Customer Reviews
great product 
2008-06-27
Easy hook up, reads regions and lets you see movie as if you had the standard dvd player without doing any extra pressing of buttons
Great player if you know how to choose the right seller 2008-06-19
Pioneer doesn't officially make an all-region version of this player, so what you get depends on who did the custom modification and using what (hardware/software). The all-region feature may or may not have been properly enabled or the "special" capability may be "lost" after unplugging the unit from the outlet if not properly enabled. I bought one that was enabled properly (I believe so far after more than a few months of usage) and works fine for any region (1 to 6) even after an extended power outage during a winter. My suggestion to other buyers is to ask the seller serious questions and quarantee of refund if not as described before hitting any button to buy. If no quarantee, don't buy it or you may regret later.
This machine basically plays everything I have and more. Digital video via HDMI is as good as my Sony player. Digital audio via HDMI or coaxial out is second to none although this unit doesn't have the optical digital audio output that my Sony has. However, the Sony doesn't play as many types of discs and is Region 1 and NTSC only (no PAL). I will keep this Pioneer DVD player and replace my Sony DVD player with a Sony blu-ray player.
Region 1 only..... 
2008-03-23
I also purchased this unit to play foreign DVDs (Japan - Region 2), but it only plays Region 1. Does anyone know why some folks are getting what is advertised and others are not? I purchased mine from Amazon, and not a Marletplace seller. Also, is their a mechanical way to alter the coding instead of going through the software?
Excellent All Region PAL/NTSC DVD Upconverting Player 2007-10-16
The correct model of this Pioneer DVD player is suppose to be DV-400V-S
Basically what happened is that some people took the original Pioneer DV-400V-S and modified the hardware to play ALL Region and PAL as well.
The hardware modification makes this DVD player the best out there, but it does break your warranty. Pioneer will not service this unit. If you break it, you gotta buy a brand new one.
Despite the fact that there is no warranty, this thing plays it ALL. Really nice piece of equipment! It plays EVERYTHING except for HD-DVDs or Blue-Ray.
PAL and NTSC discs work, Any region, let it be a DVD-R or a CD-R.
It is DivX certifed and I think it can play WMA/WMV files.
HDMI output for this unit is excellent so one can enjoy an up-converted digital signal. No need for any component cables. One single HDMI cable and you are set for audio and video.
The up-conversion is great! Reminder that this is an up-conversion and not an upscale. The DVD player does not have a Faroudja chip to de-interlace and then scale the signal.
Only down fall for this unit, is that it takes like 5-6 seconds to start up. I have no idea why, but it works perfectly other wise.
Will Not Play Region 2 Discs 2007-09-06
Purchased this unit as I specifically wanted to play region 2 discs, which I found to my dismay it would not. When I called Pioneer, they said that they do not make an all region player and could not support my unit. On the box the unit came in, there was a sticker saying the unit had been modified to support all regions. This voided my warranty according to Oliver at Pioneer. This unit was puchased thru All Region and have been unable to call them for support. (Can't find a phone #) If anyone can help,sure would appreciate it
It works 2007-07-20
Pioneer DV490 S HDMI Region Code Free DVD Player features:HDMI and DVI output with upconversion for 480p, 720p, 768p & 1080i video output resolution Play any region DVD, DVIX, XVID, DVD +R, +RW, -R, -RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, VCD, SVCD. WMA files, Jpeg, MP3, MPEG, and much, much more. Pal to NTSC video converter 16MBPure Cinema 2:3 Progressive Scan Digital video upconversion Selectable 720p/1080i output via HDMI digital interface (separate adapter available for TVs with DVI input) Selectable progressive-scan mode for smoother video with HD-compatible TVs (via the component video output) Audio Digital/Analog Converter (DAC) 24-bit/96kHz Video Digital/Analog Converter (DAC) 12-bit/108MHz HDMI Virtual Dolby Digital Surround DTS(R) (Digital Theater Systems) Picture Zoom Advanced GUI with Set-up NavigatorInputs/Outputs:Component Video Output 1 S-Video Output 1 Video Output 1 Audio Output 1 Coaxial Digital Output (for Dolby Digital L PCM/DTS) HDMI OutputDimensions:Dimensions (inches) 16-9/16 x 1-15/16 x 8-7/16 (WxHxD) Dimensions (mm) 420 x 49.5 x 213.8 (WxHxD) Weight 3lbs. 15 oz.
Awesome product 2007-05-30
This dvd works perfectly. I absolutely love it. It's easy to use and works with everything.
See It All 2007-05-13
I happened to buy some DVDs that were available only in PAL. I also had some CDVideos plus some karaoke discs. This Pioneer player is terrific . . . it plays all formats plus has HDMI to "upgrade" regular DVDs to almost HD quality. Lives up to Pioneer's reputation.
