harman Kardon has put into their cosmetics and design extends to the DVD 25's setup menus. They are clean, legible, easy, and avoid any goofy pictographic symbols. Going through the menus and setting up this player took me all of a minute. On-screen menus are also very legible, and I was able to move through various functions smoothly. The ability to change from interlaced to progressive scan mode is done via the setup menu, and requires no switches. This came as a welcome surprise. Furthermore, the DVD 25 operation manual itself is simple and easy to use; a significant plus for beginners who want nothing more than to get their new component set up quickly and easily, with no hassle or confusion.
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