CUSTOM INSTALLATION HOW-TO

The small remote control is packed with buttons, none of which are backlit. On the bright side, the ones you'll use most are grouped near the bottom of the handset where you can quickly find them. One highlight is the smooth playback you get during fast-forward or reverse searches.

SETUP Since I wanted to watch movies and play SACDs, I had to connect six audio cables between the Sony player and my receiver and then dash to the store to buy an HDMI cable. I paid $80 for a 2-meter run - and that was a cheap one! With the wiring complete, I made use of the player's extensive setup options for its analog multi-channel audio output, including bass management and distance compensation for all five speakers and the subwoofer.

Getting the video to look right took a little maneuvering. Sony offers five picture presets plus a custom memory setting, with the Standard preset serving as a default. But the contrast range looked flat with the Standard setting, so I created a custom setting to improve the picture. The upconverted images from the HDMI output had a color-balance problem that made skin tones look too yellow and washed out. But this can be compensated for on some TVs (see "in the lab," next page).

MOVIE PERFORMANCE The Sony performed very well when I used its component-video output in progressive-scan mode. Any switches between film- and video-based programs were glitch-free, with the Sony automatically optimizing the playback for best performance.

Watching the DVD of The Stepford Wives through the Sony player's digital HDMI output, I was impressed by the greater picture clarity and detail compared with the analog connection.

I was also impressed by the leap in image clarity when I switched over to the HDMI output. In a scene from the recent remake of The Stepford Wives, I could see all the detail in Matthew Broderick's tweed coat. And in the scene where a realtor shows them an empty home, plenty of detail was visible in the light splashing around on the wood and glass surfaces of the kitchen. Shadow detail was also very realistic, with a fine gradation of dark tones spilling out from deepest black.

MUSIC PERFOMANCE Testing the NS975V gave me a chance to check out some new SACDs of favorite old albums I'd recently picked up, including Roxy Music's Avalon. This disc sounds great in plain old stereo, but the multichannel surround version is a truly wild ride. Listening to "The Space Between," I could feel the amazing energy and drive of the bass and drums - it really propelled the song forward. The synths and guitars had a full, detailed presentation, and Bryan Ferry's butter-smooth vocals seemed to slide around the room, trailing from speaker to speaker. Exciting stuff overall, and a vast improvement on the stereo mix.

BOTTOM LINE Besides looking slick and being a pleasure to use, Sony's DVP-NS975V offers both SACD playback and high-def video upconversion for your DVDs - quite a bargain for its asking price. What more could you want, except DVD-Audio compatibility? (Fat chance on a Sony!) Real high-def DVD is still a year or so off. But if you need a versatile player to pinch-hit in the meantime, this one will fill the slot nicely.