I'm looking to get a dvd changer and was wondering if anybody has been using either of the two and run into any problems. Besides the obvious advantages of the kenwood, which of the two have the least amount of problems or bugs, and is ideal for a true dvd movie collection.

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despite it's problems, the kenwood has a beautiful picture. this i can say because i also have the pioneer 301 changer and i can see the difference on the same disc.

the gui is not bad, but it has some irritating quirks. The biggest one for me is that you can't categorize from the gui. you have to do it from the front panel of the unit.

I've owned the Sony, and I own the Kenwood. The answer depends on a few things.

First, the Kenwood is a progressive scan unit, and it offers an advantage in that respect, but for nearly double the price. If you don't have a television with component inputs, forget it. If you do, then go to step two.

Step two involves actually assessing how much your set or projector will benefit from progressive scan, and the Faroudja decoding. Your screen size and the quality of your internal line doubler (if it's a television) will dictate this.

As clunky as the Sony's user interface is, the Kenwood's is worse. It gets better if you add the $1800 Entre Hub, but that's a whole new episode.

If you determine that you won't benefit from progressive scan that much, then the choice is clear. If you reach that point, then save the money and buy the Pioneer, which remains the most user friendly of the bunch, and whose picture is slightly superior to that of the Sony's. Far less expensive, too.

Nick

ok, now if money isn't a issue and I wanted the best dvd changer on the market which would be the best one? Currently I do not have a hdtv or component hook up but eventually I will I just have a basic sony 32" with s-video and a lot of dvd's and a want a changer to hold them all with the best picture and sound and possibley a good or understandable gui and not have to worry about it being outdated by future technology

since you don't have your tv yet, i would just wait to see what pioneer or sony are going to offer to beat the kenwood 5900. buy a basic $99 dvd player to get you buy until you decide to spend on the hdtv.

Sony is coming out with the 875D in the next couple of few months. It's a progressive 300 disc changer. Price is supposed to be around $500.

I waited patiently for the Kenwoods last year, but was never bought because I thought the combo of high price (the $5900 is about $1300) and some of the problems made me wait. Who knows if the new Sony will be a winner, but at only $500 it's almost an impulse purchase, so I'm planning on waiting for that player before I buy a changer.

I wonder what the gui is going to look like.

I also heard that sony is planning to make all their products ip addressable. not sure exactly what that entails but i am sure it will make it easier to hook up to a computer and make the player easily managed. wonder if this upcoming product will have this feature.

Some of the press releases I've seen still list as Disc Explorer, so the GUI may be the same, but that's just speculation. Hopefully they'll improve it!

I purchased 2 5900m's after returning Sony 870 (could not daisey chain dvd's (cd's only)) and having numerous problems with five pioneer elite's. The Pioneers kept breaking, but the gui was the best i have seen. I also purchased the Kenwood Entre because the 5900m's do not catalog well. The 5900m only downloads cd titles and tracks from the internet, DVD titles must be input manually.
Pro of the Kenwood - 403 disks, daisey chain up to three units (for both cd and dvd), great picture (although i do not as of yet have a tv with component input-next purchase) so the line doubler is not important yet.
Cons - Entre only controls one of the units (although Kenwood has said it is working on a fix, due this summer), very loud drive motor, especially for first part of disk, long time to load disks, very clunky title interface,

Overall, I think its the best mega player on the market so far.