Halo D3 pics and specs

[mags]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but here we go:





Cedia D3 handout

– HDMI digital video/audio output with HDCP

– 480p / 720p / 1080i selectable scan rate

– Simultaneous progressive scan component video output and interlaced composite video output

– Faroudja DCDI processing for precision progressive scan

– DVD-Audio and SACD multi-channel

– SACD DSD bit stream goes directly to audio DAC

– DVD-A, SACD with bass management

– DVD+–R/RW, CD-R/RW compatible

– MP-3, JPEG, WMA, DivX playback, Kodak Picture CD playback

– 192 kHz / 24-Bit audio DACs

– 216 MHz / 12 bit precision video DAC

– Pure Black mode with black level adjustment, 7.5 IRE or 0 IRE

– BNC and RCA jacks for component video output

– Two s-video and two composite video output jacks

– Gold-plated 5.1 channel analog audio output jacks, two extra L, R output jacks

– Coaxial and optical digital audio outputs

– Balanced two channel analog output with XLR jacks

– Defeatable video & digital audio circuits for purest analog audio

– RS-232C two-way communication port with DB9 connector

– Easy to use remote control handset with glow-in-the-dark buttons

– External IR repeater input and looping output jacks

– Detachable IEC AC power cord

– 115v / 230v operation

– Heavy duty 3U chassis, rack mounts with HRA3 (not included)

[jnwarner]

Can anyone confirm whether this unit will play MP3's burned onto DVD?
The "Made in China" label bothers me a little bit.

Jim

[r100gs]

Nice looking unit. :P

[Greg Johnson]

I wonder if it will do time alignment for multi channel audio. Great looking player. I hope Secrets tests this play to really see how it stacks up against the competition.

[Chris D]

(best "What About Bob voice") I WANT, I WANT! I NEEEEED, I NEEEEEEED!

Jim, I think that MP3's are one of the things that will be specified later in official press releases and such, but I would be very surprised if it would NOT do MP3--that's a fairly standard capability more and more.

[jonia]

Anyone have an idea on the price of this unit?

[mags]

Actually, when I look more closely at the frontplate, it's clearly photoshopped. All the button-names, the unit name and designation have that little blurry background that doesn't quite fit with the rest of the facia.

[tomvbugg]

Hey

Does anybody know when this will be in the shops??

[Peter Nielsen]

Anyone have an idea on the price of this unit?

US $2,300

Peter

[mikepinkerton]

anyone know how good the picture is from DVD? We need the dvd shootout folks to give it the run-through and let us know if it's worth the pricetag!

-Mike

[Chris D]

Yes, yes, let's hope that "Secrets" gives it a thorough workout.

[zullo]

why would parasound come out with a 2,300 player when blu ray is on horizen?

[LuckyLuke]

and why not 1080p, like the new Marantz..?

[NMyTree]

and why not 1080p, like the new Marantz..?

What new Marantz? The DV9500? Or is there another new model?

[papaleo]

What new Marantz? The DV9500? Or is there another new model?

Yep...the DV9600

[LuckyLuke]

Yep...the DV9600

indeed

[NMyTree]

Okay, I see.

I had not heard of the DV9600 until just now. I searched for it and it looks like the follow up to the DV9500. Interesting. Thank you.

[WOTG]

Will there be a D1 player? i remember seeing some pics from CES in 2002 . it kinda looked like the C1. there was som pictures of the backpanel too, it had better plugs than the D3 and also had balanced multicahnnel outputs.

[Loffen]

D1,d2,d3.........

Will there be a D1 player? i remember seeing some pics from CES in 2002 . it kinda looked like the C1. there was som pictures of the backpanel too, it had better plugs than the D3 and also had balanced multicahnnel outputs.

And also the D2.If I remember right the D1 had the same display as the C1 and the D2 did not.
Does anyone know the specs and if the will be released ?
I have been waiting for a Halo DVD player for two years now and I guess that I will buy the D3 if I cant get the D2 soon.

[bhuskins]

D3 is the only unit currently planned.

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[Peter Nielsen]

D3 is the only unit currently planned

Brent,

Do you know if they have started production yet?

Thanks,
Peter

[bhuskins]

Not sure...

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[Chris D]

WOTG and Loffen, welcome to Club Parasound and the Guide! :banana:

Let's hope the D3 is everything we've been hoping for...

[jkscherk]

Anyone have any idea if you'll be able to output 480i from one set of the components outs while outputting 480p from the other?

Panasonic had this ability on their old flagship h2000 player. Very handy if you want to use the player's deinterlacer for some material(video-based) and your outboard video processor's deinterlacer for other material(film-based).

I shoot an email to Parasound tech as well.

[jkscherk]

Looks like I'll answer my own question.....

Parasound tech told me that the resolution will be the same on both component outputs.

Bummer

[Chris D]

jkscherk, good question. Closely related, I'm wondering if video outputs will simultaneously put out HDMI/component and composite. This is useful for a couple of things, including outputting HD resolution over HDMI or component to your projector, but still putting out a video signal over composite to your C1 so you can see the video preview screen. My Denon DVD-3910 currently does this, which is nice.

This may already be listed in the specs, but I can't remember if we've seen it or not. Anyone?

[bhuskins]

Chris - Parasound's players will do that.

John's more interested in the functionality of the Cary Audio DVD-7 which allows custom resolutions based on each output (up to 1080P I might add.) So 1080p via HDMI and 480p via component video is actually possible at the same time.

It really looks like the Cary DVD-7 is the player to beat.

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[jkscherk]

Brent,

I think you're right....the Cary player is the one to beat from a video processing perspective....and probably sound quality as well based on my exposure with the DVD-6 as reference. The DVD-6 was the best sounding player I've used to date (I currently use a 3910.)

Only two issues with the DVD-7: it isn't a universal player and it is very pricey ($4000 MSRP.)

John

[RJKuzma]

Here's news on the Parasound Classic Series (not Halo) D200 -- at least available in Austrailia for now:

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Entertainment/Home_Cinema/?article=/Entertainment/Home%20Cinema/News/K5L9W8A6

[kwojciec]

Both Classic and Halo players look good, however there is a lot of competition. Marantz DV9600 is basically DV 9500 with 1080p scaling and the sound quality is great. There is new competition coming from NAD. They are going to puty their new Master Series on the market pretty soon and there is universal player M55 included. M55 look as good if not better than Halo player and the retail price seems to be $1799. I personally would wait for the new version of Denon 3910 (the one with 1080p). The street price for this toy should be less than $1,100 and you can modify the player say at Underwood HiFi for another $1000 and get the sound quality on the level of Denon 5910, or Integra Research player

best

Krzysztof

[Chris D]

Cool... RJKuzma, I'm going to repost that article in a separate thread for visitors to the Club looking for info specific to the D200.

[emillika]

Anyone else curious why this is named with the D"3" vs. D2?

[Chris D]

Hmmm... I think this is because Parasound showed prototypes of a "D1" and "D2" a few years ago that never came to fruition. Probably to show that this isn't the same DVD player, I think.

[mikepinkerton]

Any ETA on production?

-Mike

[Peter Nielsen]

Any ETA on production?

-Mike

I feel a strong inkling: The D3 is facing the very same same fate as the D1 & D2... :cry: :cry: :cry:

Let's just face it. The D3 is not state of the art. Neither is it inexpensive. Some would say it's already obsolete and every day we wait is another nail in the coffin...

The D3 will sell TODAY. It will not sell tomorrow... Sorry Parasound, by you have to release it now or never.

I'm afraid that I'm answering the question correctly.

If I had oodles of money, I would exchange my C2 for a Meridian D68 with digital outputs NOW and never look back. Of course I would also get a Meridian CD/DVD player, although it might require financing. You can't go wrong with that!

I really did expect that I would have a D3 sitting in my rack by now...

An honest suggestion to everyone that reads this: DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!

Hava a look at Meridian Audio. They are doing things right.

Peter

[Big Guns]

d3 now on remote

Has anyone noticed the d3 is now on the new software for the remote for the c1? I'm finally setting up my new home theater and after updating the remote using the auto-update feature, it now has the d3 linked to the second button on the main page.

[Chris D]

Now that IS interesting. I just did a "Live Update" on the MX-700 Control software the other day, and it said no updates were available. I'm travelling right now, but I'll check when I can over the next few weeks and see what's out now.

Big Guns, since you have it now, if you go into the D3 menu, do any buttons look odd, unusual, or "interesting", indicating any particular features of the D3? It could give clues...

[J.H.]

Seriously are these DVD players ever really going to come out? Its not even on there website. I love Parasound but in my opinion this is a bad idea this late in the DVD game. Only high end buyers would buy this and high end buyers are looking to spend a wad on a real HD/bluray player not an upconvert. This just don't make no sense to me. Bad english I know its on purpose. J.H.

[Big Guns]

Nothing out of the ordinary on the remote. 1st button on page 2 is labeled SACD. All the others are typical commands such as angle, mark, search, zoom, etc. One button is labeled V off; not sure what it's for. I just purchased a Denon 2910 Thursday. so I'll probably wait for the D4 if I live that long (I'm 47 ).

[slayer]

The "V Off" will be the "Video Off" feature. It will disable all the video processing during audio playback. If you are listening to CD's or SACD's and such, this is the perfered setting. It is supposed to improve the sound quality. I have the feature on my Toshiba SD-9200 DVD audio player and I use it every time I use it. I only use this player for audio so it makes sense to bypass all the video portions of the player. I have never really heard a difference, but it can't hurt to use it so I do.

[mags]

Well, according to this Norwegian webshop, they already have the D3 on sale for NOK 26.000 (approx. USD 4.000) - have a look here.

And the most prominent Norwegian hifi-magazine, Fidelity, ran a full-page "Parasound D3 - coming soon" ad in their last issue, placed by the Norwegian distributor NCMS. And NCMS should know that the product is coming, as they have developed the D3. So, my money is on the D3 coming out pretty soon, during January of February at the latest.

[Peter Nielsen]

Well, according to this Norwegian webshop, they already have the D3 on sale for NOK 26.000

Well, just because they sell it does not mean that they can actually deliver it. The fine print on that page says: "Produktet er ikke på lager, normal bestillingstid 1-3 dager" ("Product not in stock, typical ordering time 1-3 days"). That's probably the "generic" text they put on all items not in stock. Can they deliver if you order? Somebody should try it out :B :T

Anyway, let's hope it will be available soon!

Peter

[psychdoc]

4000.00 for DVD player with the Bluray-HD versions coming out soon. Yikes!

[J.H.]

Yeah I dont get it either.I love Parasound equipment and I don't get this at all. It is way too late for a high end DVD player. It should have come out a year ago. I just don't get it at all and in my opinion a bad business move. I hope they know what they are doing with this product. J.H.

[Peter Nielsen]

4000.00 for DVD player with the Bluray-HD versions coming out soon. Yikes!

Allegedly the US MSRP is $2,300.00.

Don't forget the sky-high sales tax in European countries! To boot, the Scandinavian countries are the worst, all with a sales tax above twenty percent. Norway has a 24% sales tax, and as is usual for European countries, the tax has to be included in the advertised price if the product is intended for consumers.

Still, the price in Norway it's about $700 more than the US price. This is to some part attributed to import duty fees (~5%) and to the fact that the Norwegian importer probably wants to be able to keep the list price the same even if the US Dollar fluctuates to the Norwegian Krone...

Peter