UPDATE (10/10/03): Sony DVP-CX985V 400 Disc DVD Changer - Now $360.84 Plus Shipping

[aperry]

UPDATE (10/10/03): Bad news from Cousin's. Just got this email (as I am sure those of you with orders also received).

We just received word from Sony that we may not see any DVPCX985's this month (October).

No reason was given, except that "they have more orders from dealers than they can make at this time."

We understand that you'll most likely be disappointed with this news... but please know, we're upset too. We're not in business to take orders... we're in business to sell product. And when we have no product, we have no sales.

If you need to cancel your order, we understand. If you choose to wait, please know your card will not be charged until the product is in our warehouse and ready to ship.

Thank you!

Looks like Sony is still jacking them around...

UPDATE (10/06/03): Someone had claimed that Cousin's is not an authorized Sony dealer. After being unable to find them listed on Sony's dealer lookup page, I wrote to Cousin's, and got this response:

The dealers listed on Sony's Web Site are Authorized "Consumer" Dealers.
Cousin's Video is an Authorized "Business/Professional" Dealer. Our
customer base is primarily schools, businesses and government
institutions.

If your concerns are regarding the warranty, rest assured, you get the
exact same warranty from us as you would from any other Authorized Dealer.

UPDATE (10/03/03): The discount code to get this changer for $331.74 plus shipping is no longer valid (expired 09/30/03).
New price is $372.00 - 3% (use default promo code on order form) = $360.84 (plus shipping). Still a good deal if and when Cousin's can get Sony to send them some units.

New post on their bulletin board (dated 10/02/03):

Another week has passed... and we've heard nothing new from Sony. Another shipment is supposed to be arriving in the states next week, but we have not been told if or how many we might get.

Sorry!

UPDATE (09/30/03): New statement on the item page for this player:

There is currently a large backorder on this model. Lock in your place in line and pre-order one today!

UPDATE (09/29/03): Crutchfield has posted on their site that some of the changers were incorrectly packaged with the ES warranty (which is 5 years parts & labor). Per Sony, the warranty is actually 1 year parts & labor. Others are checking into it, and I will update here with their findings.

UPDATE (09/26/03): People who have received these changers (it was available on Crutchfield) are reporting that they come with a 5 Year Parts & Labor Warranty!!!

UPDATE (09/24/03): I received the following from Cousin's.

According to my rep, Sony has decided to allocate these first units to a select few merchants, primarily Crutchfield and SonyStyle.com This has us more than a little upset. We are still trying to nail down dates and quantities from Sony. But nothing yet.

I have already called Sony to complain about them "playing favorites". I understand them sending these units to the "big players", but I still don't think it's fair... So there!



I just pre-ordered Sony's new DVD changer from Cousin's Video in Ohio. Got an excellent price too! Plus they don't rape you on shipping charges. Over $50 less than I've seen it anywhere else.

Total price $342.00 - 3% coupon + $10.27 shipping = $342.01

The price is now $372.00, but you can use their "default" code to save 3%.

Add the item to your cart.
Click on Checkout.
Enter your shipping information.
The next page will display $372.00 plus your shipping charges (again, they charge actual shipping).
Enter the promo code shown on the page, and your credit card info.
Submit your order.

Total cost - $372.00 - $11.16 = $360.84 plus shipping (plus taxes if you live in Ohio)

Links:
Cousin's Video Homepage
Page to Order DVD Changer
Sony's Info Page
Epinions Review

NOTE: They are unsure as to when these items will ship out. To date, they have not received any units. Depending on the number of units they receive, your order may not be included in the first shipment. They will ship these out "first come, first served". They will not, however, bill your credit card till the item ships. Just know that you may have to have a little patience.

Cousin's Video is an authorized Sony dealer.

Note: I am not "getting anything out of this", nor am I in any way affiliated with Cousin's Video. I am just passing on what I think is a great deal.

 

[markish]

My initial reaction: 400 DVD's at once! :Q
Big follow-up question: How is the Disc explorer in terms of finding what's where and the disc load time?

Edit: Read the review... great price.... very tempting....

 

[psycaz]

Sure does eliminate the need to change discs now doesn't it.
This does look very nice.

 

[aperry]

Yeah, I've been lusting after one of these ever since I read about it in one of the Home Theater magazines earlier this year.

It has Progressive Video, great for my 57" RP TV, and their progressive algorithm sounds like it would work really well (some players have had problems with progressive in the past). Also, it supports SACD, although from the Epinions review, it sounds like you have to use the analog 5.1 connections to get 5.1 on those types of discs. I kinda doubt that's true, but we shall see.

The only thing I was not too happy about is that it doesn't offer the "+1" or "+3" features in other changers. Those give you a quick and easy way to pop in a one-time view DVD, like a rental. But, I will get over it.

The main thing I am looking forward to doing is loading in all my Star Trek, ST-NG, ST-DS9, Stargate SG-1, X-Files, Friends, MASH, Cheers, and Frasier discs and having them available in a couple of button presses. And, the thing will only be a little over half full even with all that!!!

 

[bradolson]

nice deal. although if i would buy it i would need to buy anoter 150-200 DVDs to get full use of it, so it gets a lot more expensive, lol.

 

[themelon]

Precision Cinema Progressive, PCP. Just thought that was kinda funny.

I have been really happy with my 850D, the original 200 disk changer, although it lacks progressive. Getting ride of it though because I am going with a large hard disk array to play DVD's from.

The DiscExplorer works pretty good it is just painfully slow on the 850D. Hopefully they have made some speed improvments in the newer ones.

 

[aperry]

Bump for higher price... Sorry guys and gals...

 

[Overzeetop]

I have the (875?) 300+1 disc model Sony, and am quite pleased with it. Every once in a while (thoruhg very rarely) it seems to forget where the currently playing disc came from and spins the carousel, trying to put the disc back in the wrong place. Picture is great, load time is quick - <30 sec fromt the opposite side of the carousel, ~20 sec from adjacent slots. I had a $2000 Kenwood Sovereign with built in Farouja scaling - this Sony blows the doors off it in terms of PQ and useability. And yes, I have the equipment to tell the difference - I watch DVDs on a 119" (almost 10') screen driven by a 16:9 ratio High Def Sony LCD HT projector.

I don't use the disc explorer. With what you're saving on this machince, buy a copy of DVDprofiler and a small 3 ring binder. I print out a full catalog about once every 6-9 months. In the meantime, I have a tab in the back of the binder for "new acquisitions" which I print as I get the discs. Now that I've got a free Dell Axim on the way (but that's a brag-and-moan thread topic), I'll have to figure out a way to get my profiler data onto it so I can use that instead of hard copies.

 

[aperry]

Update... $342.00 price still available. See original post.

 

[markish]

What about the 3% Coupon? Can we still use it?

 

[aperry]

Update! Promo code available in original post to get the changer for $331.74 ($342.00 minus 3%)!!!

 

[aperry]

Bump for anyone that may have missed this great deal... Still available!

 

[jzodda]

geez

thats more DVDs then I own

 

[aperry]

The sad thing for me is it will only hold about 75% of the DVD's I own...

 

[rondeemc]

Thanks for the post, just ordered.......er backordered one. Cost was $345.88. Their forums stated that demand is very high for this unit and Sony is not sending many units initially so patience may be in order, something I am not good at. J&R price matched to them but their ratings are way down so I went with Cousin's

Anybody ordered from this source before?

 

[endo022]

does anyone know if this unit plays back vcd/svcd/xvcd?

is there a hack to make it region free?
support for PAL ?

it would be a clincher if it does all those
i'll be on it

 

[aperry]

rondeemc - According to Yahoo's shopping site, when you look for Cousin's Video in their list of stores, Cousin's comes up with a Top Service (5 Star) rating. Yahoo says that this means:

Excellent / Top Service -- The five-star Top Service icon next to a store's name is a sign of superlative quality. It means that the store is participating in our Merchant Rating System, and customers who have ordered from that store have given it the highest ratings.

endo022 - Based on pictures I've found on sites, it supports Video CD format, but I am not sure about SVCD or XVCD. Not sure about any available region hacks...

 

[aperry]

For those of you who want this now, Crutchfield has these in stock. 11 remaining as of a few minutes ago.

Cost is $399.99 shipped (and there is a $20 coupon floating around somewhere)...

I'm sticking with Cousin's though. It is not worth the extra $40 or so to get it a little sooner.

 

[rondeemc]

Crutchfield
There is a $20 off code for using mastercard or you can do 20 if you are a first time customer. The first time customer is a 15 digit alpha numeric that can be found using google.com. The first time user code is enter during the checkout process of page 3 or 4. The 20 off appears when you click on the coupons site link to shop at crutchfield's

Sticking with cousin's for now also in hope that supply picks up. Sony was even out of stock yesterday but were showing more units arriving on Sept 30

 

[aperry]

8 in stock at Crutchfield...

 

[rondeemc]

Crutchfield also says free shipping with a time of 3 days


changer

 

[aperry]

4 in stock at Crutchfield...

 

[aperry]

Crutchfield is out of stock, expecting new shipment on 10/24/03.

 

[aperry]

Bump for update of original thread.

E-mail from Cousin's added.

 

[cne3lite]

Anyone recieved these are they still plagued by the 875 issues and has the interface been improved