Pioneer DV 343 vs Pioneer DV 440...which is better?

[DiamondDave2005]

Hey all,
I'm looking at either the Pioneer DV 343 or the Pioneer DV 440. I just want a good picture more than anything else. I'm not interested in MP3, etc.
I'm currently using a DV 333 hooked up to an older 32" Sony with an S-video cable, and it looks just fine. The new player will replace the 333, which is going upstairs to replace a vcr :)
I see the 343 for $150 on Amazon, and the 440 is available for around $160 from various places, so the price is almost the same.
I assume the 440 is the latest model, but if anyone has any opinions on which is better, I'd love to hear it.
Thanks,
Dave

[nekobus]

Go for the 440. I have both and like the 440 much better. It's a much better machine.

The 440 has better functions including smooth scanning, the 343 is a little bit "chunky" while scanning. If you just push and release the 440's scan button, it now scans, you don't have to hold it down for a couple of seconds to get continous scanning like on the 343. Now if you hold the 440's scan button down, it will scan until you release it. This is great for scanning back a few seconds to check a line of dialogue.

The picture quality on both machines is similar, with the 440 having a slight edge. The 440 has more picture adjustments than the 343. The 440 is 2/3 of the size(height). The 343 loaded discs fast, but the 440 is about 50% faster with most discs loading in 3-5 seconds. The 440 has Burr-Brown DACs and in a blind test using audio cds(not mp3), everyone in our household picked the 440 over the 343.

The scanning improvements alone are worth $10. Our 343 is finding a new home for Christmas.

[DiamondDave2005]

Hey, thanks for the info. I'm going to get the 440...gotta check Best Buy on the way home today, see if they have it.
Dave

[DiamondDave2005]

Well, the best online price I found (including shipping) was $180, so I went to Best Buy just now and picked it up for $170. Not bad...$20 less than the DV-333 I bought this time last year.
Dave